Pro-Active Files: 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998

PAF - ProActive File
Regular News Update From Eurostep

No. 185     Friday, 16 June 2000

1. EU COMMISSIONER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS VOICES CONCERN OVER EU MANAGEMENT OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS – POVERTY FOCUS SHOULD NOT DISTORT EU STRATEGY IN EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Chris Patten, the EU Commissioner for External Relations, in a communication to the European Commission last week expressed his concern about the EU’s management of external relations. The paper principally argues for the Commission to be granted a prominent role in the management of the EU’s external relations, but it also states that the EU’s current poverty focus in development policy should not be allowed to distort it’s strategic focus in external relations.

Mr Patten outlines a number of constraints facing the Commission’s execution of its external responsibilities. These include the following: 1) EU Member States often resent the idea of the Commission having a sovereign role in external relations issues. 2) The EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) has not produced the joint EU strategies and actions that it was supposed to produce. 3) The use of mixed international agreements, where EU Member States and the European Community both legally represent the EU, has created tension between tension between the Community and the Member States. 4) The creation of the CFSP High Representative who also acts as Secretary General of the Council of the EU has caused institutional complications. It has increased the tendency for the CFSP to take over functions, which should be the responsibility of the Commission. 5) EU Heads of States make political declarations, which they are subsequently reluctant to underwrite in money and staff.

In response to these constraints Mr Patten puts forward a few guidelines for the Commission. These include the following: a) The Commission should use its expertise in external relations, which is its comparative advantage over the EU Member States. b) The Commission should concentrate on areas which there is an identifiable ‘value added’ to policy conducted at the EU rather than the national level. c) The Commission should be rigorous in setting Community priorities. Mr Patten cites the € 50 million granted to for reconstruction after Hurricane Mitch, pointing out this amount is more than the EU annual commitment to Egypt and the amount of money the EU spends annually on Russia. He questions whether the money for Hurricane Mitch reflects EU priorities. d) Though the EU’s poverty focus is an important part of development policy it should not be allowed to distort the EU’s strategic focus.

The PAF will endeavour to follow up on reactions to Mr Patten’s paper.

2. DATES FOR ACP-EU REGIONAL SEMINARS ON PROGRAMMING OF AID

The European Commission has provided dates for some of the ACP-EU regional seminars it is co-organising with the ACP Secretariat, as part of preparations for the implementation of the new ACP-EU Agreement. The dates are as follows: Southern Africa Regional Seminar: 3-6 July, Swaziland; East Africa Regional Seminar: Mauritius; Central Africa Regional Seminar: Gabon, 11-14 September. Dates and venues for the seminars in West Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean are yet to be agreed and are likely to take place between mid-September and the end of October.

One civil representative of each ACP country is supposed to be invited to participate in the seminar of his/her region.

3. IN BRIEF

The EU General Affairs Council has agreed increase the financial envelope intended for development in South Africa within the framework of the European Reconstruction and Development Programme during the 2000-2006 period. South Africa will now receive € 885.5 million instead of € 850.5 million.  The Commission has assured EU Member States that this increase will not affect EU funds to other regions. Rather it will be drawn exclusively from funds initially foreseen for food aid during the 2000-2006 period.

The second round of talks between MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay) and the EU on an association agreement including trade liberalisation opened this week in Brussels. The EU defended the multi-functional nature of its agriculture policy, while the MERCOSUR delegation raised questions on the EU’s other trade agreements with the ACP, the Mediterranean countries, Mexico and South Africa.

The EU has expressed deep concern on the Liberian government’s failure to stop arms reaching Sierra Leone from Liberia. It has indicated that it will use EU policies including that under the Lomé Convention to take full account of Liberia’s attitude towards Sierra Leone.

The next round of WTO Issue group consultations between the European Commission and civil society will take place on 26-27 July. See http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/2000_round/anno.htm

4. FORTHCOMING EVENTS UNDER THE FRENCH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU

(1 JULY – 31 DECEMBER 2000)

* Yet to be confirmed
 

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