Proposal for a Council Decision establishing the position to be taken in the EPA committee set up by the Stepping Stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community

Background and further information:

The Stepping Stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d'Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other, aims to contribute to reducing and eradicating poverty by developing a consistent trade partnership, promoting a more competitive and diversified economy and stronger growth, trade cooperation and good governance, promoting the gradual integration of Côte d'Ivoire into world trade, improving capacities relating to trade policy and trade-related issues, reinforcing existing relations between the parties, based on solidarity and mutual interest, and promoting the development of the private sector and job creation.

The Agreement was signed in Abidjan on 26 November 2008 and in Brussels on 22 January 2009 and has been applied provisionally since 3 September 2016.

+ Council Decision 2009/156/EC of 21 November 2008 on the signature and provisional application of the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d'Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part

Article 73 of the Agreement establishes an EPA Committee, which is responsible for the administration of all the fields covered by the Agreement and for the achievement of all the tasks mentioned in the Agreement. At its first meeting, the EPA Committee must adopt a joint decision establishing the rules of procedure of the EPA Committee. The aim is to determine the rules governing its organisation and operation.