Suchergebnisse

Access to the European union (EU) for fish products originated from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is fundamental as fish is globally one of the most important commodities exported by these States. The recent implementation of economic partnership agreements will not change the magnitude of the challenges that these countries have to face to comply with EU rules such as the new Rules of Origin or the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures that are becoming more and more stringent. Value addition of fishery and aquaculture products seems to be the most promising way to both comply with EU standards and get an optimal return of sea and freshwater resources exploitation.

Die Beziehungen zwischen der Europäischen Union und 79 Ländern Afrikas, der Karibik und des Pazifik – vereint als AKP-Gruppe auftretend – gründet im Cotonou Abkommen. Dieses rechtlich bindende Vertragswerk ist einzigartig auf der Welt, indem es Länder aus vier Kontinenten zusammenführt. Das Cotonou Abkommen definiert die EU-AKP-Beziehungen in den Bereichen der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, des Handels und des politischen Dialogs. Das Cotonou Abkommen läuft im Jahr 2020 aus. ZEI Direktor Prof. Dr. Ludger Kühnhardt analysiert die bisherigen Effekte der EU-AKP-Beziehungen und entwickelt weitgehende Vorschläge für deren zukünftige Entwicklung: Er entwickelt den Vorschlag einer strategischen Reifung hin zu einem "EU-AKP Assoziationsvertrag für Entwicklung". Er diskutiert thematische Prioritäten, regionale Besonderheiten und projiziert eine stärkere globale Sichtbarkeit der EU-AKP Gruppe über 2020 hinaus.

Defence date: 16 January 2007 ; Supervisor: Prof. Bruno De Witte ; This thesis explores the impact of international human rights law on the changing trends in international development policy and practice. The subject matter is analysed through a case study of European Union development cooperation policy and its relations with the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states.1 Whilst there is a burgeoning literature on this subject, known as the nexus between human rights and development?,2 the discovery of the convergence or union between human rights and development may have come of some surprise to non-jurists and to those within in the field of development. According to professionals engaged in this domain, development is usually defined and identified with economic growth, trade, capital flows and the transfer of technology.3 As Johan Galtung argues, both concepts (human rights? and development?) have evolved in distinct historical contexts, therefore, any connection or compatibility has more to do with Western history and culture than anything else.4 Furthermore, as Sano states, whilst both human rights and development were institutionalised in the global system in the post-World War II climate, both have different roots and have emerged in different contexts.5 In light of these claims, an obvious point of departure should consider what is meant by the terms development? and human rights? and briefly describe the interlinkages between these previously distinct domains. To this end, the idea of a gradual convergence of human rights and development will be introduced6 and this will be followed by a discussion of where EU development cooperation policy fits into this debate. In the remaining sections of the introductory chapter, the aims of this thesis and research questions will be outlined. A description of the methodology used, literature review and an overview of the chapters will also be presented.

The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA), which governs relations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and the European Union (EU), will expire in the year 2020. While the three pillars of this framework addressing political dialogue, development cooperation and trade are generally considered to have served their purpose well, there are clear signs that significant changes within the ACP group, the EU and the wider international landscape demand a different articulation of the relationship. A tacit understanding among Europeans is that the ball is in the ACP's corner in terms of defining and determining their own future as a group and its relationship vis-à-vis the EU as such. However, a momentum needs to be built for the coming 2015 revision of the Cotonou Agreement with a view to a plausible post-2020 scenario, in which the EU also needs to set out its own desires and priorities in giving shape to the cooperation. In previous years the EU Member States increasingly "outsourced" the management of the partnership to the European Commission, but there is a gradually growing recognition that the CPA is presently the principal functioning vehicle guiding EUAfrica relations. European perceptions on the future of the Cotonou Agreement point to two sets of arguments, namely: Reasons to do away with the ACP-EU partnership: Weak rationale to keep a common framework with these very different regions, combined with weak evidence of the development of an ACP identity or intra-ACP trade; Decreasing relevance of ex-colonial ties, particularly in the context of an enlarged EU, but also more generally of the agreement's strong focus on official development assistance; Poor track record in shaping joint positions and interventions at international fora. Elements in the partnership deemed worth preserving: Legally binding nature that favours political dialogue as well as predictability and strategy ownership in development cooperation; A relatively strong performance of the European Development Fund (EDF) compared to other EU development cooperation instruments, combined with its multi-stakeholder approach to the design and management of development strategies; Potential alliance for global public goods provision. Despite the fact that there is not yet an official position from the EU nor its Member States on what should happen after the CPA expires, European actors (European Commission, European Parliament, Member States) seem to be inclined to move towards a more regional approach of the Union's external relations while maintaining the valuable aspects of the present setup. While the EU's declining strategic interest in the Caribbean – and especially the Pacific – is no secret, too rejectionist a stance towards the cooperation framework by EU Member States could seriously harm the promotion of their values and interests in Africa. The EU would currently seem most inclined to preserve key elements of the CPA in a "light version" of the current ACP-EU agreement, by transferring those elements into separate EU regional strategies towards Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, or a combination of both. European policy discussions on this matter are also long overdue, given that the preparations for the third revision of the CPA in 2015 will be a key "warming-up session" for the negotiations for post-2020. The EPA negotiations have seriously and negatively affected ACPEU relations in the recent past and could also harm the EU's own position and trade with Africa in the medium- to long term if continued in the same manner.

