Accession of Tonga to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, and the Pacific States

This decision allows the Kingdom of Tonga to join an existing trade agreement between the EU and Pacific states. The goal is to support Tonga's economic growth by integrating it more into regional and global trade. The Kingdom of Tonga is directly affected by this decision. Its businesses and economy will be more closely linked to the EU market through this agreement. Tonga previously did not benefit from the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences because it is classified as an upper middle-income country. Joining this agreement provides a new framework for trade relations. The European Parliament has given its consent to Tonga's accession to the Interim Partnership Agreement. This follows a request from the Council and is based on the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade.