Minutes of the sitting of Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Date: 2012-10-12
Institutions: ACP–EU Joint Assembly
Subjects: European Parliament, parliamentary debate








C_2012309EN.01000501.xml










12.10.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 309/5





MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 29 MAY 2012
2012/C 309/02
Contents






1.


Policy Coherence for Development
Debate without resolution










2.


The social and environmental impact of mining in ACP countries
Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment
Co-rapporteurs: Job Ndugai (Tanzania) and Michèle Rivasi










3.


Climate action: a joint undertaking of the European Union and the ACP countries
Exchange of views with Connie Hedegaard, Member of the Commission with responsibility for climate action










4.


Rio+20 and energy in a sustainable development perspective
Exchange of views with Martin Lidegaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Building (Denmark)










5.


Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) – Current state of play
Statement by Karel De Gucht, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international trade, followed by a debate










6.


The political impact of the Libyan conflict on neighbouring ACP and EU States
Committee on Political Affairs
Co-Rapporteurs: Assarid Ag. Imbarcouane (Mali) and David Casa










7.


The situation in Guinea Bissau
Debate without resolution





MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 29 MAY 2012


(The sitting opened at 9.00 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Mr Musikari KOMBO

Co-President

1.   Policy Coherence for Development

Debate without resolution
Members exchanged views in the context of the Commission's biannual report on Policy Coherence for Development.
Speakers: Domenico Rosa (European Commission), Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Birgit Schnieber-Jastram, Patrice Tirolien, Rajeshree Kumaree Nita Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Olle Schmidt, Abdourahamane Chegou (Niger), Filip Kaczmarek, Adjedoue Waidou (Tchad), Françoise Castex, Komi Selom Klassou (Togo), Edit Bauer, Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Jacob Oulanyah (Uganda) and Enrique Guerrero Salom.
The European Commission responded to Members' questions.
The Members agreed on the need to apply Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) to all policy areas, including trade, the common fisheries and agricultural policies. The EU and its Member States, as well as ACP countries and regional organisations must ensure that their policies promote PCD and regional integration. Other issues discussed included sugar sector reforms, market access and impact assessments for PCD.
2.   The social and environmental impact of mining in ACP countries

Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment
Co-rapporteurs: Job Ndugai (Tanzania) and Michèle Rivasi
Mary Mwanjelwa (Tanzania) and Edit Bauer presented the report on behalf of co-rapporteurs Job Ndugai and Michèle Rivasi.
Speakers: Olebile Marakadu Gaborone (Botswana), Horst Schnellhardt, Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Ole Christensen, Tom Marsters (Cook Islands), Catherine Bearder, Charles Mwando Nsimba (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Christophe Apala Pen'Apala Lutundula (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Mariya Nedelcheva, Manuel Jimenez (Dominican Republic), Françoise Castex, Tesfaye Daba Wakjira (Ethiopia), Michael Gahler, Hans-Peter Mayer, Zita Gurmai, Emmanuel Kwasi Bandua (Ghana), Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Ana Rita Geremias Sithole (Mozambique), Abdourahamane Chegou (Niger), Mohammed Mukhtar Ahmed (Nigeria), Attiat Mustafa (Sudan), Charles W. Kakoma (Zambia) and Domenico Rosa (European Commission).
Members agreed that mineral resources must be put at the heart of the development strategy of the concerned ACP countries to the benefit of the entire population. Negative effects of mining, such as environmental degradation, child labour, land grabbing, armed conflicts, money laundering and tax evasion, must be mitigated by means of appropriate regulatory measures, monitoring mechanisms and increased transparency.
Edit Bauer and Mary Mwanjelwa (Tanzania) wound up the debate.
3.   Climate action: a joint undertaking of the European Union and the ACP countries

Exchange of views with Connie Hedegaard, Member of the Commission with responsibility for climate action
Connie Hedegaard addressed the Assembly, focusing on the mutual interest of EU and ACP countries in the fight against climate change, their successful cooperation at the 17th. Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the urgency of substantial progress at the Rio+20 Summit, access to sustainable energy for all, green growth strategies, the need for short-term climate measures ahead of 2020 (the ‧ambition gap‧), the need for increased efficiency of climate mainstreaming and the 20% spending target for climate action in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Gay Mitchell, Yenielys Vilma Regueiferos Linares (Cuba), Norbert Neuser, Tesfaye Daba Wakjira (Ethiopia), Catherine Bearder, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Horst Schnellhardt, Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Rajeshree Kumaree Nita Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Abdourahamane Chegou (Niger), Komi Selom Klassou (Togo) and Zita Gurmai.
Members discussed the need for continued cooperation in upcoming climate negotiations, locally adapted mitigation and adaptation measures, the economic opportunities offered by green investments, access to and scaling up of renewable energy solutions, oceans and water management, and links with food security, environmental protection, women's empowerment and public health.
The Commissioner answered the questions raised by Members.
4.   Rio+20 and energy in a sustainable development perspective

