Luanda — The Angolan National Assembly will hold Tuesday its plenary session aimed at discussing the revised Cotonou Agreement, binding African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and European Union countries.

Signed on 23 June, 2000 in Cotonou, Benin, the Agreement which regulates the ACP-EU relation until 2020, covering over 100 States: 25 from EU plus 77 of ACP, replaces Lome Convention.

The document foresees the holding of negotiation to establish a new commercial regime based on Economic Partnership Accord (EPA) between EU and the regional groups of ACP countries.

The EPA would contemplate new commercial arrangements compatible with the principle of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), removing progressively the commercial obstacles between ACP and UE nations, based on initiatives of regional integration of ACP States.

Under the Accord, these negotiations should have been concluded late 2007 and gradually implemented between 2008 and 2020.

The Cotonou Agreement was supposed to reduce poverty, promotion of sustained development and the integration of ACP countries into the world economy, as well as contribute to peace and security and also promote a stable political democratic environment.