Political and economic relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific community have been held hostage by Hungary and now Poland. This must end, writes Carlos Zorrinho.
What’s wrong with it? Why are first Hungary and now Poland blocking the European ratification of the post-Cotonou Agreement? On the contrary, why could giving the green light to this important new international legal framework be fundamental in facilitating multilateralism over conflicts and breaches of international law?
Many of these questions clearly need to be debated and answered at the 43rd session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly which began in Brussels on Saturday (24 July) and runs until Wednesday 28 June between the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Union (ACP-EU JPA). In the meantime, the EU and the ACP Countries have just decided to extend by 4 months the old Cotonou Agreement. We acknowledge the necessity of this extension to avoid a legal void from 1 July. However, we cannot accept that a single member State jeopardises a partnership of over one hundred countries from four different continents.
Carlos Zorrinho MEP is the Co-Chair of the EU-African, Caribbean and Pacific community joint parliamentary assembly and a member of the Socialists and Democrats Group.