Development aid, one of the most important mechanisms for the redistribution of global wealth, represents financial flows that have economic growth and social improvement as their main objective. It has also frequently been described as an instrument which is able to diminish international migrations and is used by several developed countries. Recently, much empirical evidence and several contributors have argued that connection and set out other grounds. This paper explores the interaction between development aid and migrations from developing to developed countries. We want to determine, if the amount of development aid has any impact on migrations from African, Caribbean, and the Pacific Group of States. Our results show that development aid does not have a direct effect on migrations and therefore, in terms of international migrations, is not effective. Moreover, we will argue that the donor side should use different policies and other mechanisms to manage migrations from those countries.

A few weeks before the Brexit date of 31 October 2019, the big questions remain unanswered: Will Britain withdraw from the European Union? And if so, with or without a deal? These decisions not only affect the European Union and the United Kingdom itself, they also have consequences for the 79 countries of the ACP group, which have many links with both partners. Above all, a 'hard brexit' would create uncertainty for ACP countries and jeopardise their development opportunities. In the event of a disorderly Brexit, however, these risks for the ACP countries arise not so much from international trade as from possible changes in development policy.

Foreword Fishing is a vital source of food, jobs and income that contributes to food security and poverty reduction in many African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) coastal states. But most of these countries, especially Senegal, Mauritania and Namibia, rely heavily on a small number of exported species. Even so, the fisheries sector provides ACP countries with real longer-term economic opportunities because the EU imports 60% of the fish consumed in its home market. The heavy toll taken of stocks and ecosystems by over-exploitation of fishery resources is undermining all sustainable development efforts in regions like West Africa. This makes proper resource management and effective control systems vital to avoid over-fishing and the collapse of fish stocks, so that ACP countries can benefit significantly from this sector of the economy. Fisheries relations between the ACP States and the EU are governed by a range of instruments, especially ACP national fisheries policies, the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, development cooperation instruments and the bilateral fisheries agreements entered into by the EU with individual ACP States. Bilateral agreements give European fishing fleets greater access to fishery resources in exchange for the payment of financial compensation, which is a major source of income for ACP States. These agreements introduce a series of problems in the picture with regard to: (i) sustainable exploitation of marine resources and environmental protection, (ii) protection for artisanal fishing communities, maximizing the benefits of fishing through value-enhancement, and (iv) monitoring systems. These issues of ACP-EU fisheries relations are also addressed in Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) negotiated by ACP countries with the EU. The revision of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to achieve more sustainable fishing and greater protection of the marine environment should deliver a net gain to ACP fishers. Against this background, CTA works with the ACP Secretariat, European Commission and Commonwealth Secretariat to give ongoing support to ACP countries, not least by providing a forum for ACP and EU experts to exchange information. Over 350 experts and policymakers from ACP and EU Ministries of Trade and Fisheries, along with representatives of the Brussels-based ACP Group, the European Commission, the private sector, NGOs, fisheries associations, international organisations, EU development cooperation agencies and research bodies took part in two technical seminars held in Brussels in April 2003 and December 2004, followed up by an electronic consultation to further explore the two big issues of market access and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). This publication reviews the main approaches of these players to issues at the top of the ACP-EU fisheries relations agenda. Improving access to information The recommendations highlight the key role of information and communication technologies (ICT). CTA provides services and products that improve access to information for agricultural and rural development in ACP countries. For example, CTA works together with key partners in the fisheries sector to facilitate in situ or electronic discussion fora, as well as capacity-building and training programmes, and funding participation by ACP experts to present the ACP case in international meetings. CTA also provides information portals (websites) on the fisheries sector - "Agritrade", "Knowledge for Development", as well as "ICT Update", a newsletter specifically on ICT applications in the fisheries sector. For those without Internet access, CTA continues to support a range of other media like rural radio, mobile phones, the print media like the magazine Spore/Esporo, and a wide range of publications, many focused on the fisheries sector. It has also very recently launched a new series of easily-reproducible "how-to" guides providing technical information in easy-to-understand terms, offering yet another opportunity to engage with fishing and fishers. Growing demand from our ACP partners and the importance of the fisheries sector prompts me to reaffirm the commitment of CTA and its partners to further developing these services, providing platforms through which to leverage empirical knowledge, and facilitating the exchange of expertise and experiences. I should also like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners and the ACP and EU authors who so kindly undertook to formulate and finalize the presentation of this wealth of experiences. I hope you will find it instructive reading. Dr. Hansjörg Neun Director, CTA ; This publication reviews the main approaches of the players to issues at the top of the ACP-EU fisheries relations agenda.

