Summary of Conventions

Signatories

Country	Status	Year
Angola	pending	15-Dec-1989
Antigua and Barbuda	pending	15-Dec-1989
Bahamas	pending	15-Dec-1989
Barbados	pending	15-Dec-1989
Belgium	pending	01-Sep-1991
Belize	pending	15-Dec-1989
Benin	pending	15-Dec-1989
Botswana	pending	15-Dec-1989
Burkina Faso	pending	15-Dec-1989
Burundi	pending	15-Dec-1989
Cameroon	pending	15-Dec-1989
Cape Verde	pending	15-Dec-1989
Central African Republic	pending	15-Dec-1989
Chad	pending	15-Dec-1989
Comoros	pending	15-Dec-1989
Congo, D.R. of	pending	15-Dec-1989
Congo, R. of	pending	15-Dec-1989
Côte d'Ivoire	pending	08-Dec-1984
Denmark	pending	01-Sep-1991
Djibouti	pending	15-Dec-1989
Dominica	pending	15-Dec-1989
Dominican Republic	pending	15-Dec-1989
Equatorial Guinea	pending	15-Dec-1989
Ethiopia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Fiji	pending	15-Dec-1989
France	pending	01-Sep-1991
Gabon	pending	15-Dec-1989
Gambia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Germany, Fed. Rep.	pending	01-Sep-1991
Ghana	pending	15-Dec-1989
Greece	pending	01-Sep-1991
Grenada	pending	15-Dec-1989
Guinea	pending	15-Dec-1989
Guinea-Bissau	pending	15-Dec-1989
Guyana	pending	15-Dec-1989
Haiti	pending	15-Dec-1989
Ireland	pending	01-Sep-1991
Italy	pending	01-Sep-1991
Jamaica	pending	15-Dec-1989
Kenya	pending	15-Dec-1989
Kiribati	pending	15-Dec-1989
Lesotho	pending	15-Dec-1989
Liberia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Luxembourg	pending	01-Sep-1991
Madagascar	pending	15-Dec-1989
Malawi	pending	15-Dec-1989
Mali	pending	15-Dec-1989
Mauritania	pending	15-Dec-1989
Mauritius	pending	15-Dec-1989
Mozambique	pending	15-Dec-1989
Namibia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Netherlands	pending	01-Sep-1991
Niger	pending	15-Dec-1989
Nigeria	pending	15-Dec-1989
Papua New Guinea	pending	15-Dec-1989
Portugal	pending	01-Sep-1991
Rwanda	pending	15-Dec-1989
Saint Kitts and Nevis	pending	15-Dec-1989
Saint Lucia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines	pending	15-Dec-1989
Samoa	pending	15-Dec-1989
Sao Tome and Principe	pending	15-Dec-1989
Senegal	pending	15-Dec-1989
Seychelles	pending	15-Dec-1989
Sierra Leone	pending	15-Dec-1989
Solomon Islands	pending	15-Dec-1989
Somalia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Spain	pending	01-Sep-1991
Sudan	pending	15-Dec-1989
Suriname	pending	15-Dec-1989
Swaziland	pending	15-Dec-1989
Tanzania, United R. of	pending	15-Dec-1989
Togo	pending	15-Dec-1989
Tonga	pending	15-Dec-1989
Trinidad and Tobago	pending	15-Dec-1989
Tuvalu	pending	15-Dec-1989
Uganda	pending	15-Dec-1989
United Kingdom	pending	01-Sep-1991
Vanuatu	pending	15-Dec-1989
Zambia	pending	15-Dec-1989
Zimbabwe	pending	15-Dec-1989

Language
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Document text

	
	Under the current Convention (Lomé IV), the following areas can be selected as priorities in conjunction with the national authorities of each ACP State (or group of States) in the context of the programming negotiations:
-   environment (fight against deterioration of sites, prevention)
-   agricultural cooperation and self-sufficiency in food supplies
-   fight against drought and desertification
-   development of fisheries
-   cooperation on commodities (training of national operators, investments to promote products locally)
-   development of industry, mines and energy
-   support for the private sector (setting-up of firms, rapid development of small businesses)
-   tourism with local added value
-   transport, communications, computerization
-   trade
-   cultural and social cooperation, safeguarding the heritage
-   education and training
-   scientific cooperation
-   health, nutrition
-   regional cooperation between neighboring ACP States
-   support for democracy and human rights. 


