In the latest Commission consultation meeting with civil society on the WTO Millennium Trade Round, the European Commissioner for Trade, Mr Pascal Lamy, presented the Commission’s view on the proposed trade round. He presentation included the following points.
On the environment, the EU will be pushing for greater clarity between WTO rules and trade measures pursuant to multilateral agreements on the environment. On social issues, the EU hopes to encourage the adoption of agreed labour standards, in co-operation with the ILO, without undermining the competitive position of least developed countries. On development, the EU wants genuine improved market access to the poorest countries to help reduce poverty. The EU would also be seeking as an overarching aim increased transparency in the WTO. This will be complemented by increased transparency in the Community’s own trade policy.
Mr Lamy invited civil society representatives to contribute to the sustainability impact assessment that the Commission is proposing for the new round. To this end, the Commission is organising a meeting on the methodology of this assessment on 20 October.
On collaboration between civil society representatives and the EU in Seattle, he said the Commission would participate in the NGO/Government meetings the day before the Seattle Conference. It would also organise daily briefings meetings for EU NGOs. Mr Lamy stated that he was not against the idea of the inclusion of civil society representatives in the EU delegation in principle, however more thought would have to be giving to this, in view of the practical constraints that it may cause.
When asked whether the EU was considering the request for a waiver from the WTO to roll over present Lomé trade arrangements, in the case that the ACP and the EU do not reach agreement on future trade arrangements by the expiry date of their current Convention, the Commissioner said the EU would not be revealing its position in the WTO meetings before the conclusion of negotiations with the ACP. However if by March 1 2000 there is still no agreement between the ACP and the EU, something will be sorted out.
Among the concerns raised about the consultation process by NGDO representatives were: a) the lack of clarity on how NGO positions are being taken into consideration by the EU; b) the lack of information concerning discussions and outcomes of meetings the Commission has held with representatives from other interest groups; and c) the failure by the Commission to announce upcoming meeting in a more timely manner.
There is still no agreement between the EU and South Africa on the ‘wine and spirits’ sectoral arrangement, days before the whole EU-South Africa agreement is supposed to be signed (11 October). The main sticking point is still the use of the terms ‘Porto’ and ‘Sherry’ for wines. Several EU Member States are now backing Spain’s long held position that the whole agreement cannot be signed without an agreement on the wines and spirit issue. All 15 EU Member States as well as South Africa must sign the Agreement if it is to have a legal existence.
Meanwhile the European Parliament has issued its assent to the conclusion of the EU South Africa Agreement, following the adoption of MEP Glenys Kinnock’s report on the Agreement. Ms Kinnock in arguing for ratification of the Agreement, still pointed out that the Agreement was far from perfect, citing the protectionist aspects of the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy. The EP’s assent is required before the Agreement can come into force. The Agreement also has to be ratified by all the EU Member State national parliaments as well as the South African Parliament.
The first annual report on the implementation of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports has been approved and the EU Political Council has decided to render the report public in acknowledgement of the wish by EU Member States to increase transparency. This decision still however requires approval from the General Affairs Council, meeting on 11 October.
According to the report the experience of EU Member States during the first year of the Code’s existence was positive. The ‘single consultation process’ on the subject of refusal to authorise arms deliveries was judged effective. The report states that there were several notifications of refusal to export arms to certain countries and EU Member States held consultation on issues concerning specific arms exports.
However the report unearthed several issues that require further clarification, such as the legal status of the Code and the concern by some countries that the denial notification system can be overloaded if appropriate thresholds are not set.
A critique of the report by a number of NGOs also points out that the report does not provide details on numbers and types of weapons and their recipients. Furthermore the report does not tackle issues that are essential for effective implementation of the Code such as: controls on the brokering of arms, control of licensing agreements, and a common list of items to which the Code will be applied. At present the implementation of the Code is still exempt from parliamentary scrutiny.
The College of Commissioner last week carried out a reshuffle of senior civil servant positions in the Commission, in accordance with on-going re-organisation of the Commission. Listed below are some appointments that may be of interest.
- Mr Philip Lowe assumes the role of the Director-General of the re-organised DG Development (former DG VIII).
- Mr Lugra will be appointed the Director-General of the DG for External Affairs from the first of November.
- Mr Hans F. Beseler is Director-General of the new DG for Commerce from 1 October, but will retire in May 2000.
- Mr Klaus van der Pas has been appointed Director-General for the new DG for Enlargement for the rest of the year. Mr Eneko Landaburu will take over from him.
- There is not yet a replacement for Mr Navarro, former Director of the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). Mr Navarro now assumes the position of the Head of the Cabinet of the EU’s new High Representative for Common Foreign and Security policy, Mr Solana.
- Mr Philippe Soubestre, Director-General of the Joint Service for External Relations (SCR) is set to resign. There is no information on who will replace him.
DG 1A and DG 1B, the Directorates that catered for non-ACP developing countries, have now been dissolved. While policy officer from the DG 1A and DG 1B will be transferred to DG Development, desk officers for the specific countries of DG 1A and DG 1B will be transferred to the DG for External Affairs. In addition, even though the Commissioner for Development, Mr Poul Nielson, will be responsible for both humanitarian aid and development co-operation, the Humanitarian Office and DG Development will remain separate entities, only collaborating in identified areas of synergy.
EU Commissioner for External Relations, Mr Chris Patten, in a debate, expressed his support for the idea that all humanitarian interventions should be authorised by the UN.
The EU has prolonged its arms embargo on Ethiopia and Eritrea till 31 March 2000.