Executive Summary:
The ACPEU Council of Ministers adopted Decision No 1/2018 on May 31, 2018, to revise Annex Ic of the ACPEU Partnership Agreement. This revision reassigns funds under the European Development Fund to support the Spotlight initiative and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) via the intra-ACP and interregional cooperation instrument. The decision aims to enhance efforts towards gender equality and quality education, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals. This decision came into force on the day of its adoption.
Key Points / Main Content:
Fund Reassignment:
EUR 425 million will be reassigned from the general reserve for National and Regional Indicative Programmes to intra-ACP and interregional cooperation.
EUR 350 million is allocated to the Spotlight initiative, which addresses violence against women and girls.
EUR 75 million is allocated to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to promote quality education.
Revised Annex Ic Allocations:
EUR 23,940 million is allocated to finance national and regional indicative programmes.
EUR 4,015 million is allocated to finance intra-ACP and interregional cooperation, including support for joint institutions and the ACP Secretariat.
Impact Analysis:
ACP States:
Impact: Benefit from increased funding for regional and national programs focused on gender equality (Spotlight initiative) and education (GPE).
Action Required: Integrate the new funding opportunities into their national and regional indicative programs and cooperate with the EU and UN on the Spotlight initiative and with the GPE.
European Union:
Impact: The EU is responsible for implementing the funding reallocation and ensuring the effective use of funds for the Spotlight initiative and GPE.
Action Required: Implement the decision by reallocating funds and working with relevant partners (UN, GPE) to achieve the objectives of the Spotlight initiative and GPE.
ACPEU Development Finance Cooperation Committee:
Impact: The Committee's recommendation formed the basis of the Council's decision to revise Annex Ic.
Action Required: Continue to monitor and assess the implementation of the revised Annex Ic and its impact on development finance cooperation.
Spotlight Initiative and Global Partnership for Education (GPE):
Impact: Benefit from increased funding to support their respective goals of addressing gender-based violence and improving education.
Action Required: Utilize the allocated funds effectively to implement programs and initiatives that align with the objectives of the ACPEU Partnership Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Key Entities Referenced
ACPEU Council of Ministers: The decision-making body responsible for the Partnership Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Union.
ACPEU Partnership Agreement: The agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, and the European Community and its Member States.
European Development Fund: A fund used to provide financial assistance for cooperation instruments as outlined in Annex Ic to the ACPEU Partnership Agreement.
Spotlight initiative: A joint EU-UN global action aimed at preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in targeted countries.
Global Partnership for Education: An initiative (GPE) with the objective to mobilise global and national efforts to achieve quality education and learning for all.
Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development: A global agenda promoting a comprehensive approach to human development.
Lom, Togo: The location where the decision was finalized.
K. JOHNSON SMITH: The President of the ACPEU Council of Ministers.
13.6.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 148/7
ACTS ADOPTED BY BODIES CREATED BY
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
DECISION No 1/2018 OF THE ACP-EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
of 31 May 2018
regarding the revision of Annex Ic to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement [2018/865]
THE ACP-EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS,
Having regard to 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 (1) (‘the ACP-EU
Partnership Agreement’), as last amended, and in particular Article 15(2), in conjunction with Article 100 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 15(2) of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, the functions of the Council of Ministers
include taking any decision to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the Agreement.
(2) Article 100 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement states that certain Annexes may be revised, reviewed and/or
amended by the Council of Ministers on the basis of a recommendation from the ACP-EU Development Finance
Cooperation Committee.
(3) Annex Ic of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement should be revised in order to reassign funds between
cooperation instruments under the European Development Fund towards the intra-ACP and interregional
cooperation instrument. The reassigned funds are to contribute to the financing of the Spotlight initiative and to
the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The Spotlight initiative is a joint EU-UN global action aimed at
preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in targeted countries. On the basis of evidence,
the Spotlight initiative will focus on particular forms of sexual and gender-based violence that are prevalent or
prominently emerge in specific regions, thus contributing to reaching the sustainable development goal No 5
(SDG 5) on ‘Gender Equality’. The GPE's overall objective is to mobilise global and national efforts to achieve
quality education and learning for all, through inclusive partnership, a focus on effective education systems, and
financing for basic education. Both initiatives are in line with the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement as well as with
the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development that promote a more comprehensive approach to human
development. For education, this approach means more support for inclusive and equitable quality education for
all and life-long learning (SDG 4), with a strong focus on promoting gender equality (SDG 5),
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. In order to meet programming requirements, funding under the European Development Fund shall be reassigned
between the allocations for cooperation instruments set out in Annex Ic to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.
2. An amount of EUR 425 million shall be reassigned from the general reserve for National and Regional Indicative
Programmes, set out in point 2(a) of Annex Ic, to the intra-ACP and interregional cooperation, set out in point 2(b) of
Annex Ic, as follows:
— an amount of EUR 350 million shall be allocated to the Spotlight initiative,
— an amount of EUR 75 million shall be allocated to the Global Partnership for Education.
(1) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.L 148/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 13.6.2018
Article 2
As a consequence of the reassignment of allocations under Article 1, points 2(a) and (b) of Annex Ic to the ACP-EU
Partnership Agreement shall be replaced by the following:
‘(a) EUR 23 940 million to finance national and regional indicative programmes. This allocation will be used to
finance:
(i) the national indicative programmes of individual ACP States in accordance with Articles 1 to 5 of Annex IV
to this Agreement concerning implementation and management procedures;
(ii) the regional indicative programmes of support for regional and inter-regional cooperation and regional
integration of ACP States in accordance with Articles 6 to 11 of Annex IV to this Agreement concerning
implementation and management procedures;
(b) EUR 4 015 million to finance intra-ACP and interregional cooperation with many or all of the ACP States in
accordance with Articles 12 to 14 of Annex IV to this Agreement concerning implementation and management
procedures. This envelope shall include support to joint institutions and bodies created under this Agreement. It
shall also cover assistance with the operating expenditure of the ACP Secretariat referred to in points 1 and 2 of
Protocol No 1 on the operating expenditure of the joint institutions;’.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Lomé, 31 May 2018.
For the ACP-EU Council of Ministers
The President
K. JOHNSON SMITH