Minutes of the sitting of Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Date: 2013-06-04
Institutions: ACP–EU Joint Assembly
Subjects: European Parliament, parliamentary debate








C_2013158EN.01000101.xml










4.6.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 158/1





MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2012
2013/C 158/01
Contents
Formal inaugural sitting
Sitting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Composition of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Accreditation of non-parliamentary representatives






1.

Adoption of agenda (AP101.257)









2.

Approval of the minutes of the last two sittings of the 23rd session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (OJ C 309, 12 October 2012)









3.

Co-Presidents’ announcements, including decisions taken at the Bureau meeting of 26 November 2012









4.

Responding to the political and humanitarian crisis in Somalia: the challenges for the European Union and the ACP Group









5.

Caribbean regional integration and the implementation of the Cariforum-EU Economic Partnership Agreement









6.

The role of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories and Outermost Regions in ACP-EU relations in the Caribbean region









7.

ICT-based entrepreneurship and its impact on development in the ACP countries




MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2012


(The sitting opened at 11.00 a.m.)



Formal inaugural sitting


The following addressed the Assembly:
Louis Michel, Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Musikari Kombo, Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Jennifer Geerlings-Simmons, Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.00 p.m. and resumed at 3.00 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Musikari KOMBO

Co-President



Sitting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly


The Co-President welcomed all the participants.


Composition of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly


The Co-President announced that the list of members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as forwarded by the authorities of the ACP States and the European Parliament, would be annexed to the minutes.


Accreditation of non-parliamentary representatives


The Co-President announced that five requests for accreditation of non-parliamentary representatives had been received. In accordance with article 17(1) of the Cotonou Agreement and Article 1 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, due to exceptional cases of force majeure.
These representatives would be recorded and their names listed in an annex to the minutes.
1.   Adoption of agenda (AP101.257)

Speakers: Rabindre T. Parmessar (Suriname), Fitz Jackson (Jamaica), Michèle Rivasi and Regueiferos Linares (Cuba).
Due to a crucial meeting of the College of Commissioners, Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Development, would be exceptionally represented by Klaus Rudischhauser, Deputy Director-General.
The agenda was adopted as shown in these minutes.
2.   Approval of the minutes of the last two sittings of the 23rd session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (OJ C 309, 12 October 2012)

The minutes were approved.
3.   Co-Presidents' announcements, including decisions taken at the Bureau meeting of 26 November 2012

The Co-President informed the Assembly that the Women’s Forum had met on 25 November 2012.
The Co-President informed the Assembly that two workshops (on the port of Suriname and on the State Oil Company) took place on 25 November 2012.
The Co-President reported on the results of the Bureau meeting of 26 November 2012.
The following decisions were taken:






a)


The standing committees would draft the following reports:






 



Committee on Political Affairs







—


Respect for the Rule of Law and the Role of an Impartial and Independent Judiciary














 



Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade







—


South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges for ACP States














 



Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment







—


The Social and Environmental Impacts of Pastoralism in ACP States


















b)


In accordance with Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure, a number of new amendments to the Rules of Procedure would be sent to the Committee on Political Affairs for consultation and others voted in Plenary in the current session.










c)


The 9th Regional Meeting would be held in the Caribbean region from 14 to 16 February 2013. The ACP Caribbean countries have proposed that Cuba will host this meeting, and the proposal was approved in the plenary. Some Members of the European Parliament expressed reservations on the appropriateness from the legal point of view of the decision to organise a regional meeting in the framework of the Cotonou Agreement in a country which is not signatory of the Agreement.










d)


A fact-finding mission would be sent to Mali between 21 and 25 January 2013.










e)


A working group made up of 6 ACP Members and 6 EP Members would be set up to promote cooperation with the European Economic and Social Committee with an initial mandate of one year. It would meet in the margins of the meetings of the standing committees.










f)


The 25th Session of the Assembly would be held at the European Parliament premises in Brussels from 17 to 19 June 2013. The 26th Session would be held in the East African region from 25 to 27 November 2013.




The Co-President announced that the mid-term review of the Country and Regional Strategy Papers, concerning the period 2008-2013 of the 10th EDF had been transmitted to the respective ACP Heads of Delegation with a view to their consideration by ACP parliaments.
The Co-President announced that the deadlines were as follows:






—


concerning amendments to the resolutions included in the reports submitted by the standing committees: Tuesday 27 November 2012 at noon.










