P6_TA(2007)0614#Economic Partnership Agreements#European Parliament resolution of 12 December 2007 on Economic Partnership Agreements
Date: 2007-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: ACP-EU relationship, World Trade Organisation, association agreement (EU), economic agreement, economic cooperation, regional development, trade agreement (EU), trade cooperation

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Wednesday 12 December 2007

57.
Insists on the proper implementation of the new comitology procedure and the safeguarding of
Parliament's rights in this respect; attaches particular importance to comitology procedures in the field of
financial services (the Lamfalussy procedure), as a number of important dossiers are undergoing fine-tuning;
takes the view that the correct application of the framework is essential for the smooth functioning of the
financial system and for avoiding financial crisis; demands that the rights of Parliament as agreed upon are
respected to the full and that the present agreements are invigorated;

58.
Awaits with interest the results of the consultation process initiated by the Commission on Reform-
ing the Budget, Changing Europe (SEC(2007)1188); demands the full association of Parliament with the
review both of EU spending and of the EU own resources system, as provided for in Declaration No 3 to
the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (IIA) on the
review of the financial framework;

Is of the opinion that, in order to achieve a positive Statement of Assurance from the Court of
59.
Auditors, the Commission should undertake the technical preparations and urge the Member States to
issue national declarations as suggested in Parliament's 2003, 2004 and 2005 resolutions on the discharge,
regards the audit summaries as requested in paragraph 44 of the IIA only as a first step in this direction;
expects a more proactive approach from the Member of the Commission responsible for transparency and
good governance; notes furthermore that the Commission feels itself bound by and committed to the high-
est standards of sound financial management;

60.
Calls on the Commission to reform without delay its procedures and to involve more closely the
Parliament and its competent committees during the process for the selection and appointment of Agency
Directors; will take the necessary measures to allow for a more in-depth process for the selection of Agency
Directors.

Communicating Europe

61.
Urges the Commission to put the citizen at the centre of the European project, which it will only
succeed in doing by listening to the concerns of Europeans, and to intensify its efforts to develop a more
effective communication policy in order to achieve a better understanding on the part of citizens of EU
action and its contribution to addressing their concerns, with a view to preparing the way for ratification of
the Lisbon Treaty and the European elections in 2009;

Calls on the Commission to set out clearly how it intends to put into practice the content of its

62.
communication priorities, particularly the priority relating to the Lisbon Treaty;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to Council, the Commission and the governments

63.
and parliaments of the Member States.

*

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P6_TA(2007)0614

Economic Partnership Agreements

European Parliament resolution of 12 December 2007 on Economic Partnership Agreements

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific
(ACP) Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States of the
other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (the Cotonou Agreement),

— having regard to the Commission Communication of 23 October 2007 on Economic Partnership

Agreements (COM(2007)0635),

— having regard to the Conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations (GAER) Council of

20 November 2007 with regard to Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs),

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— having regard to the Kigali Declaration for development-friendly Economic Partnership Agreements

(EPAs) approved by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 22 November 2007,

— having regard to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), in particular Article XXIV thereof,

— having regard to the policy statement of 9 November 2007 by the Ministers of the ACP States on EPAs,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on this matter, and in particular its resolution of 23 May 2007

on Economic Partnership Agreements (1),

— having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Article 36(1) of the Cotonou Agreement sets out the parties' agreement to conclude new
WTO-compatible trading arrangements, progressively removing barriers to trade between them and
enhancing cooperation in all areas relevant to trade and development,

B. whereas the waiver exempting the Cotonou Agreement from WTO law will expire at the end of 2007,

C. whereas several ACP States are very reluctant to conclude EPAs and declare that they have been put
under pressure by the Commission to sign an EPA, while others insist on the importance to their
economy of EU market access,

D. whereas establishing regional markets represents a key instrument for successfully implementing EPAs,

E. whereas negotiations on EPAs, which are to replace the Cotonou Agreement, are not progressing at the
same pace in the six regions and are not likely to be completed in any event before the end of 2007,

F. whereas in October 2007 the Commission made an offer to the ACP States concerning an interim
agreement, as a first phase of the conclusion of EPAs covering trade in goods and all areas that can
be already agreed on, such as rules of origin, to be implemented as from 31 December 2007,

