The negotiations that started in September 2018 for a successor agreement to the Cotonou Agreement have continued in the Council and with the ACP countries. Following the political agreement of October 2020, the agreement was initialled by the chief negotiators of the European Union and the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, marking the end of formal negotiations. It should be noted that, because of delays, the current agreement has had to be extended until 30 June 2022 and transitional measures have been put in place to avoid a legal vacuum pending the formal signing of the Post-Cotonou agreement, expected to take place in 2022.