III - Practicalities  
(Lomé Convention instruments)

1. EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT FUND 
Objectives
The EDF is the main financial instrument of the Lomé Convention (90% of the Convention's budget, or ECU 10.8 billion for 1991-95).
EDF operations take the forms of subsidies for national or multinational programmes to encourage economic and social development and, in particular economic and structural reforms:
-    rural development and self-sufficiency in food,  protection of the environment,  sociocultural development and education of peoples,  development of small businesses and of craft trades.
-    During the period 1991-95, 57% of the EDF (the seventh EDF) was devoted to financing these programmes: structural adjustment programmes in the form of budgetary aid representing up to 20% of EDF resources
-   interest-rate subsidies and risk capital (for projects supported by the EIB)
-   systems for the stabilization of export earnings from commodities (Stabex) and from mining products (Sysmin)
-   emergency aid/aid for refugees. 

Procedures
-   Five-year indicative programmes drawn up by common agreement between the recipient State and the European Union determine the projects or objectives of European financing.
-   Regional cooperation programmes are negotiated with multinational regional organizations (e.g. Indian Ocean Commission, Organization of West African States).
At this stage, European promoters can suggest to the local and/or Community authorities which projects they could develop with local partners.
The next stage is the opening of a file which is examined jointly by the Union delegate responsible for the recipient country and the relevant Commission department (DG VIII-Development).
At the end of the examination stage, a financial commitment proposal is made which becomes a financing decision endorsed by the Member States of the Union.
Then a financing agreement may be signed between the Commission and the authority responsible for the project in the recipient country (central government, territorial authority, chamber of commerce, etc.).
At this stage, the European promoters interested must be in a position to obtain information from the EC delegate on the spot, local authorities or the desk-officers in Brussels (particulars available from DG VIII).
On this basis, invitations to tender are launched for the conclusion of contracts.
The following basic principles govern these contracts, which must be:
-    open to ACP firms and European firms
-   transparent and include the requirement to select the tender offering the best value for money (positive discrimination is allowed in favour of ACP firms). 
Open tendering procedures are used except in the case of operations where the estimated cost is less than ECU 5 million (private treaty, invitation to tender restricted to a list of registered firms).
The firm is always put into direct contact with the ACP State or any public or private body (or firm), authorized by it; it may be the European Commission in the case of technical assistance contracts.
The decisive factor for the operator is the ability to obtain information.
   Conclusion of works and supply contracts (including food aid)
-    Invitations to tender appear in the S series of the Official Journal of the European Communities, but the deadlines are extremely short: two to three months at most.  The ACP-EU Courier published by DG VIII regularly carries 'Operational Summary' inserts which review current or future projects. This information is also available in computerized form (PABLI data bank).  The invitation to tender files are often available from the European Commission several months before they appear in the S series of the Official Journal.  Official external trade bodies and chambers of commerce and industry also often have data banks which are available for consultation. 
   Conclusion of service contracts (studies and technical assistance)
The EU departments consult a restricted number of firms or bodies which have already been registered.
Contracts are concluded in one of two ways:
  1.Contracts involving small amounts are concluded by private treaty. For that purpose a short list is drawn up of four or five bodies on the professional or trade register whose profiles best match the services requested. It is then up to the recipient State to select freely one of the proposed candidates.
  2.Contracts for major operations (over ECU 200 000, the threshold in 1995) are concluded after restricted invitations to tender have been circulated to registered bodies. The contract is then awarded to the candidate who submitted the tender offering best value for money. The decision is taken jointly by the European Commission and the recipient State. 
In order to be registered, firms need only to fill in a questionnaire, which will be sent to them on request (see below).
The main criterion which will enable the Commission to judge the capacity of the applicant is, unquestionably, experience gained in the country involved.
   Cooperation in trade and tourism
Each year, a list of fairs and exhibitions in Europe is drawn up. Economic organizations in ACP States can apply for aid from the EDF to participate (renting of a stand, decoration, promotional material).
European organizers of fairs and exhibitions who want ACP States to participate with the financial support of the European Union can publicize their events with emphasis on the European dimension.
   Decentralized cooperation
Local authorities, associations or chambers of commerce and industry can receive support for their development aid projects, in particular in the ACP States.
The Union grants subsidies to projects submitted by these bodies in partnership with local structures and with the agreement of the government concerned.


