Proposal for a Decision on the accession of Solomon Islands to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Pacific States

Summary:

Proposal presented on 29 April 2019 by the European Commission regarding the accession of the Solomon Islands to the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Pacific States.

Background and further information:

The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part was signed in July 2009. The EPA has been provisionally applied by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa since December 2009, July 2014 and December 2018, respectively.

On 4 June 2018, the Solomon Islands submitted a request to the Council together with a market access offer to accede to the EPA. The Commission assessed the offer and, after modifications, found it to be acceptable. Accordingly, it concluded negotiations on behalf of the Union on 23 October.