ABSTRACT
The EU has close relations with most of the developing world and is a strong supporter of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is the major provider of development and humanitarian assistance, and the largest market for goods from the developing world. Yet there is considerable criticism of the EU for its lack of coherence and its failure to open further its markets, particularly to agricultural products from developing countries. There is also some tension resulting from Europe’s colonial legacy and the post-9/11 focus on terrorism. Developing countries have also been concerned at the EU’s concentration on its immediate neighbourhood. The Cotonou agreement that replaced the Lomé agreement is the main contractual relationship between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The EU also provides substantial assistance to non-ACP developing countries, including in Asia and Latin America. In recent years Africa has become a main focus for the EU, given the enormity of the problems that the continent faces.
