Article 3

The CDE Statutes, the CDE Financial Regulation and the CDE Staff Regulation shall remain in force until the end of the closure phase.

This Decision constitutes the new legal framework of the CDE as from 1 January 2017.

As from 1 January 2017 the legal personality of the CDE, as defined in Article 1 of the CDE Statutes, shall be maintained solely for the purposes of the liquidation of the CDE.

During the passive phase, the CDE Executive Board, as established in Articles 9 and 10 of the CDE Statutes, will continue to exist until the date of the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors decision on the discharge proposal pursuant to Article 4 of Decision No 4/2014.

As from the passive phase, the tasks of the CDE Executive Board shall be limited to the approval of the closure report, adoption of the accounts related to the closure phase and the transmission of a discharge proposal to the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors for decision. From 1 January 2017, it shall hold no more than one meeting per year. This does not exclude the possibility for the CDE Executive Board to decide by written procedure.

Unless decided otherwise by the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors, the discharge is deemed to be approved three months following the date of the transmission of the discharge proposal, or by 31 December 2017, whichever is the earlier.

The costs related to the passive phase shall be financed under the 11^th European Development Fund.

The entitlements of the CDE in respect of third parties and entitlement of third parties in respect of the CDE shall be subject to a limitation period of three years as from 1 January 2017.