—


concerning amendments to the compromise resolutions and the two urgent motions for resolution: Wednesday 28 November 2012 at noon.










—


concerning requests relating to voting methods: Thursday, 29 November 2012 at 10.00 a.m. in writing.




Speakers: Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Fitz Jackson (Jamaica) and Michael Gahler.
4.   Responding to the political and humanitarian crisis in Somalia: the challenges for the European Union and the ACP Group

Committee on Political Affairs
Co-Rapporteurs: Véronique De Keyser and Ali Soubaneh (Djibouti)
Members welcomed the efforts by the new government of Somalia to stabilise the country. The international community must continue its support to the country and reinforce AMISOM. Members underlined that Somalia was proof that it was possible to combat and defeat terrorism, and this experience should encourage the international community to do likewise in the Sahel Region.
Speakers: Omar Abdi Said (Djibouti) (on behalf of the co-rapporteur), Boniface Yehouetome (Benin), Mariya Gabriel, Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Zita Gurmai, Christophe Lutundula (Democratic Republic of Congo), Olle Schmidt, Abadula Gemeda Dago (Ethiopia), Michèle Striffler, Ricardo Cortés Lastra, Assarid Imbarcaoune (Mali), Frank Engel, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Jacob Oulanyah (Uganda) and José Costa Pereira (EEAS).
5.   Caribbean regional integration and the implementation of the Cariforum-EU Economic Partnership Agreement

Debate without resolution
Peter Thompson (European Commission) made a presentation on Caribbean regional integration and the implementation of the Cariforum-EU Economic Partnership Agreement.
Members assessed the impact of the first comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, between Cariforum and the EU. Members stressed the need for stronger economic and trade cooperation and regional integration, which will also help to overcome the impact of the global economic and financial crisis. Some Members questioned the benefits of the Economic Partnership Agreements and some others called for quicker implementation and rapid conclusion of the on-going negotiations, highlighting the benefits of the EPAs in the economic integration process.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Maurice Ponga, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), David Martin, Rabindre T. Parmessar (Suriname), Marielle De Sarnez, Fitz Jackson (Jamaica), Michèle Rivasi, Piet Van Der Walt (Namibia), Malgorzata Handzlik, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Patrice Tirolien, Zita Gurmai and Michael Gahler.
6.   The role of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories and Outermost Regions in ACP-EU relations in the Caribbean region

Debate without resolution
Peter Craig-Mcquaide (European Commission) made a presentation on the role of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories and Outermost Regions in ACP-EU relations in the Caribbean region.
Members underlined the good opportunity offered to the EU by outermost regions and overseas countries and territories to strengthen links with ACP countries, given the geographic and cultural proximity between them, and the possibilities they afford to the EU to reinforce its position in the world. Members also noted that outermost regions and overseas countries and territories should reinforce their cooperation and regional integration with neighbouring ACP States. In particular, Caribbean outermost regions and overseas countries and territories constitute a very useful bridge between the EU, on the one hand, and Latin American and Caribbean States, on the other.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Nathalie Griesbeck, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Maurice Ponga, Rabindre T. Parmessar (Suriname), Patrice Tirolien, Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Jean-Jacob Bicep, Philippe Boulland, Michael Gahler and Manuel Jiménez (Dominican Republic).
7.   ICT-based entrepreneurship and its impact on development in the ACP countries

Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade
Co-Rapporteurs: Rabindre T. Parmessar (Suriname) and Younous Omarjee
Rabindre T. Parmessar (Suriname) presented the report.
Members stressed the importance of ICTs as a tool for development and economic growth and highlighted the benefits of ICTs across economic sectors and the profound impact of ICTs on everyday life of citizens. However, concerns were raised on access and affordability. Members also welcomed the role that ICTs can play in democratic processes through increasing transparency and involvement.
Speakers: Bobbo Hamatoukour (Cameroon), Horst Schnellhardt, Derek Vaughan, Catherine Bearder, Assarid Ag. Imbarcaouane (Mali), Jean-Jacob Bicep, Salem Mariem (Mauritania), Michèle Rivasi, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Ricardo Cortés Lastra, Komi Selom Klassou (Togo), Netty Baldeh (Gambia) and Peter Craig-Mcquaide (European Commission).

(The sitting closed at 18.17 p.m.)



Musikari KOMBO, EGH and
Louis MICHEL

Co-Presidents



Mohamed Ibn CHAMBAS and
Luis Marco AGUIRIANO NALDA

Co Secretaries-General