While the European Community has exclusive competence for trade policy, the competence over development policy is shared with member states of the European Union (EU).Given that trade is communitarised, it could be assumed that it is a strong instrument for the EU that can be well used for development. Trade is a particularly prominent feature of the EU's relations to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of developing countries, and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) are the envisaged new trade pillar of ACP-EU-cooperation. This study analyses the development relevance of the EU's trade policy towards the ACP countries as formulated in the EPA, with a view to drawing conclusions on how to strengthen the trade development nexus. It specifically assesses the way in which the EU as a multilevel system has operated in the EPA negotiations. It is notably argued that the EU system needs to be more flexible to respond to issues of development concern in the trade negotiations, e.g. market access and support measures for ACP states. Efforts are furthermore required to improve the coordination of European policy-making on trade and development. Both the EU's communitarian and bilateral policies will need to engage in a more complementary fashion to support productive and trading capacities in the ACP and developing countries.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, established in June 1975 by the Georgetown Agreement, was generally seen as an emanation of the European Union (EU). This article presents a non-EU-centric perspective by discussing various initiatives aimed at fostering intra-ACP cooperation and promoting common ACP positions in international settings. Furthermore, it analyses various threats to the survival of the ACP Group, some linked to its allegedly ineffective performance as an organisation, others related to the rise of competitors, most notably the African Union. Importantly, it delves into the reform process that culminated in the adoption of the revised Georgetown Agreement in December 2019, which transformed the ACP Group into the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), with the aim of establishing it as a relevant and influential global actor and reducing its dependence on the EU. In revisiting the evolution of the OACPS, this article identifies an intentions–capability gap, specifically between the often grandiose statements of official discourse and the institutional and financial resources devoted to implementing stated objectives.

