1. PROGRAMME FOR PORTUGUESE PRESIDENCY OF THE EU
Representatives of the Portuguese Government presented the programme of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (1 January-30 June 2000) at a press conference last week in Brussels.
A text of the Programme, made available following the press conference, identifies the Presidency’s main responsibilities, priority areas and objectivities during its tenure. Among the general objectives listed is the aim “to strengthen the external dimensions of the EU’s action by promoting international co-operation and political dialogue, enhancing structures and encouraging coherent policies which assert the EU as a power on the world stage.” Elaborating on the external dimensions, the Portuguese identify a number of geographic and thematic areas, set out below, which they aim to prioritise.
Africa and Development Co-operation The Portuguese will attach particular attention to deepening the EU’s relations of co-operation with Africa. The informal EU Development Ministers Council on 28-29 January will launch a debate on the “New Partnership between the EU and Africa”. Some of the issues to be discussed include reinforcing political dialogue, conditions for integrating African economies in the international economy and the prevention and management of conflicts. With regards to development co-operation, the Presidency will deepen work in progress on co-ordination, coherence and complementarity.
Despite these stated efforts, the Portuguese goals on Africa have been setback somewhat with the problems that have arisen over the proposed EU-Africa Summit, a flagship of the Portuguese programme, which had been previously scheduled for 3-4 April in Cairo. According to the press, plans for this Summit may now have to be shelved due to the tensions between Morocco and Western Sahara. While the EU insists that all members of the Organisation of African Unity should be present at the Summit, Morocco has said it will not show up if Western Sahara is given a seat at the table. Portuguese diplomats are frantically searching for a compromise, however EU sources have expressed grave doubts as to whether the Summit will take place. Problems have also been encountered over the agenda of the Summit. According to the press, the EU want to limit the agenda to lectures on democracy, human rights and governance, while the Africans have expressed a wish to talk about debt and the alleviation of poverty. It is worth noting that while the EU has never held a summit with Africa, it holds regular summits with most of the other major regions it has relations with, including Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Latin America and the Caribbean To further EU relations with Latin America, meetings will be held in Portugal at ministerial level between the EU and the Rio Group, the San Jose Group, Mercosur, the Andean Community and Mexico. Preparations for the follow up to the Rio Summit between the EU and the Caribbean and Latin America will also take place during the Portuguese Presidency. The Presidency will also maintain dialogue with Cuba, with a view to contributing to Cuba’s integration into the international community.
Asia Particular importance will be attached to EU relations with Asia with a focus on, among other things, the situation in East Timor and Indonesia, constructive dialogue with China - in particular negotiating its future accession to the WTO, evolution in Burma and the conflict in Afghanistan. The EU will also hold its first ever summit with India. Preparations will also begin for the third Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM III) in the 2nd half of 2000 in Seoul. According to the Portuguese it is foreseeable that India will be joining the ASEM group.
The Balkans and Eastern Europe Kosovo will be a target of particular attention for the Presidency. Other areas of attention include, the Western Balkans, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Albania and Bosnia. The Portuguese also note the elevation of relations with Russia. The framework of co-operation and dialogue with Russia will be assessed at an EU-Russia summit during the Portuguese Presidency. Concerning the enlargement of the EU, negotiations will begin with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia during the Portuguese term of office.
On the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, the Portuguese will pay particular attention to the EU’s capabilities to take autonomous action in military and non-military crisis. Concerning trade, the Presidency will contribute to the preparations for the launch of the WTO round of negotiations, which will take place during the first 6 months of 2000. On human rights, the Presidency aim to co-ordinate the EU’s representation at the UN Human Rights Committee and help prepare the EU’s 2nd report on human rights.
Regarding the internal dimensions of the programme, the Presidency attaches great attention to the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) that will be convened from February to December 2000 to address problems on institutional reform in the EU. The Presidency will take note of all contributions regarding the IGC, particularly those from civil society. Reform of the EU’S Common Agricultural Policy is also expected to proceed during the Presidency.
A copy of the full programme of the Portuguese Presidency should be available at the following website: http://www.portugal.ue-2000.pt/
2. EU BUDGET 2000
The European Parliament (EP) has adopted the EU’s budget for the year 2000 following a compromise with the EU Council for funding the rebuilding of Kosovo. To the satisfaction of the EU Council, there will be no multiannual revision of the EU’s financial perspectives, as the EP had called for. However, the EP is somewhat pleased that the reconstruction of Kosovo will not be financed by a massive redeployment of other funds for external actions, including those for developing countries. Eurostep and other NGOs together with Parliament have called on the EU to finance the reconstruction of Kosovo with additional resources, arguing that poorer countries such as those in Africa should not pay for the reconstruction of Kosovo. The failure to revise the financial perspectives means that the struggle between the EP and the Council may continue into the new year. The Parliament has however made gains in ensuring that the European Commission review its use of Technical Assistance Offices (TAOs).
The 2000 budget amounts to € 93.28 billion in commitment appropriations (-3.7% compared to 1999) and € 89.39 billion in payment appropriations (+4.48%).
3. EU-US SUMMIT
The EU and the US at their biannual Summit on 17 December, adopted an Action Plan on small arms and light weapons which will provide for the establishment of a working group on the issue. The two parties share the objective of concluding, in 2000, the Protocol to combat illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearms and encourage NGOs to pursue their important efforts in this field.
Both parties also gave their support to efforts underway in Geneva for launching an ‘inclusive’ WTO multilateral round of negotiations. They hope to draw on the lessons from Seattle by mainly working on a number of measures that will encourage broad participation from developing countries, and improving public access to WTO documents and better consultation procedures with civil society.
4. EU-SOUTH AFRICA AGREEMENT
Following the EU Council’s adoption of the implementing regulation for the EU-South Africa Trade, Development and Cooperation on 16 December, the Agreement will enter into force on 1 January 2000, without awaiting the conclusion of ratification procedures by national parliaments. However, as the agreement on wines and spirits has still not been finalised, the Council and Commission adopted a Joint Declaration recalling the commitments made by South Africa under the Berlin compromise. According to the Declaration, the EU would consider failure to respect these commitments as a breach of the agreement.
5. MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY MILLENIUM
In this festive season the PAF will be taking a break till 7 January 2000. In the mean time The PAF would like to like to take the opportunity to wish all its readers a very Happy Christmas.
See you next
Millennium!