EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 285/51

Thursday 5 June 2008

The work of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2007

P6_TA(2008)0259

European Parliament resolution of 5 June 2008 on the work of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2007 (2007/2180(INI))

2009/C 285 E/08

The European Parliament,

having regard to the partnership agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states (ACP), of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (1), (Cotonou Agreement)

having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), adopted on 3 April 2003 (2), as most recently amended in Wiesbaden (Germany) on 28 June 2007 (3),

having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation (4),

having regard to the Kigali Declaration for development-friendly Economic Partnership Agreements (5) (EPAs), adopted by the JPA on 22 November 2007 in Kigali (Kigali Declaration),

having regard to the resolutions adopted by the JPA in 2007:

— on good governance, transparency and accountability in relation with the exploitation of natural resources in ACP countries (6),

— on poverty reduction for small farmers in ACP countries ‐ in particular in the fruit, vegetable and flowers sectors (7),

— on migration of skilled workers and its effect on national development (8),

— on the situation in Darfur (9),

— on elections and electoral processes in ACP and EU countries (10),

— on the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (11),

— on access to healthcare and medicines, with a particular focus on neglected diseases (12),

— on natural disasters in ACP States: EU funding for preparedness (EDF funds) and relief (ECHO funds) (13),

— on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in the East of the country, and its impact on the region (14),

having regard to Rules 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to the report of the Committee on Development (A6-0175/2008),

A. having regard to the debates of June 2007 in Wiesbaden and November 2007 in Kigali on the latest developments in the EPA negotiations, leading to the adoption of the Kigali Declaration,

B. whereas Parliament and the Council have adopted Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006, which provides for thematic programmes also applicable to ACP countries together with a programme of accompanying measures for ACP Sugar Protocol countries,

C. whereas the Commissioner responsible for development and humanitarian aid made a commitment during the abovementioned JPA session in Wiesbaden to subject Country and Regional Strategy Papers for the ACP countries (relating to the period 2008-2013) to democratic scrutiny by parliaments, and this commitment is fortunately beginning to be fulfilled,

D. whereas the revised Cotonou Agreement has just laid the foundations for enhanced, more efficient cooperation between the European Union and ACP countries, although the ratification procedure for that agreement has not been finalised,

E. having regard to the growing importance within the JPA of issues of common interest concerning human rights, democracy, delicate situations, political consistency and the effectiveness of aid,

F. whereas the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorated still further in 2007 and, regrettably, it was not possible to adopt a resolution on the matter during the abovementioned JPA session in Wiesbaden, to wind up a very constructive debate; whereas the Zimbabwe delegation's failure to participate in this session is very regrettable,

G. having regard to the ongoing conflict in Darfur (Sudan) and the grave, repeated infringements of human rights, particularly the continued risk of sexual assault and rape faced by women and girls, and stressing the need for effective humanitarian aid and help for victims of sexual violence;

H. having regard to the work of the Pan-African Parliament and the formalisation of relations between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament; having regard, in particular, to the joint declaration of the Pan-African Parliament and the European Parliament with a view to the EU-Africa summit held in December 2007 in Lisbon,

I. having regard to the increasing participation of non-governmental stakeholders in JPA sessions and the financial difficulties encountered by civil society in ACP countries in attending meetings,

J. having regard to the excellent contributions made by the German EU Presidency and the Rwandan Government to the abovementioned JPA sessions in Wiesbaden and Kigali,

K. having regard to the fact-finding and study missions carried out by the JPA Bureau in 2007: — to Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, and — to Madagascar,

1. Welcomes the fact that in 2007 the JPA provided a framework for an open, democratic and in-depth dialogue on the negotiation of EPAs between the EU and the ACP countries, as shown by the adoption of the Kigali Declaration;

2. Stresses the concerns expressed by the JPA about several aspects of the negotiations, with regard to both form and substance; points out that the debate has continued since the adoption of EPAs with the Caribbean and interim agreements with certain countries and regions;

3. Is concerned about the establishment of a new body in the context of EPAs, i.e. the parliamentary committee, without the relationship between this body and the JPA being made clear; calls for conflicts of competence or pointless friction in this area to be avoided; at the same time welcomes this parliamentary dimension given to the EPA and is strongly convinced that the JPA will start implementing this dialogue at parliamentary level immediately by means of its regional meetings;

4. Welcomes the commitment made by the Commissioner responsible for development and humanitarian aid during the abovementioned JPA session in Kigali to subject Country and Regional Strategy Papers for the ACP countries (relating to the period 2008-2013) to democratic scrutiny by parliaments and welcomes the work already done by certain ACP parliaments in examining these papers;

5. Points out, in this regard, the need to involve parliaments closely in the democratic process and in national development strategies; stresses their vital role in establishing, following up and monitoring development policies;

6. Calls on the parliaments of the ACP countries to demand that their governments and the Commission involve them in the process of preparation and implementation of the Country Strategy Papers concerning cooperation between the EU and their country (relating to the period 2008-2013);