[spa] Con el ánimo de contribuir a la construcción de la nueva cooperación comercial entre la Comunidad Europea (CE) y los países de África, el Caribe y el Pacífico (ACP), esta tesis se centra en el estudio del actual régimen de acceso a productos agrícolas concedido por la CE al grupo ACP. En concreto, se realiza un análisis y una evaluación del Protocolo del Azúcar CE-ACP (o, formalmente, el Protocolo nº 3 sobre el azúcar ACP), el cual aparece, por primera vez, en el Convenio de Lomé firmado el 28 de febrero de 1975. La principal preocupación por este instrumento de cooperación en particular es que su contenido es más beneficioso que el los demás Protocolos de productos agrícolas. Así, este acuerdo comercial sobre el azúcar es el único que se basa en un compromiso de compra, por parte de la CE, y de venta, por el lado de los ACP, de unas cantidades especificadas en el marco de un elevado precio garantizado. En la práctica, estos compromisos especiales han implicado transferencias monetarias sustanciales y un nivel de estabilidad significativo de los ingresos de exportación de azúcar para algunos de los países ACP participantes, especialmente para aquellos que presentaron vínculos comerciales históricos con Gran Bretaña. El objetivo final de este estudio consiste en proponer si el Protocolo del Azúcar CE-ACP debe ser integrado en los AAE o, por lo contrario, si es mejor mantenerlo bajo la posible exclusión permitida en el artículo XXIV del Acuerdo General sobre Aranceles y Comercio (GATT). Esta investigación también presenta la opción para el Protocolo del Azúcar de ser incluido en el Sistema de Preferencias Generalizadas (SPG) de la CE, aunque las reducciones arancelarias y no arancelarias, junto a las exenciones específicas, sean menos generosas que las otorgadas a las importaciones europeas de productos ACP. Con esta finalidad, en este estudio se efectúa una evaluación de impacto del Protocolo del Azúcar CE-ACP sobre el desarrollo económico de los países ACP beneficiarios. Con ello, se demuestra que las transferencias monetarias implícitas apropiadas por las empresas azucareras de los Estados ACP participantes no han logrado, en general, una expansión del bienestar económico de sus economías. Este resultado ha sido alcanzado utilizando distintos modelos econométricos: un modelo de regresión lineal, un modelo de corrección de errores y un modelo con datos panel. En consecuencia, concluimos que el Protocolo del Azúcar CE-ACP no ha funcionado como un verdadero instrumento de cooperación al desarrollo. Para recomendar cómo mejorar las relaciones comerciales CE-ACP sobre el azúcar, el trabajo econométrico realizado se ha complementado con el análisis del funcionamiento del mercado internacional del azúcar (especialmente en relación a los precios y a los flujos comerciales). Asimismo, se ha considerado la reforma de la Política Agrícola Común ante los cambios que implicará en el mercado europeo del azúcar. Todos estos elementos nos permiten sugerir dos opciones alternativas al Protocolo, permitidas en el Acuerdo de Cotonú, con vistas a dirigir la cooperación comercial CE-ACP sobre el azúcar desde 2008, momento en el que está prevista la progresiva aplicación de los Acuerdos de Asociación Económica (AAE) CE-ACP.Ambas opciones son compatibles con las normas de la Organización Mundial del Comercio y dependen de la decisión de cada Estado ACP respecto a la celebración de un AAE con la CE. Por un lado, para aquellos Estados ACP que decidan implementar un AAE, consideramos que el azúcar debería quedar cubierto en los esquemas resultantes de integración económica entre ambas Partes, lo que significa que se debería eliminar cualquier restricción que dificulte el comercio CE-ACP de azúcar. Por otro lado, en el caso de que algunos países ACP no alcancen un AAE con la Comunidad Europea, creemos que el azúcar tendría que formar parte del SPG mejorado de la CE, que será el trato comercial más probable que la CE ofrecerá a estos países ACP, como a los demás países en desarrollo. En cualquier caso, el proceso de cambio debería acompañarse de la concesión de ayuda financiera y técnica dirigida a dichos países ACP para ayudarlos a reestructurar el sector del azúcar y, en general, apoyarlos a que se adapten a las nuevas condiciones económicas de un mercado más globalizado. NOTA: Esta tesis recibió el "Premi Maspons i Anglasell" del "Patronat Català Pro Europa" (actualmente "Patronat Catalunya-Món") de la Generalitat de Catalunya a la mejor tesis doctoral en el bienio 2004-2005 (14a edición), el día 18 de abril de 2007. ; [eng] IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE ACP-EC SUGAR PROTOCOL.In order to contribute in constructing the new trade co-operation between the European Community (EC) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP), this thesis focuses in the current European access regime for agricultural products originating from the ACP Group. To be exact, it is carried out an analysis and evaluation of the ACP-EC Sugar Protocol (or, formally, Protocol 3 on ACP sugar) appearing the first time, in the ACP-EC Convention of Lomé signed on 28th February 1975. The principal reason for this particular co-operation instrument is that its provision is more beneficial than the other agricultural products Protocols. Thus, this commercial sugar agreement is the only one based on a purchase commitment from the EC and a sale commitment from the ACP beneficiary countries, of specified quantities, in the framework of a guaranteed high price -similar to the intervention price in the European sugar market-. In practice, this special trading agreement has implied substantial income transfers and a significant stability level of sugar export earnings for some of the ACP participant countries, especially those that presented historic sugar trading links with the United Kingdom. The final goal of this study consists of proposing if the ACP-EC Sugar Protocol has to be integrated in the EPAs or, on the contrary, it is better to keep it under the possible exclusion permitted in article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). This research also presents the option for the Sugar Protocol to be included in the EC's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), even though tariff and non-tariff reductions, together with the specific exemptions, are less generous than those granted to European imports of ACP products. Within this aim, this study deals with an impact evaluation of the ACP-EC Sugar Protocol over economic development of ACP beneficiary countries. It demonstrates that the implicit income transfers by sugar companies from the ACP Sugar Group has not implied, in general, an economic welfare expansion for their economies. This outcome has been obtained using different econometric models: a linear regression model, an error correction model and a model with panel data. In consequence, we conclude that the ACP-EC Sugar Protocol has not functioned as a true development co-operation instrument.In order to recommend how to improve the ACP-EC trade relations on sugar, that econometric study has been complemented with an analysis of the international sugar market functioning (especially, referring to prices and commercial flows). The changes the Common Agriculture Policy reform will imply on the European sugar market have been considered as well. All of these items allow us to suggest the two alternative options to the Protocol, permitted in the Cotonou Agreement, in order to lead the ACP-EC trade co-operation on sugar since 2008. Both options are compatible with the World Trade Organisation rules and depend on the ACP State decision about the celebration of an EPA with the EC. On the one hand, for those ACP States that decide to implement an EPA, we consider that sugar should be covered in the resulting economic integration schemes between both parties, which means that any restriction on ACP-EC sugar trade should be eliminated. On the other hand, in the case that some ACP countries do not achieve an EPA with the EC, we believe that sugar should take part of the improved EC's GSP, which will be the most probable trade treatment that the EC will offer to those ACP States, as well as to the rest of developing countries. In both cases, the change process should be accompanied with the granting of financial and technical assistance to these ACP countries in order to help them to restructure the sugar sector and, in general, to support them to adjust to the new economic conditions within more globalised market. N.B.: Maspons i Anglasell Prize awarded by the Patronat Català Pro Europa (presently, Patronat Catalunya-Món) of la Generalitat (government institution) of Catalonia (Spain) for the best doctoral thesis in European integration for the biennium 2004-2005 (14th edition), 18 April of 2007.

