1.
EU CALLS ON WARRING PARTIES IN SOMALIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ARTA
PROCESS
In
a declaration published on 10 August 2001, the EU, through its
Belgian Presidency in Office, expresses concern at the recent
escalation of conflict in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia;
and calls upon all the warring parties to exercise maximum
restraint to avoid further bloodshed. The EU also reiterates its
earlier appeal to the Transitional Government of Somalia to
pursue its efforts towards national reconciliation.
The
Declaration stresses the importance of the UN arms embargo on
Somalia and calls upon all parties involved to fully respect this
embargo. The Declaration goes on to welcome the creation of the
National Committee for Reconciliation and Return of Property as
foreseen in the Transitional Charter adopted in Arta. The EU
encourages all parties in Somalia that have not participated in
the Arta process to enter into this dialogue. It also calls on
IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) and its member
states strengthen their efforts towards encouraging the process
of reconciliation in Somalia.
2.
EU CIVIL SOCIETY AND BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS MEET WITH EU TRADE
COMMISSIONER LAMY ON 18 SEPTEMBER
The
next ‘general’ meeting between representatives of EU
civil society and business organisations, and EU Trade
Commissioner, Pascal Lamy will take place at 3PM on 18 September
2001 in Brussels (Rue Froissart 36 1040 Brussels). Meetings
between Pascal Lamy and civil society and business
representatives have been held biannually since the Seattle WTO
Ministerial debacle in 1999. They form part of a wider system of
dialogue with civil society and business set up the European
Commission’s Directorate General (DG) for Trade, involving
bi-monthly discussions between the Commission and civil society
and business on issues that are identified for discussion over a
period of 6 months.
While
civil society has clamoured for real and productive dialogue with
the Commission on trade issues, many civil society organisations
have criticised the DG Trade dialogue process as simply
Commission lip service towards the demand for consultation. One
main area of dissatisfaction for many civil society actors is the
little regard and effort that the Commission has made in
responding to positions for debate in these consultations
prepared by many civil society organisations, at great effort,
despite serious capacity constraints. Nevertheless civil
society organisations have been successful in pushing for certain
reforms in the dialogue process and its organisation.
DG
Trade’s systems of consultation with civil society have been
followed by new sets of consultation with civil society
established by other directorates of the Commission –
agriculture and development (See article 4 below)
The
meeting with Lamy will have two mains issues on the agenda: 1)
The current situation and outlook for a launch of a New Round and
preparations for the WTO Ministerial Conference in WTO; and 2)
Sustainable Development and Trade Policy.
The
next so called ‘Issue Group meetings’ between DG Trade
and civil society and business will take place the following week
from 24-28 September 2001. The issues to be discussed include
TRIPs, Sustainable Development, services, WTO Reform, and
agriculture. For more information contact [email protected]
.
3.
NEXT ACP REGIONAL SEMINAR FOR PREPARATION OF NEW ACP-EU TRADE
ARRANGEMENTS IN BOTSWANA ON 26-28 AUGUST
The
next ACP regional trade seminar (Southern Africa), organised by
the ACP Secretariat in order to prepare for new ACP-EU trade
arrangements, will take place in Gaborone, Botswana on 26-28
August. So far one trade regional seminar has already been held
(West Africa) in Benin in July (See PAF 237).
Issues
on the agenda in the West Africa meeting included: Trade policy
compatibilities; The impact of Economic Partnership Agreements
(EPAs) and adjustment scenarios; ACP-wide coherence of trade
policies; Regional Trade and Economic Integration in Western
Africa; The “Everything but Arms” Facility; National
and regional adjustments towards EPAs; and a Regional work plan.
The
regional trade seminars are open to civil society
representatives. Negotiations for the new trade arrangements
begin in September 2002.
4. REPORT OF MEETING BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER NIELSON AND EU NGOs
The
European Commission’s Directorate General (DG) for
Development has produced a report of its consultation meeting
between European NGOs and the EU Commissioner for Development
– Poul Nielson - on 18 June (See PAF 233). For more
information you can contact Ms Françoise Moreau of the European
Commission.
DG
Development agreed to a set up a system of consultation with NGOs
at a meeting with EU NGO networks on 9 February 2001.
The
meeting on 18 June mainly dealt with: the role of European NGOs
in supporting and facilitating emerging civil society in ACP
countries; and the 3rd UN LDC Conference. The next
meeting between EU NGOs and the Mr Nielson will take place on 29
November 2001.
5. IN BRIEF
In a meeting with
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy this week, Jose Bove of the
European Farmer’s Coordination called for legal independent
appeal structures in the WTO.
The Commission last
week adopted the first annual report of the European Agency for
Reconstruction. The European Agency manages EU aid programmes in
Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro. It however does not deal with
humanitarian aid managed by the European Community Humanitarian
Office. The report provides an account of the activities of the
Agency since it was established in February 2000. The report
announces that out of the funds committed to Kosovo in 2000, by
the end of last November only 53% had been spent.
The EU has
expressed its readiness to convene a donors’ conference on
Macedonia once the provisions laid down in the recently signed
Ohrid Framework Agreement, between Macedonians and ethnic
Albanians, are adopted by the Parliament. A declaration put out
by the Belgian Presidency of the EU announces that the EU is
preparing a reconstruction and rehabilitation programme for
Macedonia.
The European
Commission last week adopted its contribution to the UN World
Conference Against Racism from 31 August to 7 September in South
Africa. The document summarises attempts made by the EU already
to combat racism. It also reiterates recommendations presented by
the EU at last year’s European Regional Conference. For more
information see http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/fundamri/eu_racism/conf_en.htm
The European
Commission last week announced that it would grant humanitarian
aid to the following countries: Palestinian territories (5million
euro), Cambodia (4.2 million euro), Indonesia (2.2 million euro),
Burma (2.2 million euro), Burkina Faso and Chad (1.6 Million
euro) and Mongolia and China (1.2 million euro).