7. Calls on the Commission to supply all available information to the parliaments of the ACP countries and to provide them with assistance in this process of democratic control, in particular by supporting their capacities;

8. Calls on the ACP parliaments to exercise close parliamentary scrutiny in respect of the European Development Fund (EDF); highlights the privileged position of the JPA in this debate and calls on it to continue to insist that those parliaments which have not yet done so should ratify the revised Cotonou Agreement in order to benefit from EDF 10;

9. Calls on the Commission to provide for measures to fill the funding gap between the implementation of EDF 9 and EDF 10;

10. Reaffirms that it supports the JPA's request, as expressed at its 9th session held in April 2005, for a suitable percentage of EDF appropriations to be assigned to education and to the political training of parliamentarians and political, economic and social leaders, in the interest of a sustainable consolidation of good governance, the rule of law, democratic structures and interaction between government and opposition in pluralistic democracies based on free elections;

11. Welcomes the increasingly parliamentary, and hence political, nature of the JPA, together with the increased commitment of its members and the quality of its debates, which contributes decisively to the ACP-EU partnership;

12. Considers that the abovementioned JPA resolutions on the situation in Darfur, and on the situation in the DRC, are significant examples of this enhanced dialogue;

13. Considers that the JPA, which is a forum for debate between EU and ACP parliamentarians, plays a positive role in political dialogue and in the quest for a global, inclusive agreement for peace and development for the people of Darfur;

14. Calls on the JPA to contribute to the international community's awareness-raising effort with regard to the conflicts affecting North Kivu and several regions in the east of the DRC, to promote a negotiated political solution to the crisis and to support any action which such a negotiated solution might propose;

15. Calls on the JPA to pursue and deepen dialogue with the Pan-African Parliament and the parliaments of regional organisations, owing to the importance of regional integration to the peace and development in ACP countries;

16. Welcomes the debate that took place on the situation in Somalia during the abovementioned JPA session in Kigali, which shows that the JPA can serve as a forum in which to tackle such complex issues; regrets, however, that the situation in Somalia has not improved, and continues to be a ‘forgotten crisis’;

17. Regrets that the JPA was not sufficiently consulted in the drafting of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy, and hopes that the JPA will be actively involved in the implementation of that strategy;

18. Welcomes the fact that the regional meetings provided for in the Cotonou Agreement and the JPA Rules of Procedure may at last be held as from 2008; hopes that these meetings will give rise to a genuine exchange of views on regional issues, including conflict prevention and resolution, and that EU policies will help to strengthen regional cohesion; stresses that these meetings are particularly timely as regards the negotiation, conclusion and implementation of EPAs and that this should be a key focus; welcomes the organisation of the first regional meeting in April 2008 in Windhoek, Namibia;

19. Encourages the JPA to strengthen the role of its Committee on Political Affairs in order to make it a true forum for conflict prevention and settlement in the context of the ACP-EU partnership, and to that end to make the debates on urgent situations in given countries more general; welcomes the work done in the area of good governance, as well as the elections and electoral processes in the ACP and EU countries, and encourages close collaboration between the activities of ACP and EU parliamentarians as election observers within the framework of EU election observation missions;

20. Notes with satisfaction the desire expressed by the JPA Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade to deal with issues relating to food security, especially at a time when the World Food Programme is sounding the alarm due to the rise in prices, the consequences of climate change and the decline in world food stocks;

21. Highlights the importance of the report on the effectiveness of aid adopted at the abovementioned Kigali JPA session and urges the JPA to hold an in-depth debate on the concept of official development aid, budgeting issues and forms of alternative funding in development cooperation;

22. Stresses the role played by the JPA Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment with regard to the migration of skilled workers and neglected diseases and supports its decision to study the impact of structural adjustment programmes;

23. Notes with satisfaction the growing participation of non-governmental stakeholders in JPA sessions and the fact that events taking place on the sidelines of these sessions are now making a positive contribution; calls on the JPA, the EU and the ACP countries to encourage, from a financial and technical point of view, the participation of the civil societies of ACP countries in this work; considers the request and proposals aimed at achieving this that are to be put to the JPA Bureau in September 2008 to be a constructive development;

24. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the ACP Council, the JPA, the parliaments of the ACP countries and the governments and parliaments of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Rwanda.

(1) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3. Agreement as last amended by Decision No 1/2006 of the ACP-EC Council of Ministers (OJ L 247, 9.9.2006, p. 22).

(2) OJ C 231, 26.9.2003, p. 68.

(3) OJ C 254, 26.10.2007, p. 42.

(4) OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 41. Corrected by OJ L 163, 23.6.2007, p. 24.

(5) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 44.

(6) OJ C 254, 26.10.2007, p. 17.

(7) OJ C 254, 26.10.2007, p. 25.

(8) OJ C 254, 26.10.2007, p. 31.

(9) OJ C 254, 26.10.2007, p. 39.

(10) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 18.

(11) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 26.

(12) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 29.

(13) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 35.

(14) OJ C 58, 1.3.2008, p. 40.