EC/ACP agreement: partnership agreement with the African, Caribbean and Pacific States

PURPOSE : on the conclusion of the Cotonou Agreement. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2003/159/EC concerning the conclusion of the Partnership Agreement between the ACP countries and the EC and its Member States, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000. CONTENT : This Decision contains the following main provisions: - the Cotonou Agreement is approved on behalf of the EC; - if the Council considers that an ACP State has failed to fulfil one of the essential elements referred to in Article 9 of the Agreement, or in serious cases of corruption, the ACP State must hold consultations in accordance with Articles 96 and 97 of the Agreement. The Council will act by qualified majority. If no solution is found, the Council may decide by qualified majority to take measures that may include partial suspension. In case of a full suspension, the Council must act unanimously. The European Parliament must be fully informed of any decision. The Council must review its decision regularly and at least once every six months.