Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-10-Speech-3-261"
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"en.20020410.8.3-261"2
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".
I should like to confirm that, unfortunately, even though it was signed some time ago, only four Member States have so far ratified the Cotonou Agreement. In chronological order they are Denmark, United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland.
The Council wishes, however, to correct the statement that only two Member States have begun ratification procedures. That is not the case: these procedures have been started in all the Member States without exception, and they are even nearing completion in Spain, for instance. I could almost say it is a matter of days rather than weeks.
The ratification procedures are following their normal course, although it is a long process, and we can expect that, if nothing untoward happens, all the Member States will have ratified the Cotonou Agreement before the end of this year, 2002.
The Presidency of the Council – which has been aware of this situation – has contacted all the Member States of the Union to urge them to push forward and speed up their ratification procedures, and nothing would give us greater satisfaction than to be able to say that by the end of our Presidency the Cotonou Agreement had been ratified. We must bear in mind that this agreement will come into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the ratification instruments are deposited by the European Union Member States and two thirds – i.e. 51 – of the ACP states, as well as the instrument by which the Community approves the agreement. As of today, 42 ACP states have deposited their ratification instruments.
I want to take this opportunity to emphasise once again that the Presidency is reminding all the contracting parties to the Cotonou Agreement that full implementation of this agreement is urgent, since it is an essential component of the European Union’s foreign cooperation and development policy. I did so myself on behalf of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly which took place in Cape Town from 18 to 21 March this year. This will of course be a priority issue at the meeting of ACP-EU Ministers to be held at Punta Cana –Dominican Republic – on 28 June, during the Spanish Presidency."@en1
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