Resolution on ACP-EU relations post-Cotonou: a strong parliamentary dimension
Date: 2018-06-20
Institutions: ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Subjects: ACP countries, ACP-EU relationship, Cotonou Agreement, institutional activity, international cooperation, parliamentary assembly








C_2018415EN.01000101.xml










15.11.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 415/1






RESOLUTION (1)

on ACP-EU relations post-Cotonou: a strong parliamentary dimension
(2018/C 415/01)

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,






—


meeting in Brussels (Belgium) from 18 to 20 June 2018,










—


having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific 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) (2), and to its revisions of 2005 and 2010 (3),










—


having regard to the Georgetown Agreement of 1975 setting up the ACP Group, and to its revision of 1992 (4),










—


having regard to the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, adopted by the African and European Heads of State and Government at the Lisbon summit on 9 December 2007 (5),










—


having regard to the 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ACP countries on 13 and 14 December 2011 in Malabo,










—


having regard to its resolution of 9 December 2015 on forty years of partnership: evaluation of the impact on trade and development in the ACP countries and prospects for enduring relations between the ACP countries and the European Union (6),










—


having regard to its resolutions on ACP-EU relations, in particular that of 11 February 2015 on the work of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) (7),










—


having regard to its declaration of 21 December 2016 on the parliamentary dimension of post-Cotonou ACP-EU relations (8),










—


having regard to the joint statement of 9 December 2015 by the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on the future of ACP-EU relations (9),










—


having regard to the 103rd and 105th meetings of the ACP Council of Ministers on, respectively, 26 and 27 April 2016 in Dakar and 3 and 4 May 2017 in Brussels,










—


having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 4 October 2016 on the future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020 (10),










—


having regard to the European Consensus on Development, adopted in Brussels on 7 June 2017 (11),










—


having regard to the European Commission recommendation of 12 December 2017 for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on a Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the countries of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (12),










—


having regard to the Joint Communication of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament and the Council of 22 November 2016: A renewed partnership with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (13),










—


having regard to the Joint Consultation Paper of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 6 October 2015: Towards a new partnership between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries after 2020 (14),










—


having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee adopted on 12 May 2016 on the future of the EU’s relations with the ACP Group of States (15),










—


having regard to the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development and the outcome document adopted by the UN General Assembly on 25 September 2015: Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (16),










—


having regard to the Agenda 2063 adopted by the African Union Commission in April 2015 (17), having regard to the Communiqué of the 20th Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) held in Bridgetown Barbados on 18 — 19 May 2017,










—


having regard to the outcomes of the 107th session of the ACP Council of Ministers on 29 May 2018 and the 43rd session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers on 1 June 2018 in Lomé, Togo,










—


having regard to the Waigani communiqué on the future perspectives of the ACP Group adopted by the 8th Summit of the ACP Heads of State and Government,










—


having regard to the report of the Committee on Political Affairs (ACP-EU/102.400/fin.),










A.


whereas the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) has been successful in the creation of a legally-binding reciprocal partnership between the EU and the ACP Group;










B.


whereas the role of the JPA as laid out in the CPA is to facilitate greater understanding between the peoples of the EU and those of the ACP States, to raise public awareness on a wide range of topics, promote democratic processes through dialogue and consultation, ensure consistent monitoring of the CPA, and advocate for the empowerment of ACP national parliaments;










C.


whereas the JPA has the merit of creating a cross-border framework for parliamentary debate on a large scale, and whereas, despite its imperfections, it is a valuable asset in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world;










D.


whereas the future negotiations on the ACP-EU relationship must be an opportunity to develop a vision and to give the relationship a political dimension;










E.


whereas the Georgetown Agreement of 7 June 1975 needs to be revised in order to broaden and strengthen the foundations of the ACP Group with a view to responding to the challenges and geopolitical upheavals of the 21st century and to furthering multilateralism;










F.


whereas the ‘three pillar’ approach of the CPA has enjoyed mixed results, with undeniable successes in the field of development and a clear contribution to the advancement of the Millennium Development Goals, but whereas substantial scope for improvement remains regarding political cooperation;










G.


whereas the future agreement must move towards strengthening the partnership and boosting integration;










H.


whereas both the EU and the ACP Group have undergone a substantial political and economic transformation since the ratification of the CPA, notably with the ACP Group displaying increased heterogeneity;










