Sir Leon Brittan, the vice President of the European Commissioner, speaking on his meeting with Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, said he had explained to Mr Jingsheng why the Union had refused to support a resolution condemning human rights in China. Mr Brittan said the decision was not on based on the decrease in support of the advancement of human rights in China. Rather it was based on the belief that the resolution was not the best tactic in the present circumstance to advance human rights. According to the Vice President, certain achievements had been attained through EU pressure in the form of dialogue on human rights. He said China had taken a number of steps indicating progress such as: its agreement to a substantial EU funded co-operation programme in the field of human rights; its signing of the UN Convenant of Social, Economic and Cultural Rights; its intention to sign the UN Convenant on Civil and Political rights; its agreement to an EU-China experts team dealing with issues concerning the UN convenants; and its non-opposition of a visit by the EU Troika to Tibet. Mr Brittan said he made it clear to Mr Jingsheng that the EU's position on the UN Resolution in the future would be entirely conditional on continued and demonstrable progress being made in China.
2. IVORIAN MINISTER's VISIT TO EUROPE TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST EUROPEAN COMMISSION 'CHOCOLATE ' DIRECTIVE PRODUCES MIXED RESULTS
Ivory Coast Minister, Guy Alain Gauze's, visit to Europe to campaign for a compromise to the proposals by the European Commission for the so called Chocolate Directive has brought about mixed results. The Commission's Directive had authorised the use of up to 5% of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter in the production of chocolate in the EU. Mr Gauze's aim was to convince Community decision makers that a compromise solution should be sought that reflects European Parliament amendments to the Commission proposals and complies with a memorandum prepared by the Ivorian Government for the Commission and EU Council.
A summary of the results of Mr Gauze's visit follows:
1) A compromise between Member States who are in favour of the Commission proposal (Germany, Portugal and Greece) and other Member States against the proposal. This is likely to be along the lines of the more moderate EP proposal which attempts to safeguards the interests of the cocoa producer countries and consumers of chocolate.
2) There is now a strong consensus between consumer organisations and NGDOs that the Commission's proposal is unacceptable and that it is essential that consumers are informed of the presence of substitute vegetable fat in chocolate with a label clearly indicating this.
3) The European Commission, via its Directorate for Industry (DG III), is sticking by its position that its proposals will not harm the economies of cocoa producer countries. Mr Gauze is of the view that DG III's position is untenable and unacceptable, as all market operator including the European Association of Chocolate Industries (Cabiosco)acknowledge that the adoption of the Commission Directive will inevitably have negative impact on world cocoa consumption.
3. FORTHCOMING EVENTS
26 March Free University of Brussels hold Study day on Discrimination in the European Union after the Maastricht Treaty Contact: 32 2 738 75 94 31 March - 1 April 1998 Seminar on Asia Europe Meeting, ASEM and the Crisis: People's Realities, Peoples Responses in London, Contact: 0044 171 354 083 2-4 April EU Ministers gather for ASEM II in London 4 April Conference on Building the new Europe-Asia Partnership: the Outcome from ASEM near London, Contact: 0044 1903/817 773 7 April Forum Europe, the Overseas Development Institute and European Community Humanitarian Office Joint Conference on Humanitarian Principles in London, Contact: 32 2 738 7594
4. ACP EU JOINT ASSEMBLY
The Working Group on the future of ACP EU relations met last week on 16-17 March. The first part of the meeting consisted on a hearing on the implications for the ACP and the EU on the future of ACP-EU relations. Members of the Panel included Mr Dieter Frisch, the former Director General of the European Commission's Directorate for Development; Mr Carl Greenidge, Deputy Secretary General of the ACP Group; and Mr Bernard Petit, the European Commission official responsible for negotiations on the EU mandate. The Meeting also held an exchange of views among the participants on the objectives and work programme of the Working Group.
The ACP Group was heavily represented at the Meeting in contrast with their EU counterparts for which only a few MEPs showed up.
5. NOTICES FOR EUROSTEP MEMBERS
Oxfam UK are producing a paper on the EU banana regime. The paper will be circulated to Eurostep member organisations shortly. Eurostep may adopt the paper following comments from members.
The Eurostep Summary Response to the European Commission's Proposed Negotiating Mandate for Lomé V being prepared by Oxfam will be out next week. The paper critiques the Free Trade Agreements that the European Commission is proposing in its Negotiating Mandate.
The Reality of Aid Working Group met on Wednesday 18 March to discuss the European chapters for the next edition of Reality of Aid. The aim of the meeting was to develop a common lobbying strategy for the campaign. Development Counsellors from several EU Member State Permanent Representations in Brussels were present.
6. IN BRIEF ...
The European Community Humanitarian Office, ECHO, award for 1998 was
launched on 13 March in Stockholm. The award is meant to reward excellence
in the reporting of humanitarian issues by European radio and television.
The prize will be presented in Vienna in November.