The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union could serve as an opportunity to accelerate global and regional trade integration of ACP countries. Moreover, the European Commission intends to use EPAs as a tool for development and the eradication of poverty in ACP countries. To achieve their potential development, however, there are a number of preconditions in ACP countries to be fulfilled. This paper argues that institutional quality plays a key role in a successful trade liberalisation. In fact, only countries with high-quality institutions, partly in the form of good government regulations, are likely to benefit from trade. nfortunately, the vast majority of African ACP countries have excessive regulations that hinder them from taking advantage of trade. For the necessary institutional reforms to resolve this problem, we will discuss a number of important issues that have to be addressed to enable ACP countries to take full advantage of EPAs.

The African,Caribbean and Pacific Group of States' (ACP) development cooperation partnership with the European Union (EU) is due to expire in 2020. The EU might not extend it, but some commentators are asking whether the ACP really needs the EU since they are also starting to do business with emerging countries such as Brazil and China.

The European Union's relationships with the ACP countries have undergone a drastic change. The ACP countries are no longer considered as a group of States, because this relationship is regionalized and even individualized. This article aims to analyze the new approach to this relationship with the ACP countries in a comprehensive manner. ; Publicado

Development aid, one of the most important mechanisms for the redistribution of global wealth, represents financial flows that have economic growth and social improvement as their main objective. It has also frequently been described as an instrument which is able to diminish international migrations and is used by several developed countries. Recently, much empirical evidence and several contributors have argued that connection and set out other grounds. This paper explores the interaction between development aid and migrations from developing to developed countries. We want to determine, if the amount of development aid has any impact on migrations from African, Caribbean, and the Pacific Group of States. Our results show that development aid does not have a direct effect on migrations and therefore, in terms of international migrations, is not effective. Moreover, we will argue that the donor side should use different policies and other mechanisms to manage migrations from those countries.

