1.
PRIORITIES OF THE BELGIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE EU
As
with most presidencies of the EU, internal EU issues are the main
feature in the priorities of the Belgian Presidency of the EU (1
July – 31 December 2001). A ‘Priorities Note’
posted on the official website of the Belgian Presidency,
identifies 6 priority themes of the Presidency. Out of these,
those with a clear implication for external affairs include: a)
The debate over the future of Europe; b) sustainable development;
c) sustainable economic growth and a common economic policy; and
d) enlargement of the EU.
The
Presidency will also give priority to the establishment of a
common asylum and migration policy. Though the Presidency argues
that the entitlement of refugees to protection in the EU cannot
be challenged in the year of the 50th anniversary of
the Geneva Convention, it states that there is a need for fairer
burden sharing schemes within the EU. The Presidency will also
work on combating illegal immigration and the trafficking in
human beings.
Regarding
the more explicit external dimension of Belgian Presidency
programme, the document states that the Presidency will make
an effort to improve the efficiency and coherence of all external
actions by the EU and its Member States. According to the
‘Note’, this implies a more prominent role for the High
Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Solana,
and the strengthening of relations between Mr Solana’s
office and the European Commission. The ‘Note’
states that the Belgian Presidency is determined to give respect
of human rights, a prominent place in the common foreign and
security policy of the EU.
Amongst
the specific regions that the Presidency will focus on are:
Central
Africa, - The Presidency aims to bring a greater
involvement of the EU in the peace process in Central Africa and
the Great Lakes region. According to the note, the Presidency
will draw up an inventory of humanitarian and rehabilitation
needs in sectors such as health, education; infrastructure,
justice and the democratisation process. On the basis of this
inventory, the Presidency will put forward an action plan for
peace and development in Central Africa.
The Balkans
– The Presidency will pursue the process launched at the
Zagreb Summit involving co-operation and economic development.
The Belgian Presidency will attempt to move forward with the
negotiations on stabilisation and association treaties with the
countries in the region. Such agreements could be concluded with
a few of the countries in the region during the second semester
of the Presidency.
Regarding
trade, the Belgian Presidency will do its utmost to allow
the launching of a new WTO round during its Presidency. On climate
change, the Presidency states that it will try to get Kyoto
process back on track following its derailment due to the US
position on the issue.
On
security and defence policy, the defence of the EU’s
own defence identity is central to the Belgian Presidency. By
the end of the Presidency, the EU Council of Heads of State in
December should declare the EU operational regarding crisis
management with all required structures in place.
The
document makes almost no reference to development
co-operation. For more information see: www.eu2001.be
2. BELGIAN
NORTH-SOUTH NGO COALITION LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS CAMPAIGN FOR BELGIAN
PRESIDENCY
At
a press conference on Thursday 28 June, the Belgian North-South
NGO Coalition launched its programme for the Belgian Presidency.
The North-South Coalition, an extension of the Belgian Platform
of Liaison Committee of EU NGDOs (CLONG), was set up especially
on the occasion of the Belgian Presidency. It comprises of
Belgian NGOs working on North-South solidarity, peace and
sustainable development. CNCD (umbrella of Francophone NGDOs) and
Eurostep member - 11.11.11. - Koepel van de Vlaamse
Noord-Zuidbeweging (umbrella of Flemish NGDOs, formerly known as
NCOS) are jointly responsible for the co-ordination of the
Coalition. The Coalition’s main focus is on the role of the
EU in the world. In November 2000, the Coalition presented a
Memorandum to the Belgian government entitled "European
Union: world power or world partner?" The document deals
with ten themes: 1) EU development policy, 2) Central-Africa, 3)
Trade, 4) Food sovereignty, 5) Financial architecture and the
Tobin Tax, 6) EU defence and security policy, 7) Impunity, 8) The
role of migrants in development cooperation, 9) Debt, and 10)
Sustainable production and consumption.
Within
the Coalition, working groups have been set up to organise
information, sensitisation and advocacy around each of these
themes. One output is a series of briefing papers per theme.
To
disseminate information on the programme of the North-South
Coalition, a website has been set up that is accessible in
English, French and Dutch: http://eu.ngoforum.be/northsouth.
This website may be used by any other NGOs who would like to post
activities or positions related to the Belgian Presidency. For a
list of the most important activities of the Coalition, see also
PAF 233.
The
‘file rouge’ of the Coalition's programme is "the
defence of an autonomous European development policy supported by
a coherent EU external policy that effectively contributes to
poverty eradication and sustainable development".
"Now that the
EU has a policy statement for its development policy, making
poverty reduction its main objective, it is time for the EU to
also come forward with a policy statement for its entire
"external policy" making poverty reduction the overall
objective (as has also been requested by a European Parliament
resolution in November 2000)",
says Marc Maes,
Policy Officer at 11.11.11- and co-coordinator of the
North-South Coalition.
"Belgium
wants to deliver a Declaration on the future and destiny of the
EU at the Brussels summit of 14-15 December, we hope that the
Belgian Presidency will also organise some reflection on what
role the EU sees for itself in a globalising world. Is the EU
working to become a world power, or will the EU be a reliable
partner for sustainable development?"
Specifically
on EU development policy, the North-South Coalition will focus on
three issues: a) Civil society participation in North and South;
b) Effectiveness and coherence; and c) Development education. The
Belgian Presidency has put the development education resolution
that CLONG has been working for since 1999, on the agenda of the
November EU Development Council. The North-South Coalition will
organise input to the preparatory process leading up to the
Council meeting. On 3 and 4 October, the North-South Coalition
will also host an international seminar on EU development policy
and the EU Development Council agenda. - 11. 11.
11 (umbrella of Flemish NGDOs)
3.
EU-MERCOSUR/CHILE COOPERATION COUNCIL
The
joint EU-Mercosur/Chile Cooperation Councils met this week to
assess the free trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur
and the EU and Chile launched in 1999 and the preparation of the
EU-Latin America Summit in Madrid in 2002. Regarding the trade
negotiations the aim is to begin liberalisation in 2005, at the
same time as the free trade of the Americas.
The Council will hold a session of political dialogue which will
be dedicated to the situation in Colombia, EU enlargement, the
Americas Summit and the EU-US Summit in Gothenburg.
The EU-Mercosur negotiations seem to have hit problems recently
with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay finding it difficult
to reach a common negotiating position, and the integration
process in the region at a dead end. In contrast both the EU and
Chile are looking to make rapid progress in their negotiations
over the coming months.
The EU signed three memorandums of understanding which will frame
EU-Mercosur/Paraguay /Argentina co-operation. The EU-Mercosur
memorandum is worth €48 million, while that signed with
Argentina and Paraguay separately are worth €65.7 million
and €50 million respectively.
4. IN BRIEF
At a meeting
between European Commission President, Romano Prodi and President
of Eritrea, Mr Afwerki, Mr Prodi stated that a budget of €96
million had been programmed for Eritrea under the 9th
European Development Fund (EDF) of the Cotonou Agreement. A
further €7 million is left over from the 7th EDF
from the Lomé Convention.