Article 1 
The signing of the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d'Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, is hereby approved on behalf of the Community, subject to the Council Decision concerning the conclusion of the said Agreement. The text of the stepping stone EPA is attached to this Decision.
Article 2 
For the purposes of Article 73(2) of the stepping stone EPA, the EPA Committee shall be composed, on the one hand, of the members of the Council and of representatives of the Commission and, on the other hand, of representatives of the Government of the Côte d'Ivoire. The Commission shall propose to the Council, for its decision, the position of the European Community with a view to the negotiation of the EPA Committee's rules of procedure.
Article 3 
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the stepping stone EPA on behalf of the European Community subject to its conclusion.
Article 4 
As concerns elements falling within the competence of the Community, the stepping stone EPA shall be applied on a provisional basis as provided for in Article 75(4) of this Agreement, pending completion of the procedures necessary for its conclusion. The Commission will publish a notice providing information on the date of provisional application.