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The state of play of advancing EU-Africa trade and investment relations

TA-10-2026-0340 · P10_TA(2026)0340 · PE786.999

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 15 Oct 2026

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Parliament's resolution on the state of play of EU-Africa trade and investment relations sets out what the EU should do to deepen trade, investment and sustainable growth with Africa. It calls for support for African infrastructure, industrialisation, the AfCFTA and a future continent-to-continent agreement, and for Global Gateway to deliver visible, debt-safe results. It asks for mutually beneficial deals on critical raw materials, modernised Economic Partnership Agreements with binding sustainability chapters, and faster Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreements. It wants stronger parliamentary scrutiny of new agreements, digital and food-sovereignty cooperation, and action on hazardous pesticides.

Key points

  1. Parliament calls for a sustainable, competitive infrastructure and industrial base in Africa, with high value-added processing of raw materials and resilient value chains.
  2. It asks the Commission, member states, sub-Saharan African countries, businesses, investors and development banks to close infrastructure gaps using EU financial instruments, clean energy, digitalisation and simpler trade procedures.
  3. It wants support for African institutional capacity, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, access to finance, digital skills, formalisation of trade, women's empowerment and the diaspora.
  4. It states that political stability, good governance and the rule of law are preconditions for a conducive business and investment environment.
  5. It supports the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), calls for its swift and inclusive implementation, and welcomes the April 2026 Memorandum of Understanding between the AfCFTA Secretariat and the EU.
  6. It calls for the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package to deliver tangible results, avoid unsustainable debt, support jobs and value chains, and be assessed periodically.
  7. It calls for cooperation on critical raw materials based on mutual benefit, transparency and sustainability, with free, prior and informed consent, technology transfer and dispute settlement provisions.
  8. It wants Global Gateway to create local added value and decent jobs, prioritise transport, energy and digital projects, and not replace official development assistance.
  9. It calls for EU-Africa trade to promote food sovereignty, local fertiliser production and compliance with EU health, environmental and sanitary rules, and recalls the announced EU export ban on hazardous pesticides.
  10. It calls for digital trade cooperation, support for AI adoption in African partner countries and open-source, trustworthy AI ecosystems.
  11. It calls for Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships to be transparent, scrutinised by Parliament, and accompanied by an annual implementation roadmap.
  12. It welcomes the EU-Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement and calls for similar agreements with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, and for no memorandums of understanding with conflict-affected regions.

Who is affected

  • African countries and the African Union: the resolution backs their industrialisation, AfCFTA implementation and a future continent-to-continent agreement.
  • EU businesses and investors: it seeks legal certainty, de-risking and predictable frameworks for investment in Africa.
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises and women in Africa: it calls for better access to finance, digital skills and gender equality.
  • The Commission: it is asked to negotiate agreements, publish roadmaps, run impact assessments and keep Parliament informed.
  • Civil society, trade unions and local communities: it wants their participation in trade implementation and monitoring.

Figures and deadlines

  • Africa accounts for 2,9 % of world trade according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
  • Intra-continental trade in Africa accounts for only 14,9 % of total continental trade.
  • Trade between the EU and Africa increased by 30 % and investments by 15 % between 2015 and 2025.
  • 97 % of African exports enter the European market duty-free.
  • 12 million new jobseekers enter the African labour market every year, while only 3 million jobs are available.
  • African countries lose 2 to 5 % of their GDP to climate extremes and divert up to 9 % of their budgets to responding.
  • China's trade with Africa reached EUR 297 billion in 2025.
  • The EU provides 38 % of Aid for Trade funding, and Africa is the second-largest beneficiary.