Avant-propos Source vitale d'aliments, d'emplois et de revenus, la pêche contribue à la sécurité alimentaire et à la réduction de la pauvreté de plusieurs pays côtiers d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique ACP). Cependant, la plupart de ces pays, notamment le Sénégal, la Mauritanie et la Namibie, restent très dépendants d'un petit nombre de d'espèces exportées. Néanmoins, le secteur de la pêche offre aux pays ACP de réelles opportunités économiques à long terme parce que l'UE importe 60% du poisson consommé sur son marché. Dans certaines régions comme l'Afrique de l'Ouest, la surexploitation des ressources halieutiques a considérablement affecté les stocks et les écosystèmes menaçant tout effort en faveur du développement durable. Il est donc crucial de gérer la ressource avec discernement, d'instaurer des systèmes de contrôle efficace, pour éviter la surpêche et l'effondrement des stocks de poisson ce qui permettra aux pays ACP de tirer des avantages substantiels de ce secteur économique. Divers instruments régissent les relations de pêche entre les États ACP et l'UE, notamment les politiques nationales de pêche ACP, la Politique Commune de la Pêche de l'UE, les instruments de coopération pour le développement et les accords de pêche bilatéraux conclus entre l'UE et les États ACP individuels. Les accords bilatéraux facilitent l'accès des pêcheurs des pays européens aux ressources halieutiques grâce au paiement de compensations financières qui constituent une source importante de revenus pour les États ACP. Ces accords posent un certain nombre de défis en ce qui concerne:(i)l'exploitation durable des ressources marines et la protection de l'environnement, (ii)la protection des communautés pratiquant la pêche artisanale, (iii) l'optimisation des bénéfices de l'exploitation de la pêche grâce aux opérations apportant une valeur ajoutée, et (iv) les systèmes de surveillance. Ces questions affectant lles relations de pêche ACP-UE sont aussi abordées dans le cadre des négociations sur les Accords de Partenariat Economique (APE) entre les pays ACP et l'UE. La révision de la Politique Commune de la Pêche (PCP) visant une pêche plus durable et une plus grande protection de l'environnement marin devrait offrir une amélioration nette pour les pêcheurs des pays ACP. Dans ce contexte, le CTA, en collaboration avec le Secrétariat ACP, la Commission européenne et le Secrétariat du Commonwealth, continue à apporter un appui aux pays ACP, notamment en fournissant une plateforme d'échanges d'information aux experts sur l'avenir des relations pêche ACP-UE ACP et UE. Plus de 350 experts et décideurs ACP et UE des Ministères du Commerce et de la Pêche, ainsi que des représentants du Groupe ACP à Bruxelles, de la Commission Européenne, du secteur privé, d'ONG, d'associations de pêche, d'organisations internationales, d'agences de coopération pour le développement et d'organismes de recherche de l'UE ont activement contribué aux deux séminaires techniques qui ont eu lieu à Bruxelles en avril 2003 et en décembre 2004. Une consultation électronique a ensuite pris le relais pour approfondir les deux thèmes majeurs que sont l'accès aux marchés et la pêche illégale, non déclarée et non réglementée (INN). Cette publication reprend les principales perspectives de ces acteurs sur les sujets considérés comme prioritaires dans les relations de pêche ACP-UE. Améliorer l'accès à l'information Les recommandations soulignent notamment le rôle clé des technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC). Le CTA offre des services et des produits qui améliorent l'accès à l'information pour le développement agricole et rural des pays ACP. Dans le domaine des pêches et en collaboration avec les principaux partenaires impliqués dans ce domaine, le CTA facilite par exemple des plateformes de dialogue in situ ou sous forme électronique et des programmes de renforcement de capacités comme des formations et le financement de la participation d'experts ACP à des réunions internationales pour qu'ils puissent ainsi y faire valoir la perspective ACP. Le CTA offre aussi des portails d'information (sites web qui couvrent le secteur de la pêche : 'Agritrade', 'Connaissances pour le développement' et 'ICT Update'. Ce dernier bulletin a notamment examiné les utilisations des TIC dans le secteur des pêches. Pour ceux qui n'ont pas accès à l'Internet, le CTA continue d'appuyer divers autres médias comme la radio rurale, le téléphone portable, la presse et l'édition – le magazine Spore/Esporo et un large éventail de publications dont bon nombre sont consacrées au secteur des pêches. Tout récemment, le CTA a lancé une nouvelle collection de guides pratiques qui offrent de l'information technique dans un langage simple et qui peuvent être facilement reproduits – une occasion de plus pour aborder le domaine de la pêche. Au vu des demandes croissantes de nos partenaires ACP et de l'importance que revêt le secteur de la pêche, je réitère l'engagement du CTA et de ses partenaires de renforcer ces services, de fournir des plateformes permettant de capitaliser les expériences des uns et des autres et de faciliter l'échange de compétences et d'expériences. Je saisis aussi l'occasion pour remercier tous nos partenaires et les auteurs ACP et UE qui ont bien voulu mettre en forme toutes ces riches expériences. Je vous souhaite bonne lecture. Dr. Hansjörg Neun Directeur du CTA ; Cette publication reprend les principales perspectives des principaux acteurs sur des sujets considérés comme prioritaires dans les relations de pêche ACP-UE.