I.


whereas the post-Cotonou agreement between the EU and the ACP Group must be complementary with wider EU and ACP strategies, such as the Global Strategy on the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063;










J.


whereas the issue of the financing of the new partnership needs to be addressed and negotiated as a priority, including the question of the inclusion of the European Development Fund in the EU budget;










K.


whereas reinforcing the parliamentary dimension between the EU and the ACP Group and promoting its guiding role in decision-making should be a key element of the new ACP- EU partnership;










L.


whereas the frequency and variety of JPA meetings has enabled consistent dialogue between EP and ACP Members, thus consolidating its legitimacy and strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, and whereas the JPA has been used as a model of parliamentary diplomacy in various political forums;










M.


whereas the JPA’s fact finding and joint election observation missions are sometimes considered politically useful, as they facilitate, on account of parity, frank, effective and direct dialogue between partners on subjects including democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights;










N.


whereas the objective of the JPA should be to engage the public interest, and whereas, as the parliamentary body of the partnership, it should not become a forum for clashes between states or between geographical areas, but rather a forum for constructive, transparent, accountable and effective cooperation, especially since the states and geographical areas are no longer always the appropriate level for tackling the many challenges — hence the need to improve effectiveness regarding the implementation of the JPA’s decisions;










O.


whereas there is a lack of presence and diligence in Brussels meetings of the JPA from certain EP Members, which has led to the weakening of the continuity of the JPA’s work, and indeed a questioning of its relevance, which would be extremely damaging;










P.


whereas there is a significant gender imbalance within the JPA and a distinct lack of younger Members;










Q.


whereas the ACP Secretariat lacks human and financial resources in comparison to the EP Secretariat and whereas ACP Members have complained of a perceived lack of leverage and expressed a desire for more meaningful input in the drafting process;












1.


Calls for an overarching, legally-binding ACP-EU framework, in order that the future partnership may build on previous achievements, the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 and binding guidelines for fair and equitable trade, while ensuring significant improvements so as to further promote sustainable economic development in ACP countries;












2.


Considers that the existing ACP framework should remain the ‘centre of gravity’ for a future partnership that will cover all three regions of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands while reinforcing the role of each one of them and taking into account their growing specificities, through the proposed legally-binding regional compacts;












3.


Reiterates the importance of strengthening the parliamentary dimension of the future agreement, ensuring a real consultative power for the future overarching JPA; requests that its legal and operational autonomy be guaranteed; demands that the Assembly be closely associated with the implementation of the agreement and that it be regularly consulted on all matters of importance for the partnership;












4.


Emphasises that the reinforcement of the political dimension of the CPA should be a prerequisite for the setting-up of the new future partnership, including in the form of enhanced parliamentary scrutiny accompanied by sufficient funding to allow for the adequate realisation of parliamentary activities;












5.


Insists that Agenda 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals, the European Consensus on Development and Agenda 2063 must be at the heart of the renewed ACP-EU partnership and that their implementation should drive the activities of the JPA; believes that the JPA should produce regular updates on progress in SDG attainment and envisages establishing a mechanism for sharing best practices;












6.


Recognises the increased importance of regional organisations and sub-regional integration within the ACP Group and believes this should be reflected in the architecture of the post-Cotonou partnership; calls, in this context, for more frequent JPA regional meetings to address region-specific issues, strengthen dialogue with regional and sub-regional institutions and focus more strongly on the specificity and sensitivities of each regional bloc; stresses, however, the need for coherence and complementarity between the sub-regional, regional and global strategies;












7.


Requests that meetings between EU and ACP Members at the level of the regional compacts be held at least once a year in each region, and that they be complemented by a forum for women and young people;












8.


Believes that the JPA should be fully involved in the negotiations for a reinforced political ACP-EU partnership after 2020 and that the essential role and prerogatives of the JPA should be redefined in order to maximise its efficiency and guarantee its legal and operational autonomy;












9.


Recalls that it shall be immediately and fully informed at all stages of the negotiating procedure;












10.


Calls for the consolidation of parliamentary diplomacy, particularly through the JPA’s fact-finding and election observation missions and joint observation missions on security issues as they are key instruments for democratic capacity-building, and encourages the JPA to make better use of its space for dialogue and negotiation, so as to facilitate joint action and the building of effective ACP-EU coalitions in the international arena;












11.


