WRITTEN QUESTION E-2626/98

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1998)

Subject: Financial support for the projects of the ACP National Chambers of Commerce Association

A number of ACP national operators have applied to the EU (by means of the Commission delegations in their respective countries and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 164 of the Fourth Lomé Convention) for funding for two projects via the Association of National Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Other Economic Operators in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, which acts as an ACP trade forum. These projects are the ACP National Chambers Network Project and a project concerning the organisation of a meeting on the role of the private sector in future relations between the EU and the ACP countries.

The Libreville Declaration, which was adopted at the Summit of Heads of State and Government in Gabon (November 1997), acknowledges the need for institutional innovation and expresses support for the establishment of an ACP-EU trade forum to represent ACP businesses and trade institutions (paragraph 32).

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly held in Brussels in March 1997 adopted a resolution (ACP-EU 2082/97/fin.) in which it called on the Commission to provide the financial support needed to improve the promotion and the services of the above Association. In his oral reply to Question No 17 by the above Assembly, Mr Pinheiro, Commissioner, gave an undertaking to support any initiative by the Association which was intended to improve the exchange of trade and industrial information between ACP chambers and between the latter and those of the EU.

In more than thirty years of ACP-EU cooperation the Commission has never undertaken a cooperation project with the ACP Chambers of Commerce which would help to consolidate their potential, which is essential in order to focus the development of the private sector in the ACP countries and the involvement of civil society in cooperation policy.

Is the Commission therefore intending to provide support for the necessary consolidation of the ACP Association of National Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Other Economic Operators as a trade forum, in order to comply with Joint Assembly resolution ACP-EU 2082/97/fin. and to honour the commitment given by Mr Pinheiro in his reply to Question No 17 by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 1998)

Recently the Commission received several letters from national authorising officers of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries with a request for financing under Article 164 of the Lomé convention of two projects related to the Association of ACP national chambers of commerce, industry and other economic operators. The projects are an "ACP national chambers network project" and a conference on the role of the private sector in future relations between the ACP and the Community.

The negotiating directives on future relations between the ACP and the Community emphasize the importance of support for private sector development after Lomé IV. The Commission is also preparing a communication on future Community support for private sector development in ACP countries, which will be discussed during autumn 1998.

Therefore it appears that the Association is organising the conference at the right moment and the Commission would be very much interested in the reflections and perceptions of the private sector represented by the national ACP chambers and is presently considering a request for co-financing the conference.

As regards the other project it should be noted that the Commission is currently discussing the possibilities of supporting the Association in a way which will appropriately address the needs of its members.

Finally the attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the "EU-ACP business scheme" (EBAS) which will be implemented from the beginning of 1999 targetting service users (private ACP companies) and also service providers such as export associations and chambers of commerce.