For further information:

Progress of programmes:
The ACP-EU Courier (a bi-monthly review) contains blue pages which describe current projects:
The ACP-EU Courier
European Commission 
DG VIII 
Development (distribution/subscriptions)
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Tel. (32-2) 299 98 52
Fax (32-2) 299 30 02

Information on projects (for firms in the European Union):
European Commission 
DG VIII 
Rue de la Loi 200 
B-1049 Brussels 
Tel. (32-2) 299 28 19 
Fax (32-2) 299 28 70

Planning and management of projects:
European Commission 
DG VIII 
Geographical desk-officers (list available on request) 
Rue de la Loi 200 
B-1049 Brussels 
Tel. (32-2) 299 98 52 
Fax (32-2) 299 30 02

European Commission delegations in the ACP States (list available on request and in the ACP-EU Courier)

National authorities in the ACP States
Decentralized cooperation projects, non-governmental organizations:
European Commission 
Unit B.2 – DG VIII 
Decentralized Cooperation and co-financing with NGOs 
Rue de la Loi 200 
B-1049 Brussels 
Tel. (32-2) 299 98 61 
Fax (32-2) 299 28 47

Registration of consultancies:
European Commission 
Unit 6 - DG VIII - Management of the register of consultancies 
Rue de la Loi 200 
B-1049 Brussels 
Tel. (32-2) 299 27 98 or 299 32 08 
Fax (32-2) 299 98 36 or 299 28 69

Food aid
European Commission 
Unit B.1 - DG VIII - Food security and food aid 
Rue de la Loi 200 
B-1049 Brussels 
Tel. (32-2) 299 32 24 
Fax (32-2) 295 61 83 or 299 30 73


2. EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK
In 1994 the European Investment Bank granted ECU 406 million in loans to the ACP States (of which ECU 199 million came from budgetary resources).
The following can be listed among the projects adopted:
-    a global loan for investments by small businesses in Benin
-   restoration of an oil pipeline between Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya
-   investments in tourism in the Caribbean (global loans, development of ports).


3. CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
The Centre for Industrial Development provides    financial and logistic assistance for promoters    (from Europe and the ACP States) of industrial    projects in the ACP States. These projects    include the following:
-       financing visits to identify partners (extending to involvement of European firms in industrial forums in the ACP States)
-          studies of joint venture formalities
-          staff training. 

For further information
Centre for Industrial Development
Avenue Herrmann-Debroux 52
B-1160 Brussels
Tel. (32-2) 679 18 11
Fax (32-2) 675 26 03


4. TECHNICAL CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL COOPERATION
This Centre organizes training programmes for those in charge of agricultural and rural businesses.

For further information
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
PO Box 380
6700 AJ Wageningen
The Netherlands
Tel. (31-83 70) 8 06 04 00


5. EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN AID 
Measures managed directly by the European Union through ECHO.

Short Name:	Lome IV
Full Name:	Fourth ACP - EEC Convention
Purpose:	general
Established:	15-Dec-1989
Entered into force:	01-Sep-1991
Type:	convention, multi-lateral
Place where established:	Lome, Togo
Schedule to expire:
Goals and Objectives:	The Lomé convention associates 70 States in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (the ACP States) with the countries of the European Union. Most ACP States have historical links with Union countries. The first Lomé Convention was signed in 1975. The fourth Convention (Lomé IV) came into force in 1991 for a period of 10 years (with a mid-term review in 1995). It is the most comprehensive expression of the European idea of a development policy: the terms of the Convention are negotiated between the countries of the Union and the ACP States; it ensures free access for all industrial products from the ACP States to the European market; the Convention includes a system for the stabilization of export earnings from commodities from the ACP States (e.g. coffee, rubber or nickel); it contains a reference to human rights; it establishes a financial cooperation instrument, the European Development Fund, as well as a Centre for Industrial Development and a Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation.
Related Legislation:	1957 European Economic Community (EEC) Treaty. Provision made under Articles 131-136 of the 1963 Yaoundé I Convention AACM (Associated African States and Madagascar) - EEC 1969 Yaoundé II Convention AASM - EEC 1975 Lomé I Convention ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) - EEC 1980 Lomé II Convention ACP - EEC 1985 Lomé III Convention ACP - EEC The Lome Convention is the title of a series of agreements named after the capital of Togo, and is the central element of the European Communities' (EC's) relations with developing countries. It derives from Article 131-136 of the Treaty of Rome. The first agreements under these provisions were the Yaounde Conventions of 1963 and 1969. [28 Feb 1975] First ACP-EEC Convention (Lome I) (entered into force 01 Apr 1976). [31 Oct 1979] Second ACP-EEC Convention (Lome II) [08 Dec 1984] Third ACP EEC Convention (Lome III) (entered into force 01 May 1986).
Internet source:	#http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/mye0278s/ACP1.htm#

Secretariat's address	European Commission DG VIII Rue de la Loi 200 B-1049 Brussels Belgium
Telephone	+32-2 299 28 19
Fax	+32-2 299 28 70
E-Mail
Home Page	#http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/mye0278s/ACP1.htm#