Co-operation and coercion? The Cotonou Agreement between the European Union and acp states and the end of the Lome´ Convention

Abstract

The Cotonou Agreement, signed on 23 June 2000, defines the new relationship between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific ( acp ) states. It was the result of 18 months of negotiations to decide the future of EU– acp relations after the Lome´ Convention's expiry on 29 February 2000. This article highlights the significant changes represented by the Cotonou Agreement and emphasises some of the dangers that may result for the acp states. In doing so, the article adopts a neo-Gramscian perspective showing how the nature of the new EU– acp agreement has significantly shifted the relationship further from one of co-operation to one of coercion. The new approach taken by the EU can be understood within the context of the hegemonic dominance of neoliberalism within political elites. This is most explicitly demonstrated by the EU's major justification for the proposed changes: the need to comply with the core principles and rules of the World Trade Organization ( wto ).