On 8 July 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision to support a US request for a WTO waiver extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) programme until 31 December 2026, and to support incorporating the Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD Agreement) into Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement. The decision, based on Articles 207(4) and 218(9) TFEU, sets the EU's position for upcoming WTO General Council meetings.
The AGOA waiver would allow the United States to provide duty-free treatment to eligible products from beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries from 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2026, with possible further extensions up to 30 September 2030. The IFD Agreement, finalised in July 2023, aims to enhance transparency and streamline administrative procedures for investment measures across all sectors. Its incorporation into Annex 4 would make it a plurilateral agreement binding only on WTO members that accept it.
The decision impacts several stakeholders. For EU businesses, the IFD Agreement could reduce investment barriers in participating developing countries, potentially lowering compliance costs for EU investors. However, the voluntary nature of the agreement means benefits may be limited if major trading partners do not join. For sub-Saharan African countries, the AGOA extension maintains preferential access to the US market, supporting their export sectors and economic development. The EU itself signals continued support for multilateral trade rules and development-friendly trade policies. WTO members will now consider the EU's position as they deliberate on the waiver and the IFD Agreement's incorporation.
The EU will present its position at the next WTO General Council meeting. The IFD Agreement incorporation requires consensus among WTO members, while the AGOA waiver needs approval by a two-thirds majority of WTO members.