Proposal for a Decision on the position to be taken in the EPA Committee established under the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Ghana and the European Community

Summary:

Proposal presented on 22 July 2019 by the European Commission establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the Union regarding the adoption of a Protocol to the EU-Ghana EPA concerning the definition of the concept of 'originating products' and methods of administrative cooperation.

Further information:

The stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Ghana, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, was signed on 28 July 2016 and has been provisionally applied since 15 December 2016.

The EPA Committee deals with all matters necessary for the implementation of the Agreement, including development cooperation. At its next meeting to be held in 2019, the EPA Committee is to adopt a decision regarding the addition of Protocol 1 to the Agreement, in order to establish a common and reciprocal regime governing the rules of origin.

It is therefore appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union at the meeting of the EPA Committee, as that decision will be binding on the Union.