Exchange of views with Martin Lidegaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Building (Denmark)
Martin Lidegaard, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, addressed the issues of energy access for all, the need to phase out of fossil fuel based energy, the positive effects of resource efficiency and renewable energy on economic development, and the need for a tangible outcome of the Rio+20 Summit.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Edit Bauer, Zita Gurmai, Manuel Jiménez (Dominican Republic), Catherine Bearder, Anna Záborská and Norbert Neuser.
Members debated the issues of sustainable growth, sustainable energy access for all, climate justice, ACP-EU coordination ahead of the Rio+20 Summit, the need for a comprehensive monitoring mechanism and context-specific energy solutions, a rights-based approach to energy, the links between energy, environmental and development policies, and a framework for sustainable development goals beyond 2015.
The Minister answered the questions raised by Members.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.45 p.m. and resumed at 3.00 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Louis MICHEL

Co-President

5.   Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) – Current state of play

Statement by Karel De Gucht, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international trade, followed by a debate
Commissioner Karel De Gucht made a presentation and answered the questions of: Olebile Marakadu Gaborone (Botswana), Peter Stastny, Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroun), David Martin, Charles Mwando Nsimba (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Niccolò Rinaldi, Alhagi Sillah (replacing Netty Baldeh, Gambia), Horst Schnellhardt, Emmanuel Kwasi Bandua (Ghana), Patrice Tirolien, Derek Vaughan, Cornelius T. Mwalwanda (Malawi), Piet Van Der Walt (Namibia), Mohammed Mukhtar Ahmed (Nigeria), Denis Polisi (Rwanda), Komi Selom Klassou (Togo), Adjedoue Weidou (Tchad) and Ibrahim Bundu (Sierra Leone).
Members discussed notably the scope of the Economic Partneship Agreements. Most attention was devoted to the Commission's proposal to amend the Market Access Regulation no 1528/2007 as some members were calling for the extension of this temporary solution beyond the proposed deadline of 1st January 2014. Two questions from Mussa Azzan Zungu (Tanzania) and Charles W. Kakoma (Zambia) would be dealt with by written procedure.
The Co-President expressed his appreciation for the high level participation from the Commission represented at this session by the three Commissioners responsible for development, climate action and trade.
6.   The political impact of the Libyan conflict on neighbouring ACP and EU States

Committee on Political Affairs
Co-Rapporteurs: Assarid Ag. Imbarcouane (Mali) and David Casa
Assarid Ag. Imbarcouane (Mali) and Filip Kaczmarek (replacing David Casa) presented the report.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroun), Mariya Nedelcheva, Christophe Apala Lutundula (Democratic Republic of Congo), Edward Scicluna, Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea), Olle Schmidt, Alhagi Sillah (replacing Netty Baldeh, Gambia), Frank Engel, Emmanuel Kwasi Bandua (Ghana), Zita Gurmai, Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Michael Gahler, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Abdourahamane Chegou (Niger), Adjedoue Weidou (Tchad) and Jose Costa Pereira (EEAS).
Members debated the security and political consequences of the Libyan conflict in the Sahel strip and in Mali in particular. They welcomed the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel and showed their concern about the lack of progress on the situation regarding human rights in Libya and Mali.
Assarid Ag. Imbarcouane (Mali) and Filip Kaczmarek wound up the debate.
7.   The situation in Guinea Bissau

Debate without resolution
Speakers: Jose Costa Pereira (EEAS), Christophe Apala Lutundula (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Peter Stastny, Ana Rita Geremias Sithole (Mozambique), Ibrahim Bundu (Sierra Leone), Olle Schmidt, Patrice Tirolien, Alhagi Sillah (replacing Netty Baldeh, Gambia), Frank Engel, Adjedoue Weidou (Tchad), Michael Gahler and François Ibovi (Republic of the Congo).
Members deplored the coup d'état perpetrated in Guinea Bissau by the army on 12 April 2012 which constituted a serious violation to the country's stability. It was reminded that, as was the case of Mali, the army should serve the population and not its interests.
8.   Report on the 7th Regional Meeting (Southern Africa) held in Zambia from 22 to 24 February 2012 – report by Co-Presidents

Co-Presidents Louis Michel and Musikari Kombo made an oral report on the regional meeting highlighting among others the regional process of integration and cooperation in Southern Africa, the latest developments of the negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements, the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and the role of good governance and democracy in the region.
9.   Summary reports from the workshops

Rapporteur Mariya Nedelcheva presented the workshop on Democratic Governance for Development.
Rapporteur Komi Selom Klassou (Togo) presented the workshop on Sustainable and Renewable Energy.
Both reports were very much appreciated and welcomed by the Assembly.
10.   Report of the economic and social partners

Presentation by Brenda King, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee
Brenda King, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee, presented the views of civil society on the issues discussed in the framework of the ACP-EU JPA.
Speakers: David Martin, Olle Schmidt, Glen Benedict Noel (Grenada), Ana Rita Geremias Sithole (Mozambique).
Members welcomed the proposal by Brenda King to make 2015 the European Year for Development. They also proposed to address at a future meeting of the Bureau this question and the situation of prisoners of conscience in EU and ACP countries.
Brenda King wound up the debate.

(The sitting closed at 6.15 p.m.)



Musikari KOMBO, EGH and
Louis MICHEL

Co-Presidents



Mohamed Ibn CHAMBAS and
Luis Marco AGUIRIANO NALDA

Co Secretaries-General