{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-158/annex/division-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-158/annex/division-1.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2008/158",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 18 February 2008 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement (2008/158/EC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-158",
  "path": "annex/division/1",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE",
  "text": "Brussels, …\nThe European Union attaches the utmost importance to the provisions of Article 9 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. As essential elements of the Partnership Agreement, respect for human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law form the basis of our relations.\nBy letter of 19 February 2002, the European Union informed you of its decision to conclude the consultations held under Article 96 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and to take certain ‘appropriate measures’ within the meaning of Article 96(2)(c) of that Agreement.\nBy letters of 19 February 2003, 19 February 2004, 18 February 2005, 15 February 2006 and 21 February 2007, the European Union informed you of its decisions not to revoke the ‘appropriate measures’ and to extend the period of application until 20 February 2004, 20 February 2005, 20 February 2006, 20 February 2007 and 20 February 2008 respectively.\nTwelve months later, the European Union considers that no significant progress has been made in the five areas referred to in the Council Decision of 18 February 2002.\nIn the light of the above, the European Union does not consider that the appropriate measures can be revoked and has decided to extend their period of application until 20 February 2009. The European Union’s position will be kept under constant review, including on the basis of an in-depth assessment of the situation after the completion of the SADC initiative on Zimbabwe and the upcoming elections.\nThe European Union would once again emphasise that it is not penalising the Zimbabwean people and that it will continue its contribution to operations of a humanitarian nature and projects in direct support of the population, in particular projects in the social sectors, democratisation, respect for human rights and the rule of law, which are not affected by these measures.\nThe European Union wishes to reiterate that the application of appropriate measures within the meaning of Article 96 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement is no obstacle to political dialogue as provided for in Article 8 of that Agreement.\nWith this in mind, the European Union wishes to underline once again the importance that it attaches to future EC-Zimbabwe cooperation and to confirm its willingness to make continued use of the opportunity provided by the ongoing 10th EDF programming exercise to carry on the dialogue and make progress in the near future towards a situation where the resumption of full cooperation becomes possible.\nYours faithfully,\nFor the Commission\nFor the Council",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2008/158/annex/division/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:16:55.162466+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}