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MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF THURSDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2005

(2006/C 136/04)

(The sitting opened at 9.15 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Mrs KINNOCK

Co-President

1.   Substitutes

The Co-President announced the following substitutes: van den Berg (for Bullman), Bushill-Matthews (for López-Istúriz White), Goebbels (for Rosati), Hutchinson (for Grabowska), Purvis (for Sartori), Schröder (for Coelho) and Zaleski (for Langendries).

2.   Approval of the minutes of the morning and afternoon sittings of Wednesday, 23 November 2005

The minutes were approved.

3.   Report on the activities of the economic and social partners

Speaker: Vever (ACP-EU monitoring committee)

4.   Summary reports from the workshops

IN THE CHAIR: Mrs HAY WEBSTER

Co-President

5.   Debate (without resolution) on immigration into the European Union, including the presentation of a declaration by the ACP Parliamentary Assembly

Mr Assarid Imbarcaouane (Mali) presented the declaration.

Speakers: Aimo (Papua New Guinea), Thomas (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Akpovi (Benin), Sebetela (Botswana), van den Berg, Osei-Prempeh (Ghana), Martínez Martínez, Ramotar (Guyana) and the Co-President.

Decision: Referred to the Committee on Political Affairs, which would decide whether to draw up a report.

(The sitting adjourned at 10.20 a.m. and resumed at 10.33 a.m.)

6.   Votes on the motions for resolution in the reports by the three standing committees and urgent motions for resolutions

Speakers: Carlotti and Gahler (point of order)

IN THE CHAIR: Mrs KINNOCK

Co-President

Speakers: Assarid Imbarcaouane (Mali), Gahler and Deva.

7.   Other business

The EU Co-President thanked the outgoing ACP Co-President, Mrs Sharon Hay Webster, for her exceptional work as Co-President.

The EU Co-President also thanked Mr Paul Malin (European Commission) for his excellent work in support of the JPA's work.

The Co-Presidents particularly thanked Mr John Edward of the European Parliament's Edinburgh office for his contribution to the excellent organisation of the JPA session in Edinburgh.

Mr Kamotho (Kenya) made a statement on the referendum in his country and the outcome.

Mr Mannah (Liberia) made a statement on the elections in his country and the new President.

IN THE CHAIR: Mrs HAY WEBSTER

Co-President

The Co-President announced the name of the next ACP Co-President: Mr Georges Rawiri (Gabon).

The new membership of the Bureau was as follows: Gabon (Co-President), Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Niue, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Swaziland and Zambia.

8.   Date and place of the 11th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The next meetings of the committees and Bureau would be held during the week of 20 February 2006.

The 11th session would be held from 16 to 23 June 2006 in Vienna (Austria).

(The sitting closed at 11.30 a.m.)

Sharon HAY WEBSTER and

Glenys KINNOCK

Co-Presidents

Sir John KAPUTIN and

Dietmar NICKEL

Co-Secretaries General

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ANNEX I

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL AFFAIRS

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE AND TRADE

COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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ANNEX II

RECORD OF ATTENDANCE AT THE SESSION FROM 21 TO 24 NOVEMBER IN EDINBURGH

Observer:

Cuba: POLANCO, CASTRO

Also present:

ACP-EU COUNCIL

COMMITTEE OF AMBASSADORS

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ESC)

TECHNICAL CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL COOPERATION (CTA)

BURGUET

BOTO

NEUN

ACP SECRETARIAT

EU SECRETARIAT

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(1)  Country represented by a person other than a Member of Parliament

(2)  Present on 21 November 2005

(3)  Present on 22 November 2005

(4)  Present on 23 November 2005

(5)  Present on 24 November 2005

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ANNEX III

RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED

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