2001 No. 3935

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

The European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Community and its Member States (The Cotonou Agreement)) Order 2001

Made

Coming into force in accordance with Article 1

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 11th day of December 2001

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

Whereas a draft of this Order has been laid before Parliament in accordance with section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 19721 and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on Her by section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972 or otherwise in Her Majesty vested, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:

I11

This Order may be cited as the European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Community and its Member States (The Cotonou Agreement)) Order 2001. It shall come into force, in respect of each treaty specified in the Schedule to this Order, on the date on which the treaty enters into force for the United Kingdom. These dates will be notified in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Art. 1 comes into force in accordance with art. 1

I22

The treaties specified in the Schedule to this Order are to be regarded as Community Treaties as defined in Section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I2

Art. 2 comes into force in accordance with art. 1

A.K.GallowayClerk of the Privy Council

SCHEDULE

I31

The Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 20002.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I3

Sch. para. 1 comes into force in accordance with art. 1

I42

The Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Community and its Member States (The Cotonou Agreement)—Internal Agreement on the Financing and Administration of Community Aid, signed at Brussels on 18 September 20003.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I4

Sch. para. 2 comes into force in accordance with art. 1

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order declares the Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Community and its Member States (The Cotonou Agreement), signed on 23 June 2000, and the related Internal Financing Agreement, to be Community Treaties as defined in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972. Like its predecessor, the Fourth ACP-EEC Convention of Lome, the Cotonou Agreement covers trade, political and development co-operation. Its central objective is the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty. It contains, inter alia, a commitment to human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance, outlines new WTO-compatible frameworks for trade, including the establishment of regional economic partnerships, confirms the EU commitment to provide duty free market access for some products from Least Developed Countries, and sets out a framework for long-term development assistance. The principal effect of declaring these agreements to be Community Treaties as so defined is to bring into play, in relation to them, the provisions of section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972 which provide for the implementation of treaties so specified.