A4-0080/98

Resolution on the results of the work of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly in 1997

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the resolutions adopted by the Joint Assembly at its 24th and 25th sessions in Brussels (March 1997) ((OJ C 308, 9.10.1997.)) and Lomé (October 1997),

- having regard to the General Report adopted by a large majority by the October 1997 Joint Assembly,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A4- 0080/98),

A. whereas the opinion formed by Parliament with regard to the activities and resolutions of the Joint Assembly helps to make the European Union's development policy more consistent, whilst the Joint Assembly has a role to play in the process of considering the basic issues of European cooperation with the ACP countries,

B. having regard to the forthcoming negotiations on the continuation of development cooperation with the ACP States and the discussion on this matter which has begun in the European Parliament,

1. Notes the important contribution made by the Joint Assembly to the institutional framework of the Lomé Convention and to the North-South dialogue and calls for the Joint Assembly to be institutionally independent;

2. Renews its call for the European Development Fund to be budgetized in order that genuine parliamentary monitoring can be applied to the allocation of its appropriations and to their implementation;

3. Refers to the pressing problems facing developing countries and the fact that these countries and the industrialized countries are dependent on each other and the resulting need to show solidarity; confirms its unchanged commitment to the developing countries, particularly in view of the inevitable advance of globalization and the increasing trend towards liberalization;

4. Notes that projects and action plans adopted at major UN conferences have not been adequately implemented in practice and calls for both current and projected cooperation under the Lomé Convention to be aligned systematically with the requirements thereof;

5. Intends to take measures to ensure that the principles of consistency and efficiency in development cooperation are fully taken into account when future relations with the ACP countries are renegotiated and that particular attention is paid in future to ensuring that development policy initiatives enjoy autonomy within the framework of the common foreign and security policy;

6. Expresses once again its wish that the Joint Assembly, in the light of its 1997 meetings and Parliament's resolution of 2 October 1997 on the Commission's Green Paper on relations between the European Union and the ACP countries on the eve of the 21st century - challenges and options for a new partnership (COM(96)0570 C4-0639/96) ((OJ C 325, 27.10.1997, p. 28.)), should be able to state its views during the negotiations on future EU-ACP links which are referred to in the Green Paper and which are due to begin in September of this year;

7. Emphasizes the uniqueness of the Joint Assembly as a democratically legitimated body in which the representatives of the ACP states and those of the European Parliament participate on equal terms; stresses the weight which this lends to their statements of intent and draws attention to the current provisions of the Rules of Procedure (Rule 15(4));

8. Considers that provision should be made for representatives of the parliaments of the OCTs to take part in ACP-EU Joint Assembly sessions, for example on the basis of permanent observer status;

9. In view of the differences of opinion between the ACP and the EU sides as regards certain particularly controversial motions for resolutions (differences which were expressed by means of the voting held at the 25th session), calls on the members of the Joint Assembly Bureau to study possible alternatives to the current voting system referred to in paragraph 7 and to consider in particular the establishment of a single electoral college, the members of which would vote together, either openly or secretly according to the topic under consideration, but to avoid creating differences between the representatives of the ACP countries and those of the European Parliament;

10. Notes in this connection the resolutions on reducing economic instability and on peaceful settlement of conflicts, and subscribes to the analysis of the reasons for poverty and the eruption of conflicts made therein, and to proposals to contain and combat these phenomena;

11. Shares the view set out in the resolution on climate change with reference to the causes of this phenomenon which threatens the whole of mankind, and views the requirements laid down in that resolution as a basis for joint action;

12. Calls on the Bureau of the Joint Assembly to ask the Commission to respond always in writing to the General Rapporteur's report as adopted, and to place that written response on the agenda of a subsequent Joint Assembly, so as to improve the quality of the assessment made of such reports;

13. Subscribes, in view of the alarming conditions in certain cities in the ACP countries, to the conclusions of the Joint Assembly regarding a comprehensive, consistent and sustainable urban development policy and calls on the Commission to devote particular attention to this urgent problem;

14. Draws attention to the need for all development policy measures to include provision for environmental protection and restoration, in particular prevention of air and water pollution and measures for waste disposal, together with the promotion of environmentally acceptable renewable energy sources;

15. Considers it essential to devise appropriate means of anticipating the impact of climate change and the spread of desertification and drought, and in particular the threat of environmental catastrophe faced by small island states, developments that will also require changes in lifestyle and an end to resource-squandering in the North;

16. Reaffirms that the strengthening of women's rights and their appropriate participation in all political decision-making processes is a fundamental requirement for successful progress with development policy, a process that must in particular include literacy programmes, access to elementary education and basic health care services, especially those concentrated on maintaining or restoring reproductive health, together with participation in paid employment in the informal and formal sectors;

17. Is alarmed at the numerous conflicts and civil wars taking place on the continent of Africa and welcomes in this connection the resolutions adopted by the Joint Assembly on solving the ongoing political conflicts and problems in certain countries in the Great Lakes region, Sudan, Congo-Brazzaville, Sierra Leone, Angola and Somalia;

18. Regrets the fact that the clear position adopted by the Joint Assembly at the Brussels session concerning the massive human rights violations perpetrated by the Nigerian Government was not fully sustained by the ACP side at the Lomé session; similarly, also deplores the fact that most ACP representatives did not see fit to vote for the resolutions on Togo and the Democratic Republic of Congo;

19. Considers that the ACP partners must be made to understand much more clearly that the European Parliament views democracy and the rule of law as an essential precondition for peaceful coexistence and steady progress in the economic field; refers to the position set out in its resolution of 13 June 1997 on the proposal for a Council Decision on a framework procedure for implementing Article 366a of the Fourth Lomé Convention (COM(96)0069 - C4-0045/97 - 96/0050(AVC)) ((OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 256.)) and stresses that public support for the continuation of development cooperation is conditional upon the existence of a consensus among partners regarding minimum requirements;

20. Welcomes the signing of an international convention to ban anti-personnel mines, as called for by the Joint Assembly at its 24th session, and calls for budget resources allocated to military expenditure in the ACP countries to be restricted to 1% of those countries' GDP;

21. Trusts that the progress apparently made by James Baker in his role as mediator in Western Sahara will make it possible for a referendum on self-determination to be held under satisfactory conditions which are in accordance with the principles laid down by the UN;

22. Stresses that the choice of venue for the Joint Assembly makes a statement regarding the regime concerned and calls on the ACP Assembly to take full account of the principles of democracy and the rule of law when deciding on the choice of venue;

23. Suggests to the Commission that it should speed up its current project aimed at establishing a department to administer, in a coordinated fashion, the aid provided to third countries, amongst which the ACP countries form the largest group;

24. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Joint Assembly, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the governments of the Member States of the European Union, the governments and parliaments of the ACP States, the Council and the Commission.