Calls for the future agreement to be negotiated by a unified entity consisting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States represented in a single undertaking;












12.


Considers that the parliamentary dimension could be reinforced by having trainees in the cabinets of the European members of the ACP-EU JPA;












13.


Reaffirms its commitment to the principle of subsidiarity, which encourages decision making as close as possible to citizens, at the most relevant level of responsibility, be it national, regional, continental, or ACP-wide; stresses that, in many areas, responsibility must be taken at all levels — from the most global, to ensure an effective, level playing field, to the most local — so that the objectives are achievable in practice;












14.


Advocates for improved communication and synchronisation between the EU and the ACP Group and each of their members, notably by ensuring that both partners are properly assisted by a dedicated secretariat; stresses that the use of specific secretariats is for practical reasons, not a reflection of the EU and the ACP Group having fundamentally different interests requiring an administrative separation; calls, nevertheless, for close and sincere cooperation between the secretariats and between parliamentarians;












15.


Requests, therefore, that the new agreement foresees that the Joint Parliamentary Assembly meets twice a year in plenary session, alternately in the European Union and in an ACP State, without the Assembly depending on the Council being convened;












16.


Encourages reforms that increase the JPA’s transparency and public profile in order to ensure that it is accountable to the citizens of the various Member States;












17.


Is convinced that regular meetings at ACP-EU level are needed to provide continuity and stability for the partnership and to allow for regular reporting and peer reviews;












18.


Urges all ACP-EU Member States to strive for gender balance in their delegations to the JPA, and encourages better inclusion of delegates under 40 years of age; urges delegations to ensure appropriate representation of opposition parties in order to foster genuine cross-party parliamentary dialogue;












19.


Requests that EP Members attend and be actively involved in all JPA activities; calls for the adoption of strict rules to ensure their participation in all JPA meetings and votes;












20.


Calls upon the JPA’s Member States to guarantee consistent and predictable funding for the ACP Parliamentary Assembly and Co-Secretariat, to improve the overall capacity of the JPA;












21.


Calls for a more active role for non-state actors, including civil society organisations and the local and regional private sector, in ACP-EU decision-making; insists that the new JPA structure include formal participation from civil society organisations at regional and ACP-EU level; emphasises that these actors should be involved in all ACP-EU decisions and activities in compliance with a multi-stakeholder approach; recalls, in this context, the need to ensure that the principles of transparency and democracy are respected within the organisations concerned; calls for the JPA to include regular, specific events focusing on women and young people;












22.


Stresses that the fact that the EP Conference of Presidents is entitled to oppose the missions of the EP-component to the JPA meetings, although justified by budgetary constraints or security concerns, may hamper the legal and operational autonomy of the JPA; calls for the legal autonomy of the JPA to be ensured and for the decision-making process for all official activities of the JPA to be reviewed;












23.


Calls on any EU Member State holding the EU Council Presidency by rotation to involve itself more deeply in the preparation, organisation and hosting of the JPA session as provided for in the current CPA, and furthermore stresses the added value of holding the JPA sessions in the EU Member State holding the EU Council Presidency by rotation;












24.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the African Union, the regional organisations of the ACP States and the Secretary General of the United Nations.






(1)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 20 June 2018 in Brussels (Belgium).

(2)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

(3)  OJ L 287, 4.11.2010, p. 3.

(4)  http://www.epg.acp.int/fileadmin/user_upload/Georgetown_1992.pdf

(5)  http://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/documents/eas2007_joint_strategy_en.pdf

(6)  OJ C 179, 18.5.2016, p. 29.

(7)  OJ C 310, 25.8.2016, p. 19.

(8)  OJ C 170, 30.5.2017, p. 36.

(9)  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/2015_acp2/pdf/1081264en.pdf

(10)  OJ C 314, 21.9.2017, p. 38.

(11)  Council document 9459/2017.

(12)  COM(2017) 763 final.

(13)  JOIN(2016) 52 final.

(14)  JOIN(2015) 0033.

(15)  http://www.eesc.europa.eu/our-work/opinions-information-reports/opinions/future-eus-relations-acp-group-countries-green-paper

(16)  UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/70/1.

(17)  http://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/agenda2063.pdf