TULIP launches study on EU Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreements at the European Parliament

On 29 September 2026, TULIP Consulting launched its new study, Leveraging EU Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreements (SIFAs): Opportunities for Partner Countries. The case of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, at the European Parliament in Brussels. The study was commissioned by the Greens/EFA Group at the initiative of MEP Catarina Vieira. The event brought together representatives of EU institutions, partner-country missions, civil society, and the research community.

TULIP’s Colette van der Ven and Cláudia Azevedo presented the study, which examines SIFAs, a new EU instrument aimed at improving the investment climate in partner countries and attracting sustainable investment. The EU has so far concluded SIFAs with Angola and Ecuador. Negotiations with Côte d’Ivoire opened in July 2026, and Ghana has been named as a possible future partner.

The research looks at what SIFAs could mean for West Africa, with a focus on the cocoa sector and the broader value addition agendas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Drawing on lessons from the agreements concluded to date, it sets out recommendations to inform ongoing and upcoming SIFA negotiations.

After the presentation, the study was discussed by a panel composed of representatives of the European Commission (DG Trade and Economic Security), the Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire in Belgium, the Fair Trade Advocacy Office, and Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment.

We are grateful to MEP Catarina Vieira and the Greens/EFA Group for their support, and to the panellists and participants for a rich exchange!

Download the full study here.