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Important legal notice

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**Minutes of the sitting of Wednesday, 8 April 2009 **

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Official Journal C 221 , 14/09/2009 P. 0006 - 0007 *

Minutes of the sitting of Wednesday, 8 April 2009

(2009/C 221/03)

(The sitting opened at 9.20 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Mr RASMUSSEN

Co-President

1. Substitutes

The Co-President announced the following substitutes: Fernández Martín (for López-Istúriz White), Gill (for Jöns), Hutchinson (for McAvan), Jäätteenmäki (for Hall), Kastler (for Gaubert), Klass (for Coelho), Lefrançois (for Arif), Leinen (for Grabowska), Neris (for Pleguezuelos Aguilar), Olajos (for Novak), Seeber (for Ribeiro e Castro) and Virrankoski (for Busk).

2. Approval of the minutes of Monday, 6 April 2009

The minutes were approved.

3. Report of the economic and social partners

Mr Jahier, President of the EESC ACP follow-up committee, made a presentation on ACP regional integration.

Ms King, Member of the EESC ACP follow-up committee, made a presentation on the Cariforum EPA and its implications for regional integration in the Caribbean.

Speakers: Mugambe (Uganda), Humphrey (Barbados) and William (Seychelles).

Mr Jahier and Ms King responded to the issues raised in the debate.

Mr Mugambe (Uganda) asked about the possible participation of the East African Legislative Assembly in JPA meetings as observer. The Co-President confirmed that members of regional economic groupings were free to attend the JPA in accordance with Article 4 of its Rules of Procedure.

4. The social and environmental impact of climate change

Report by Mr Netty Baldeh (Gambia) and Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles

Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment (ACP-EU/100.383/09/fin.)

Mr Borrell Fontelles and Mr Baldeh (Gambia) presented their report.

Speakers: Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Mugambe (Uganda), Jäätteenmäki, Aubert, Sorongope (Central African Republic), Klass, de Sousa (Angola), Haug, William (Seychelles), Korhola, Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Gomes, Bounkoulou (Republic of Congo) and Baum (European Commission).

Mr Baldeh (Gambia) and Mr Borrell Fontelles wound up the debate.

5. Challenges to the democratic accommodation of ethnic, cultural and religious diversities in ACP and EU countries

Report by Ms Ruth Magau (South Africa) and Mr Filip Kaczmarek

Committee on Political Affairs (ACP-EU/100.460/09/fin.)

Ms Magau (South Africa) and Mr Kaczmarek presented their report.

Speakers: Ogwal (Uganda), Gahler, Leinen, Naib (Eritrea), Morillon, Waziri (Nigeria), Kastler, Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Cashman and Baum (European Commission).

Ms Magau (South Africa) and Mr Kaczmarek wound up the debate.

6. Country Strategy Papers and Regional Strategy Papers for ACP countries: debate without resolution

The Co-President introduced the subject.

Speakers: William (Seychelles), Dekuek (Sudan), Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Milupi (Zambia), Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Co-President Kinnock, Baum (European Commission), Jean-Marie (Saint Lucia), Solamalemalo (Samoa), Wieland and Van Lancker.

The Assembly accepted a Draft Framework for Democratic Scrutiny of the Regional Strategy Papers and Regional Indicative Programmes under the 10th EDF as a basis for this work.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.20 p.m. and resumed at 3.15 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Ms KINNOCK

Co-President

7. Approval of the minutes of Tuesday morning, 7 April 2009

The minutes were approved.

8. The current position in the WTO negotiations

Presentation by Baroness Ashton, Member of the European Commission with responsibility for Trade: debate without resolution

The Co-President welcomed the Commissioner on her first visit to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

The Commissioner made her statement.

Speakers: Straker (St. Vincent & Grenadines), Sturdy, Assarid (Mali), William (Seychelles), Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Diagne (Senegal), Deva, Mporogomyi (Tanzania), Humphrey (Barbados), Sithole (South Africa), Jean-Marie (St. Lucia), Fernandes, Gosset (Côte d'Ivoire) and Gill.

The Commissioner responded to points raised.

9. The current position in the EPA negotiations

Presentation by Baroness Ashton, Member of the European Commission with responsibility for Trade: debate without resolution

The Commissioner made her statement.

Speakers: Dalrymple-Philibert (Jamaica), Gill, William (Seychelles), Mafura (Lesotho), Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Sturdy, Assarid (Mali), Mushelenga (Namibia), Tambuwal (Nigeria), Baldeh (Gambia), Hutchinson, Martínez Martínez and Straker (St. Vincent & Grenadines).

The Commissioner responded to points raised.

Decision: The Co-Presidents would write to the Commissioner thanking her for the assurance that the elements in the Interim European Partnership Agreements which the ACP states concerned would like revised would be annexed to them and dealt with in the full EPA negotiations, and asking for a written assurance from the President of the Commission to this effect.

10. Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and their impact on ACP countries

Report by Mr Assarid Ag Imbarcaouane (Mali) and Mr Jürgen Schröder

Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade

Mr Assarid (Mali) and Mr Schröder presented their report.

Speakers: Hutchinson, Bundu (Sierra Leone), Schröder, O. Schmidt, Schlyter, Schnellhardt, Neris, Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Berend, Waziri (Nigeria), Van Lancker and Brew (European Commission).

Mr Assarid wound up the debate.

11. The Parliamentary Committees in the EPA institutional provisions: debate without resolution

Speakers: Brew (European Commission), Martínez Martínez, Rodgers (Suriname), Hopffer (Cape Verde), William (Seychelles), Humphrey (Barbados), Sorie (ECOWAS), Jean-Marie (St. Lucia) and Hutchinson.

(The sitting adjourned at 6.16 p.m.)

Wilkie Rasmussen and

Glenys Kinnock

Co-Presidents

Sir John Kaputin and

Dietmar Nickel

Co-Secretaries-General

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