Lomé Convention

The Lome Convention ( Lome Convention also ) is a named after the Togolese capital Lome agreements between the EU member states with 77 developing countries in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific ( ACP) countries. It was signed on 28 February 1975 and on 31 October 1979 by Lome II, on 15 December 1989 replaced by the Cotonou Agreement on 8 December 1984 by Lome III by Lomé IV and on 23 June 2000. It is the successor of Yaoundé Agreement.

As a result, in 1995 completed construction of the World Trade Organization ( WTO), a number of reform needs have arisen with regard to the ACP -EU relations. This has been supported in the June 2000 signed the Cotonou Agreement. This new legal basis for ACP -EU relations has a term of 20 years. During a transitional period, which lasted until the end of 2007, the provisions of the expired Lomé IV Convention on were. On 1 January 2008, the new WTO-compatible rules came to fruition.

The Community's relations with the former colonies of EU member states has been assigned by the Treaties establishing the EEC explicitly a special role. Goal of mutual relations, which have been operated since the mid-1960s on the basis of multiannual agreements, is a comprehensive economic, financial, developmental and cultural cooperation. By the Lomé Convention, the EC / EU member states waive the industrial sector completely, in the agricultural sector largely on counter preferences in trade agreements. So these countries a privileged market access in Europe is granted. In addition, the Lome Convention included insurance for export earnings. This fall by falling prices on the world market, takes place from the STABEX fund an equalization payment. This system is applied to 49 agricultural products and mining products 7. The cost terms biggest part of this Agreement takes the development assistance through grants and low-interest loans. These are from the European Development Fund, which will be provided to 25% of Germany paid. This is primarily used for promotion of agriculture and the rural areas, but can also support other areas where needed. Key points of the ACP promotion were last the promotion of democracy, human rights, rule of law and favorable conditions for the private sector. In the relations between the EU and the ACP countries is a development policy concept using a variety of tools for cooperation.

The Lome Convention is currently the most comprehensive international legally binding cooperation policy between developed and developing countries.

Criticism

Criticism of this treaty arises primarily from its contradictions, such as the promotion of agriculture in simultaneous imports into the EU market. To protect EU agriculture, access to the EU market of many agricultural products is limited, these are at the same time, however, the main exports of the ACP countries. Due to their low level of industrialization, the market opening of the EC / EU member states in the industrial sector had little meaning.