A4-0249/99

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on development cooperation with South Africa (COM(99)0124 - C4-0165/99 - 99/0070(COD) - formerly 99/0070(SYN))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Article 2

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Development cooperation to be carried out under this Regulation will focus mainly on:

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Development cooperation to be carried out under this Regulation will focus mainly on:

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- support to policies, instruments and programmes aiming at the progressive integration of the South African economy into the world economy and trade, for employment creation, development of private sector, regional cooperation and integration. In this latter context, special attention will be given to providing support to the adjustment efforts occasioned in the region by the establishment of the free-trade area under the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement, especially in the SACU. Promotion of mutual general interest cooperation between European Union and South African businesses may be considered as well;

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- improvement of living conditions and delivery of basic social services;

- support to democratisation, the protection of human rights, sound public management, the strengthening of local governments and involvement of civil society in the development process.

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improvement of living conditions and delivery of basic social services;

- support to democratisation, the protection of human rights, sound public management, the strengthening of local governments and involvement of civil society in the development process.

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Dialogue and partnership between public authorities and non-governmental development partners and actors will be promoted.

Programmes shall focus on fight against poverty, take into account the needs of the previously disadvantaged communities and reflect the gender and environmental dimensions of development.

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Dialogue and partnership between public authorities and non-governmental development partners and actors will be promoted.

Programmes shall focus on fight against poverty, take into account the needs of the previously disadvantaged communities and reflect the gender and environmental dimensions of development.

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In addition to meeting these priorities assistance can be extended to support to policies, instruments and programmes aiming at the progressive integration of the South African economy into the world economy and trade, for employment creation, development of private sector, including promotion of mutual general interest cooperation between European Union and South African businesses, regional cooperation and integration. In this latter context, while recognising the responsibilities and obligations towards SACU members through the establishment of an additional financial facility for assistance to necessary restructuring efforts in the BLNS (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland) countries, funds from the European Programme for Reconstruction and Development could, where appropriate, be used to provide additional assistance to regional restructuring occasioned by the implementation of the EU-South Africa Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement.

(Amendment 3)

Article 4(3)

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3. A financial contribution from the partners referred to in Article 3 shall in principle be required for each cooperation. That contribution will be requested in accordance with the possibilities of the partners concerned and depending on the nature of each operation. It may be in kind. In specific cases where the partner is either a non-governmental organisation or a community-based organisation, the contribution may not be required.

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3.

A financial contribution from the partners referred to in Article 3 shall in principle be required for each cooperation. That contribution will be requested in accordance with the possibilities of the partners concerned and depending on the nature of each operation. It shall particularly be sought in cases where a project is designed as a start-up for an open-ended activity, in order to ensure the sustainability of such projects after Community funding has ceased. It may be in kind. In specific cases where the partner is either a non-governmental organisation or a community-based organisation, the contribution may not be required.

(Amendment 4)

Article 4(6)(a) and (b)

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(a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange of information on actions financed or planned to be financed by the Community and the Member States;

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(a)

the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange of information on actions financed or planned to be financed by the Community, the Member States and the EIB;

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(b) on-the spot coordination of these actions by means of regular meetings and exchange of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the beneficiary country.

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(b)

on-the spot coordination of these actions by means of regular meetings and exchange of information between the representatives of the Commission, the Member States and the EIB in the beneficiary country.

(Amendment 2)

Article 6(1)

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1. Tri-annual indicative programming based on specific objectives shall be carried out in the context of close contacts with the South African Government and taking account of the results of the co-ordination referred to in Article 4 (6) and (7). Such a programming should result in aid being focused each year in a limited number of sectors identified amongst those areas referred to in Article 2.

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1.

Tri-annual indicative programming based on specific objectives shall be carried out in the context of close contacts with the South African Government and taking account of the results of the co-ordination referred to in Article 4 (6) and (7). The indicative programming process will fully respect the principle of recipient-led programming.

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Such a programming should result in aid being focused each year in a limited number of sectors identified amongst those areas referred to in Article 2.

This notwithstanding, it is recognised that a number of current areas of EU assistance, which require a long term approach (e.g. the AIDS programme), cannot easily be accommodated within tri-annual sector programmes. Provision is therefore made, where appropriate, so that such initiatives could be continued over longer time periods.

(Amendment 5)

Article 8(6a) (new)

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6a. All decisions and opinions of the Committee will be made publicly available.

(Amendment 6)

Article 9, 1st, 2nd and 3rd paragraphs

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After each financial year the Commission shall submit an annual report on implementation of this Regulation to the European Parliament and the Council. The report shall set out the budget turnout with regard to commitments and payments and the projects and programmes financed in the course of the year. It shall contain statistics on contracts awarded for implementing projects and programmes.

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After each financial year the Commission shall submit an annual report on implementation of this Regulation to the European Parliament

, the Council and the South Africa National Assembly. The report shall set out the budget turnout with regard to commitments and payments and the projects and programmes financed in the course of the year. It shall contain statistics on contracts awarded for implementing projects and programmes.

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In addition the Commission shall monitor progress against each operation's objectives in terms of outputs and outcomes, using objectively verifiable indicators.

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In addition the Commission shall monitor progress against each operation's objectives in terms of outputs and outcomes, using objectively verifiable indicators.

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The Commission shall regularly evaluate operations financed by the Community to determine whether those operations' objectives have been reached and to establish guidelines for improving the effectiveness of future operations. Summaries of evaluation reports shall be forwarded to the Member States. Full reports shall be made available to Member States which request them.

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The Commission shall regularly evaluate operations financed by the Community to determine whether those operations' objectives have been reached and to establish guidelines for improving the effectiveness of future operations. Summaries of evaluation reports shall be forwarded to the Member States

, the European Parliament and the South Africa National Assembly. Full reports shall be made available to Member States, the European Parliament and the South Africa National Assembly, upon request.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on Development Cooperation with South Africa (COM(99)0124 - C4-0165/99 - 99/0070(COD))(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the list of Commission proposals pending as at 1 May 1999 for which the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam necessitates a change in legal basis and/or procedure,

- having regard to its resolution of 4 May 1999 on the implications of the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam (list of proposals pending as at 1 May 1999 indicating new legal bases and any changes in legislative procedure following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam) ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 7.)),

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(99)0124 - 99/0070(COD) confirmed by the Commission on 3 May 1999,

- having regard to Articles 251(2) and 179 of the EC Treaty pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C4-0165/99),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on External Economic Relations and the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0249/99),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to approve all Parliament's amendments and definitively adopt the act thus amended;

4. Points out that the Commission is required to submit to Parliament any modification it may intend to make to its proposal as amended by Parliament;

5. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.