WRITTEN QUESTION E-0114/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. EU plans with regard to the WTO following the failure of the Seattle Summit.
Date: 2000-01-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, common tariff policy, tariff negotiations

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/179

(2000/C 280 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(31 January 2000)

Subject: Cancellation of debt of the poorest countries by EU Member States

Is the Council taking any initiatives, or will it take such initiatives in the near future, with a view to
ensuring that all the Member States of the European Union cancel the debts owed to them by the poorest
countries as part of far-reaching measures which will help launch a more balanced phase of world
development, eradicating the extreme poverty from which many countries now suffer?

Reply

(28 March 2000)

At the annual World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington in September 1999, the donor community took
an ambitious set of political decisions closely linking poverty alleviation strategies, structural adjustment
programmes and the debt reduction initiative.

In this context, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers decided in December 1999 that unallocated program-
mable resources from the eighth European Development Fund and earlier Funds could be used in the form
of grants for meeting the outstanding debt and debt servicing obligations to the Community of the ACP
countries which qualify under the highly indebted poor countries initiative (EUR 320 million) and for
contributing to the overall financing of the highly indebted poor countries initiative for the ACP by
providing up to EUR 680 million for the highly indebted poor countries Trust Fund managed by the
World Bank.

Separate decisions will be adopted in accordance with the appropriate procedures to deal with the external
indebtedness of highly indebted poor countries other than members of the ACP group, and budget
resources will be used for this purpose as part of the Community(cid:146)s development aid policy for the
countries of Asia and Latin America.

(2000/C 280 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0114/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(31 January 2000)

Subject: EU plans with regard to the WTO following the failure of the Seattle Summit

Is it the case that, as has been reported in the media, fresh negotiations between the various economic
blocs of industrialised countries and the poorest and developing countries are to recommence with a view
to reopening the Millennium Round negotiations following the failure of the WTO Summit in Seattle?

If so, what provision will the Council make for Parliament(cid:146)s participation in drawing up the European
position in the light of the new situation, and given the changes which have since occurred in European
and world public opinion?

Reply

(28 March 2000)

In its Conclusions of 26 October 1999, the Council established the position of the European Union
1.
on the preparation for the Third WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle. On that occasion, the Council
reiterated its firm conviction that a comprehensive round of trade negotiations was the best way to address
the challenges resulting from the current economic changes,
to manage the globalisation process
effectively, to expand opportunities for international trade and growth, and to respond in a balanced
manner to the interests of all WTO members, especially the developing countries.

C 280 E/180

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

At the same time, the Council underlined the need to involve civil society fully in the process and, to that
end, to continue to engage with it in order to take into account its legitimate interests and concerns.

2.
In its Resolution of 18 November 1999, the European Parliament had substantially shared the
objectives established by the Council, particularly with respect to the global approach advocated in the
abovementioned Conclusions.

3.
Following the failure of the Seattle Conference, the Council bodies are currently examining, on the
basis of information provided by the Commission, which was also presented by Commissioner Lamy
during his recent appearance before the European Parliament Committee on Industry, External Trade,
Research and Energy, the most appropriate ways of achieving the objectives set out in the Conclusions of
26 October 1999, which still
form the basis of the Union(cid:146)s position for the next round of trade
negotiations in the WTO. At the same time, the Council(cid:146)s subordinate bodies will also focus on analysing
in order to identify
the deficiencies in the preparation and procedures of
appropriate mechanisms for improving the efficiency as well as the internal and external transparency of
the WTO process and to ensure the full involvement of all its members.

the Seattle Conference,

An initial exchange of views at political level on all of these questions will be held at the informal
4.
meeting of Trade Ministers scheduled for March 17 and 18 2000 in Porto. It will then be for the General
Affairs Council to lay down the political and strategical guidelines in this area.

(2000/C 280 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0115/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(31 January 2000)

Subject: Unemployment and treaty reform

The Portuguese Presidency intends to devote the first European Council meeting to be held in Portugal to
unemployment and social cohesion. It is clear that the unemployment problem in the EU in recent years
has been directly linked to economic development, and the 25 regions with the lowest
level of
unemployment, at 4 %, are among the richest regions, while the 25 regions with the highest unemploy-
ment, standing at 23,7 %, are among the poorest.

In the light of this situation, will the Portuguese Presidency include the implementation of a European
employment policy at the same level as the regional development policy among the issues for which
reform of the Treaties is proposed at the Intergovernmental Conference for the year 2000?

Reply

(16 March 2000)

Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, a new Title VIII on employment has been included in the EC Treaty
requiring Member States and the Community to work towards developing a coordinated strategy for
employment. While it is early days still in developing such a coordinated strategy, the initial experience of
implementing the Treaty provisions, which began in advance of the actual entry into force under the
Luxembourg process, has been encouraging. One of the reasons for the recent improvements in the overall
employment situation are the policies being implemented by Member States and efforts to coordinate them
through the various processes at the level of the Union. In all Member States, the 1998 and 1999
Employment guidelines have been successfully transposed into national action plans demonstrating the
continuing and strengthened commitment to the process.

The Presidency(cid:146)s aim for the special European Council in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March is to update the
European strategy for growth, competitiveness and employment in the light of the new conditions, as well
as to enhance the European Employment Pact.