On the draft Council decision on the accession of Tuvalu to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part

(05757/2024 – C90033/2024 – 2023/0456(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the draft Council decision (05757/2024),

–having regard to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part,

–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 207(4), in conjunction with point (a)(v) of the second subparagraph of Article 218(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C90033/2024),

–having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4) and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A10-0025/2024),

1.Gives its consent to Tuvalu’s accession to the agreement;

2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Tuvalu.

Tuvalu will lose the EU's Everything-But-Arms (EBA) preferences soon as it is expected to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) status in 2024.

In order to support its transition and to maintain full duty-free-quota-free access to the EU market, it will be beneficial for Tuvalu to accede to the interim EPA (iEPA) between the EU and the Pacific States (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Solomon Islands).

Your rapporteur supports the economic integration of the Pacific States and welcomes the accession of Tuvalu to the iEPA as this will be beneficial for the region as well as for trade relations with the European Union.