The Embassies of the Eastern Caribbean States represents the interests of its respective countries within the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of countries’ configuration in Brussels. This group brings together developing countries from these three regions in their specific relations with the European Union as a major donor of development aid and as a market for the export of their products. The ACP-EC Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000, revised in Luxemburg in 2005 and, in Burkina Faso in 2010 represents perhaps the oldest financial and political framework for cooperation between a developed group and developing group of countries.

The aim of such cooperation and dialogue is the reduction and elimination of poverty and to contribute to the sustainable development of ACP countries, as well as their integration into the world economy.

The ACP Group meets at varying levels:

• At Summit : Heads of Government (every two years)

• Decision making : This is done at Council of Ministers (meeting twice a year) and in sectoral Ministerial sessions

• Ambassadorial level : At Committee of Ambassadors (regular and special sessions at least twice monthly)

• Technical: Sub-Committees. There are six sub-committees where all issues of concern to these countries in the context of their exchanges with the EU are debated and discussed. These are a) Sub Committee on Trade and Commodities; b) Political, social, humanitarian and cultural affairs; c) Sustainable Development; d) Development Finance Cooperation; e) Establishment and Finance; and f) Investment and Private Sector.

• There are also regular working groups (e.g. on commodity issues such as banana, sugar, fisheries), ad hoc working groups and special sessions.

• There are also joint ACP-EU institutions: Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Joint ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors, Joint Ministerial Trade Committee, CDE, CTA.