1. THE EU ANTI-FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS
Following the suspension of the European Commission civil servant, Paul Van Buitenen, for passing a Commission file on the anti-fraud investigations to the Green Group of European Parliament (EP), differences amongst the different party groups of the Parliament (EP) over measures to be taken against the Commission are intensifying.
The fraud investigation involves, among other things, irregularities in aid administered by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) earmarked for Bosnia and the Great Lakes region in 1994. It is alleged that ECHO staff at the time were being paid out of operating credits with the apparent full knowledge of the Commissioner then responsible for humanitarian issues, Manuel Marin. Other Commissioners implicated include the present ECHO Commissioner Ms. Bonino and Mr Liikanen the Commissioner in charge of personnel and the budget, who authorised the suspension of Mr. Van Buitenen.
Following the EP's subsequent refusal to discharge the Commission for the execution of the 1996 budget, 71 members of the Socialist Group tabled a motion of censure in order to call on the Parliament to make a statement on its confidence in the Commission as a whole. At present the European Parliament only has the option of removing all the members of the Commission if a two thirds majority of the required amount of EP voters requests such a move. As the Parliament is unlikely to want to remove the Commission as a whole, the authors of the motion will hope to maintain the accused Commissioners in office. However, at next week's plenary session of the European Parliament, the Group of the European People's Party and the Liberal Group will table an oral question and a draft resolution calling on the Commissioners responsible for sectors where fraud and irregularities have been discerned to individually resign.
British Labour MEP, Ms Pauline Green, the President of the Socialist Group, defended the Socialist Group's action, questioning why only socialist Commissioners were being targeted for resignation. She asked whether irregularities have not been observed in agricultural policy under Commissioner Franz Fischler and the Tacis and Phare programmes under Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans Van den Broek.
In defence of the Commission's decision to suspend Mr. Van Buitenen, a Commission spokesman argued that the some of the allegations made by Mr. Van Buitenen risked compromising legal procedures and call into question the honour and integrity of other officials. Moreover Mr. Van Buitenen, he claimed, did not have the right to the documents in question nor the right to send them to the European Parliament.
The Socialist Group while declaring support for Mr. Van Buitenen described the Green Group's action, in immediately revealing the affair to the press without checking the facts, as highly irresponsible. Moreover the Green Group's action failed to protect Mr. Van Buitenen's position.
2. AMNESTY CALL FOR EU CFSP CHIEF TO BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Amnesty International at the end of last December transmitted a thirteen page report entitled the "The European Union Human Rights Policies: from Declaration to Implementation" to the EU on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the report Amnesty call for the EU to have effective structures to better defend human rights This should involve a mandate on human rights matters and Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) for the future EU head of CFSP, dubbed 'Mr/Mrs CFSP'. The Amnesty report also specifically calls for: the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights to give its opinion on human rights before the EU enters into any agreement with third countries; the EU institutions to have effective and integrated structures for monitoring human rights policies and their impact; and a common EU position on the interpretation of the definition of 'refugee'.
According to newspaper reports, the former chairman of the British Conservative Party, Chris Patton, is being put forward by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, for the post of Mr. CFSP. It has also been reported the Mr. Patton could replace Sir Leon Brittan, the Vice President of the Commission.
3. EU COUNCIL FORMALLY APPROVES GSP 1999-2001
The EU Council has formally approved a Regulation for the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) for the period 1999-2001. The GSP is system that organises reductions of custom duties granted to developing countries. The new Regulation includes new social and environmental clauses that favours the respect for the environmental and labour standards and special concessions granted to Andean and Central American countries to fight drugs. The Regulation for all beneficiaries will take effect on 1 July 1999 except for Central American countries who will benefit from the drug clause from 1 January 1999.
Meanwhile 14 countries including Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, China, Argentina, Uruguay, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia stopped benefiting from the preferences on certain agricultural products from 1 January because of the competitiveness of their products in question. The GSP system excludes products from preferences if these products reach a certain level of competitiveness.
Thailand earlier carried out a vigorous campaign towards the Commission and Member States to be allowed a three year moratorium. The country disputed the validity of the figures of competitiveness calculated on the basis of 1994 figures, given that the Asian crisis has drastically changed the economic situation. However the EU has refused to go back on its decision.
IN BRIEF
The European Parliament should in its plenary session next Tuesday adopt the report by Belgian Christian Democrat MEP, Fernand Herman, on the European Commission's recommendation relating to the EU Council decision concerning the euro's link to the CFA and Comoros franc. The report calls on the Parliament to approve the mechanism for securing the two currencies to the euro through the intermediary of the French franc. The report also calls for an information campaign to be urgently carried out to explain the significance and importance of the euro to citizens of CFA countries.
The study on "the Effects of European Beef Exports to South Africa on Communal Farmers in Namibia" commissioned by German NGO Brot für die Welt is available in English. Those interested can contact the publishers at e-mail: [email protected] ; tel: 00 49 711 902 1650; fax: 00 49 711 7977 502.
The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU has added its weight to the voices of concern that have been raised over the US's threat to impose unilateral sanctions on EU products if the Union does not reform its regime on banana exports from the ACP. According to the Confederation, such a decision is likely to undermine WTO action in this area and threaten the function of its Dispute Settlement Body.
The ACP-EU Negotiating Central Group will hold its monthly meeting on 11-12 of January. As reported in PAF 114, last month's meeting scheduled for 16 December did not take place. It is still however unclear if another meeting will take place in January to make up for the missed meeting.
NOTICES FOR EUROSTEP MEMBERS
Forthcoming Eurostep Meetings
14-15 January, London Basic education ad-hoc sub-group meets 19th January Steering Committee telephone conference 21st January Brussels Social Development Working Group (Social watch) meets 4 March Lomé Working Group meets 5 March, Helsinki SEXTET meets First week of March ROA International Advisory Committee meets Last week in April, Nicaragua Eurostep Members Partner Consultation 3 May Steering Committee telephone conference