International Cocoa Agreement

PURPOSE: to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the 2022 amendments to the International Cocoa Agreement 2010.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. 

BACKGROUND: the European Union is a party to the International Cocoa Agreement 2010 and a member of the International Cocoa Organization. The International Cocoa Agreement aims to strengthen the global cocoa sector and promote its economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development.

The Commission negotiated the amendments on the basis of the mandate and negotiating directives it proposed, which were approved by the Council on 20 April 2021.

The text of the International Cocoa Agreement, as amended, was approved by the International Cocoa Council at its 106th ordinary session, held from 27 to 29 September 2022. The amendments were negotiated to modify the International Cocoa Agreement 2010, which was extended until 30 September 2026.

A partial review of the International Cocoa Agreement 2010, aimed at reforming it, was necessary and clearly in the Union's interest. It had the objective of bringing it more in line with the practices the Union encourages in other international commodity bodies and of taking into account developments in the world cocoa market since 2010.

The International Cocoa Agreement 2010, as amended in 2022, results from the review of the implementation of the 2010 International Cocoa Agreement and the need for this Agreement to be more forward-looking and better able to respond to the current challenges facing the global cocoa economy.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council decide to approve, on behalf of the Union, the amendments to the International Cocoa Agreement.

The 2010 International Cocoa Agreement, as amended in 2022, includes several major changes, including:

- an indefinite term with review every five years,

- a realignment of the agreement's provisions with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

- the introduction of the key objective of ensuring a living income for cocoa farmers and remunerative prices,

- concrete measures to be implemented within the economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainability,

- the promotion of quality, food safety, and research,

- the expansion of cooperation with more donor organizations to finance development projects in the cocoa sector. The amendments would take effect 100 days after the depositary receives notifications of acceptance from contracting parties representing at least 75% of the exporting members holding at least 85% of the votes of the exporting members, and from contracting parties representing at least 75% of the importing members holding at least 85% of the votes of the importing members, or on such later date as the Council may have determined. The deadline for filing notifications of acceptance has been extended to 22 June 2026.