The new EU ACP partnership agreement

This article reviews and assesses the recent Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the ACP group of developing countries and the EU. It places the Agreement in the context of the EU's commitment to refocusing its development policy and reforming its aid administration. It emphasises the innovative elements of the Agreement that set it apart from its Lome predecessors - the intention to move to reciprocal regional free trade agreements; the emphasis upon good governance; the rule of law and human rights; the enhanced role for non-State actors and the private sector and the adoption of a rolling programme of aid provision

EU aid policy towards the Pacific ACPs

This paper reviews the EU's development policy in relation to the Pacific members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group (ACP). It considers the particular characteristics and challenges faced by these island economies before turning to their trade relations with the EU and the Community's aid programme. It considers both the regional assistance programme and the particular experience of Fiji, the largest economy of the South Pacific. Finally, it attempts to draw some more general conclusions as to the effectiveness of EU aid administration and to identify those issues that remain to be addressed including monitoring, performance criteria, deconcentration and policy coherence. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.