1. EUROSTEP WELCOME EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON COHERENCE
The European Parliament (EP) this week adopted a resolution on the coherence of the various policies of the EU, following the debate on this issue at the European Parliament plenary session in the presence of Portuguese Development Minister Luis Amado, and Poul Nielson, the European Commissioner for Development. The resolution, among other things states that: a) The European Commission has failed to provide annual progress reports on coherence and proposals for further action, since the European Council so requested in 1997; b) No significant progress can be achieved in terms of sustainable development, unless the EU and other major producers open their markets to developing countries’ products, end subsidies which are harmful to the agriculture exports of the developing countries, and stress the need to promote local production; c) The lack of a coherent approach by the Commission in its human rights policy is deplorable; d) Conflict prevention and in particular arms trade restrictions with third countries should be an essential element of the EU strategy towards developing countries; e) The Community’s interpretation of WTO rules, and notably Article XXIV of GATT concerning the establishment of Free Trade Areas, is very strict and not tuned to the need to allow the flexibility in trade negotiations involving developing countries. The EP in the resolution also identify a number of other areas of incoherence of EU policies such as policies relating to the environment, customs, TRIPs, and fisheries.
In order to address these problems the resolution calls, among other things for: 1) the Commission to publish without further delay an annual report on policy coherence in connection with development cooperation; 2) The Council to take urgent action wherever required to remedy any observed lack of coherence; 3) The Commission to re-organise its services and the distribution of its portfolios in order to better coordinate various aid policies. 4) The establishment of an inter-service working group on coherence within the Commission. 5) The Commission to set up of a complaints procedure open to governments and civil society. 6) The Council and the Commission to ensure that export and investment credits are more consistent with EU development policy objectives. 7) The principles of policy coherence to be discussed and decided to protect the developing countries as regards the forthcoming WTO negotiations; and 8) The Commission to take account of policy coherence in all international cooperation negotiations with developing countries.
Eurostep have welcomed the Parliament’s efforts to address the coherence issue. Over the past eight years Eurostep has presented many case studies showing the damage being done by EU policies to people living in poverty. The latest study was presented to the Development Council last November showing how EU subsidies on milk powder exports to Jamaica was destroying the livelihoods of local dairy producers. Mr Simon Stocker, Director of Eurostep stated in reaction to the resolution,
“ .. the European Parliament has clearly stated that it expects all EU policies to be coherent with its development co-operation objectives … Nothing short of a comprehensive statement covering all areas of EU policy – especially those in agriculture, fisheries, trade and migration - will be acceptable. In addition, the Commission’s proposals for ensuring future coherence of policies, be it new policy or actions under existing ones, will also need to be comprehensive. Quite frankly the credibility of the Commission is at stake”.
2. REACTIONS TO THE ACP-EU AGREEMENT
The ACP Secretariat’s reaction to the new ACP-EU Agreement agreed two weeks ago at the Fourth ACP-EU Ministerial Meeting diverges somewhat from the glowing description of the Agreement from some EU officials. In a press release (http://www.oneworld.org/acpsec/index.html) the ACP Secretariat state that the new agreement “remains an important example of North-South Cooperation agreements, although it is not as generous as Lomé.” However, according to the ACP Secretariat the new agreement is not as harsh as it may have otherwise been, “this is probably due to external factors having to do with the EU’s need to restore its credibility as a ‘global player’ after the fiascos of Seattle and the disgrace of reopening of the EU-South Africa Agreement”. The press release goes on to describe the outcome of the negotiations as a “lucky escape for the ACP”.
On the difficult discussions on migration, the press release states that the ACP’s resolve was considerably strengthened by ACP and EU NGO support, in the form of letters and position papers. Regarding the significant reform and renaming of the export revenue stabilising instruments of STABEX and SYSMIN, the ACP Secretariat fear that one effect of these changes would be to further bilateralise the new agreement, enhancing the role of the Commission and reducing that of the ACP Secretariat.
Another reaction to the new ACP-EU Agreement from a newsletter from the Commission’s Development Directorate (http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/news/bulletin20000209.htm) paints a different picture, stating that the new Agreement will radically overhaul previous Conventions with a more pluralistic development strategy.
3. OIKOS LAUNCH THE REALITY OF AID IN LISBON
Eurostep member organisation - OIKOS earlier this month launched the Eurostep publication - The Reality of Aid 2000 in an event at its headquarters in Lisbon. The Portuguese Ministry of Cooperation and Directors of several official departments were present. The Prime Minister, Mr. António Guterres, was invited, but was unable to attend the event. He apologized in a letter with congratulations on such an important initiative from a European NGO platform.
The Eurostep Secretariat will be holding a discussion meeting on The Reality of Aid on 29 February in Brussels. The Reality of Aid is an independent review of the official development co-operation programmes of the member countries of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee. It is written from the perspective of NGOs from both donor countries and developing countries. For more information you can contact the Eurostep Secretariat.
4. AFRICA-EUROPE CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM PREPARES FOR EU-AFRICA SUMMIT
The North-South Centre and the European Commission will be organising an Africa-Europe Civil Society Forum in Cairo from 31 March to 2 April in Cairo to enable civil society from Europe and Africa to make recommendations in the form of an action plan to the heads of states attending the EU-Africa Summit. The Summit is likely to be held on 3-4 April in Cairo.
Preparatory workshops will be held in the run up to the Civil Society Forum on 9-11 March in Algiers, 17-19 March in Cape Verde and Cairo on 29-30 March. The aim of the workshops is to set up regional platforms in order to prepare for the Forum and discuss its themes. For more information you can contact the Secretariat of the Africa-Europe Civil Society Forum at: [email protected]. http://www.nscentre.org/english/opening.htm
5. IN BRIEF
The 30th Session of the ACP EU JOINT Parliamentary Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria (20-23March) will include in its agenda: an address from Algerian President and President in Office of the OAU, Mr Bouteflika; a debate and vote on the re-admission clause of illegal immigrants; and a vote on the report by MEP Glenys Kinnock (UK) on the future of ACP-EU Relations.
According to
Portuguese Foreign Minister Mr Gama, the EU Council is close to
breaking its deadlock with South Africa on the EU-South Africa
Agreement. The deadlock relates to the problem of protecting EU
wines and spirits. Meanwhile Italy has withdrawn its reservations
to the newly concluded EU-Mexico Agreement, following a proposal
from the Commission to control Mexican fruit exports and ensure
that the current rules of origin of the Agreement on textiles
will not be a precedent for future negotiations.