Присъединяване на Европейския съюз към Международно споразумение за какаото от 2010 година

Abstract

The paper studies the procedure with regard to the EU accession to the International Cocoa Agreement, 2010 which is to replace the International Cocoa Agreement, 2001 as of 1 October 2012.
The procedure with regard to the EU accession to this important agreement – since EU grinds and consumes around 40% of world's cocoa - is studied in the context of the general international legal regulation regarding the accession to international commodity agreements to which EU is a party in the framework of its common commercial policy. The role of the European Parliament which should give its consent in this procedure under the provisions of the TFEU is revealed.
The International Cocoa Agreement is the main commodity agreement between cocoa exporters and importers. It aims to make world cocoa trade fairer and more sustainable. Although the new agreement aims to improve social and environmental responsibility, it does not explicitly address the problem of child labour.
With regard to the EU accession to the new agreement the EP passed a special resolution by which it took the opportunity to raise awareness of the problem of child labour in cocoa fields. MEPs call on everyone in the cocoa value chain – cocoa growers and processors, governments, traders, chocolate producers and consumers – to play their part to fight forced child labour and child trafficking in the sector.