At the 29th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Co-President of the Joint Assembly, MEP John Corrie, called for a compromise proposal from the Joint Assembly to break the current deadlock in the ACP-EU negotiations for a new framework agreement. This compromise would consist of the following: a) Good governance considered as an objective with clear rules that cannot be misconstrued to mean overly strict conditionality. b) The EU’s provision for a longer transition period ("under ten years is unrealistic") to phase out asymmetric trade preferences granted to the ACP. c) Maintenance of STABEX and SYSMIN as export stabilising instruments.
Mr Corrie also presented a working paper on proposals for the decentralisation of the Joint Assembly. While the paper does not consider altering the Assembly’s powers, it calls for full meetings of the Assembly to be held only once a year in the EU. Another annual session should then be held in an ACP State for regional meetings, bringing the representatives from one ACP region and an equivalent number of MEPs. Regional assemblies would hand in reports and recommendations to the plenary assembly. The two co-chairs of the Assembly as well as NGO representatives would attend all regional meetings.
In response to questions on expected cuts in development assistance funding, due to the EU’s efforts to finance the reconstruction in Kosovo, Ms Lintonen, representing the EU Council Presidency, said the EU Council had decided to reallocate certain credits in order to come up with € 500 million required for the reconstruction of Kosovo in 2000. It can only avoid a revision of the financial perspectives adopted in May 1999 by doing this. This however would mean a 10% decrease in appropriations for: a) rehabilitation and reconstruction in developing countries, b) human rights in developing countries, and c) assistance for traditional ACP bananas. Ms Lintonen however argued that assistance for the ACP from the European Development Fund would not be affected.
Representatives from two countries (Cuba and East Timor) hoping to join the ACP gave their views on accession to the ACP. Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Damau, expressed Cuba’s interest in becoming a signatory to an agreement capable of guaranteeing real solidarity and strengthening international and regional co-operation. He argued that good governance should not be included in the agreement unless it is defined as a tool for combating corruption. He also called for the maintenance of the export revenue stabilising instruments of STABEX and SYSMIN.
Mr Da Costa of the East Timorese freedom movement called on the Commission to start preparations for the rapid accession of East Timor to the Lomé Convention. This viewpoint was echoed by several MEPs including co-president of the Assembly MEP John Corrie.
EU Position on WTO Millennium Round
EU Foreign Ministers meeting in the EU General Affairs Council, failed to reach full agreement on an EU’s position for the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle and WTO round of negotiations. The main issues of contention were cultural diversity and labour rights.
Regarding labour rights, the main stumbling block seems to be Germany’s wish to negotiate a social clause in the WTO. EU Member States are not convinced that the WTO is an appropriate forum for the discussion of labour rights. A compromise suggesting that the EU promote a joint ILO/WTO forum was rejected by Germany as lacking in ambition. Germany is insisting that a working group be set up on labour rights. Sweden, Denmark and France reportedly, support the Germans among others. Several NGOs have also called for a such a working group to be set up.
Agreement was however reached on the controversial issue of anti-dumping. An agreement to "consider the inclusion in the new round, questions related to the functioning and implementation of the Uruguay Round Agreement [including] trade defence and other WTO rules and disciplines that are of particular concern to developing countries", is an implicit agreement to the possibility of discussing anti-dumping in the new round. This General Affairs Council was supposed to allow the EU to finalise its position on the WTO round of negotiations. The Council has now asked the EU Permanent Representatives to continue work on the contentious issues with the aim of reaching an agreement as soon as possible. According to the Finnish President in-office of the General Affairs Council, the longer it takes for the EU to finalise its position the more difficult it will be for the EU to put issues on the agenda for the new round.
Human Rights
EU Foreign Ministers approved the first EU annual report on human rights drawn up following the Vienna Declaration of 10 December 1998, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The report is supposed to be a means for increased action by the EU with regard to human rights. The report emphasises that while the EU’s policy in the field of human rights applies to its relations with third countries, observation of human rights must begin at home. The Council also welcomed the forthcoming first regular Forum for discussion of Human Rights to be held on 30 November –1 December this year. The Forum is supposed to encourage transparency in human rights policy by enhancing dialogue with civil society. The Annual Report will be used as an element for discussion during the first Forum.
The ministers also approved a charter on the necessary steps to set up a body that will draft an EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The body will comprise of EU Heads of States, the Commission President, 16 MEPs and 30 national MPs. It was also agreed that observers be invited to the Body to exchange views with the members of the Body.
Central Africa
EU Foreign Ministers agreed to support the Lusaka Agreement, provided that the parties involved in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo also comply with its terms. The ministers expressed support for the Joint Military Commission and the national dialogue, the peacekeeping operations by the UN and the OAU, the re-integration of refugees and displaced people and the process of democratisation, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Other Issues
The Council extended its common position to impose sanctions on Burma for a further six months. It however agreed to review this common position in the light of the forthcoming mission to Burma by the Special Representative of the UN, Mr de Soto.
The first Annual Report reviewing the operation of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports was also approved by the Council. A copy is annexed to press release of the Council meeting. This can be found on the web at: http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/main.cfm?LANG=1
The ACP civil society organisations that are in the process of setting up the ACP Civil Society Forum will hold a meeting in Cameroon from 7 to 11 November with the theme ‘Beyond Lomé 2000: the new challenges for ACP Development’. The meeting hopes to tackle many difficult issues including: the definition, role and challenges facing ACP civil society organisations, democracy and development and regional integration in the ACP. Resource persons include officials from the ACP Secretariat, European Commission and representatives from EU civil society organisations. An aim of the meeting is to present the ACP Civil Society Forum and explain its work and contribution to development.
The EU is hoping to convince Asian countries in the Asia EU Meeting (ASEM) to support the EU’s ideas for a broad based WTO Millennium Trade Round. Economic Ministers of ASEM meet on 16-17 October in Berlin. The ministers will discuss the economic situation in Asia. Concerning the ASEM Trade Facilitation Action Plan, TFAP, the ministers will discuss how to strengthen the Plan in order to develop trade and investment.