G. whereas, according to the Cape Town Declaration, the main objective of the EPA negotiations is to

strengthen the economies of ACP States,

H. whereas the objective of ACP-EU economic and trade cooperation is to promote development and to

foster the gradual integration of ACP States into the world economy,

1.
Reiterates its belief that EPAs must be instruments of development in order to promote sustainable
development, regional integration, and a reduction of poverty in the ACP States and to foster the gradual
integration of the ACP States into the world economy;

Notes with concern the slow pace of the negotiations, as a result of which, most probably, no full

2.
agreements will be signed with any of the ACP regional groups by 31 December 2007;

3.
Takes note of the recent decision by the Commission on a two-step approach in order to avoid trade
disruption for ACP states that are not among the least developed countries and to continue negotiations
beyond 31 December 2007 on comprehensive development-friendly EPAs;

4.
Takes note of the proposal made by the Commission in its abovementioned Communication and the
decision of the GAER Council of 20 November 2007 to conclude, in the first phase of negotiations, interim
agreements limited to trade in goods;

5.
Takes note of the conclusion of the interim Framework Agreement between the European Community
and the East African Community Partner States and several states of the Southern African Development
Community, guaranteeing duty-free and quota-free access for those states' goods to the EU market;

6.
Emphasises that establishing a genuine regional market represents an essential basis for successfully
implementing EPAs and that regional integration is essential for the social and economic development of
the ACP States; emphasises that therefore agreements must help to keep regions united;

7.
Calls on both parties to shoulder their responsibility to continue negotiations on the other issues as
soon as possible; stresses that a long-term agreement can only be reached if all parties concerned feel
committed to it;

(1) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2007)0204.

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8.
Stresses that full asymmetry in the agreements, compatible with WTO requirements, should include
maximum flexibility with regard to tariff cuts, coverage of sensitive products and an adequate transition
time before the agreement has to be fully implemented;

Wednesday 12 December 2007

Urges that account be taken of the specific interests of the outermost regions and overseas countries

9.
and territories in the EPA negotiations on the basis of Article 299(2) and (3) of the EC Treaty;

10.
Recognises that it is important for the ACP States to commit themselves to the economic partnership
process and to promote the reforms needed to bring social and economic structures into line with the
agreements; urges ACP governments to implement good governance rules; urges the Commission to adhere
to the principles of full asymmetry and flexibility;

11.
Stresses that the Commission's offer concerning rules of origin marks a relaxation of current provi-
sions; believes that the necessary flexibilities should be built into the agreement, taking into account the
differences in level of industrial development between the EU and the ACP States as well as among
ACP States;

Notes the importance of having top-level negotiations on investment and trade in services; calls on

12.
the Commission to be flexible on these areas, as some ACP regions are reluctant to address these issues;

13.
Recalls the commitments by the Council and the Commission not to negotiate pharmaceutical-
related TRIPS-plus provisions affecting public health and access to medicines, such as data exclusivity, patent
extensions and limitation of grounds of compulsory licences;

Calls on the Commission to carry out a systematic analysis, during the negotiations and following

14.
their conclusion, of the social impact of EPAs on groups most at risk;

15.
Stresses that trade rules must be accompanied by an increase in support for trade-related assistance
particularly in support of regional trade and in accordance with EU import regulations and standards, and
that interim agreements must include specific provisions for EPA-related aid for trade in addition to EDF
(European Development Fund) funding; calls for concrete commitments to be made prior to the conclusion
of EPA negotiations, addressing trade-related assistance and adjustment costs associated with EPAs, in full
accordance with the EU aid-for-trade strategy;

Notes with interest discussions for the establishment of EPA regional funds, which will facilitate

16.
channelling of EU donors' resources and provide financial assistance for revenue diversification initiatives;

Considers that the conclusion of a new generation of free trade agreements with other developing

17.
countries should not lead to an erosion of the trade preferences that ACP countries currently enjoy;

18.
Calls on the Commission and the European Parliament's Legal Service to evaluate each individual
agreement to ensure that the legal powers and prerogatives of the European Parliament are fully respected;
asks for the assent procedure to be applied to each agreement; considers that legal action should be taken in
the event that the European Parliament's competence is not fully respected;

Requests the Commission and the Council to seek Parliament's assent to the conclusion of EPA

19.
interim agreements pursuant to Article 300(3), second subparagraph, of the EC Treaty;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the ACP-EU

20.
Council and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.