Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/11

**MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 1999**

(1999/C 271/04)

IN THE CHAIR: Lord PLUMB and Mr T.D. MOGAMI

_Co-Presidents_

_(The sitting opened at 9.20 a.m.)_

1. **Approval of minutes (AP/2680, AP/2681, AP/2682,** The resolution was adopted as amended.
**AP/2683, AP/2684)**

The following amendments were adopted: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9,
The minutes of the sittings of Monday afternoon, Tuesday 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,
morning and afternoon and Wednesday morning and after- 27, 28, 29, 30, 32 et 36.
noon were approved.

Amendments 6 and 14 were rejected.

2. **Report on regional cooperation in the ACP countries**
Amendments 7, 31, 33, 34 and 35 were deemed inadmissible.

**— Rapporteur: Mr Corrie**

**— Vote** 5. **Revision of the Joint Assembly Rules of Procedure**

**— Co-rapporteurs: Mr Chanterie and Mr Weldegiorgis**
The resolution was adopted as amended. **(Eritrea)**

Amendments 1 to 8 were adopted. **— Vote**

Mr Delcroix submitted a written explanation of vote. Amendments 3 to 14 and 16 were adopted. Amendments 1,
2 and 15 were withdrawn.

3. **Report on climate change and small island states in**
**the context of ACP-EU cooperation** 6. **Continuation of the exchange of views on specific**
**countries or regions**

**— Rapporteur: Mrs K. Persad-Bissessar (Trinidad and**
**Tobago)**
_Sudan_

**— Vote**
The following spoke: the representatives of Uganda, Eritrea,
Kenya, Sudan and Djibouti, McGowan and Mr Stenberg,
The resolution was adopted as amended. representing the Commission.

Amendments 1 to 9 were adopted.
_Nigeria_

4. **Report on the future of ACP-EU relations** The following spoke: the representatives of Tanzania, Ghana,
Dominica, Eritrea, Uganda and Liberia, Maij-Weggen, Bertens
and McGowan.
**— Rapporteur: Mrs Kinnock**

**— Vote** _Sierra Leone_

The following spoke: Junker, Aelvoet, Chanterie, Robles Piquer The following spoke: the representative of Liberia, Robles
and the representative of Cameroon. Piquer and Bertens.

C 271/12 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

_Guinea-Bissau_ AP/2747/COMP. on the situation in Sudan: the resolution was
rejected. The result of the separate and secret vote was as
follows: ACP: 16 in favour, 19 against, 12 abstentions; EP: 16
The following spoke: the representatives of Guinea-Bissau,
in favour, 1 against, no abstentions.
Gambia, Senegal and Guinea.

AP/2755/COMP. on the situation in Nigeria: the resolution
_Angola_ was rejected.

The following spoke: the representatives of Angola, Togo, AP/2717/rev. on the situation in Nigeria: the resolution was
Rwanda, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo and adopted with four amendments.
Uganda, Bertens and Nordmann.
AP/2758/COMP. on the situation in Sierra Leone: the resol_Haiti_ ution was adopted with five amendments.

AP/2745/COMP. on the situation in Guinea-Bissau: the resolThe following spoke: the representatives of Haiti and Dominution was adopted with three amendments.
ica, and Mr Cunningham.

AP/2759/COMP. on the situation in Angola: the resolution
_Papua New Guinea_ was adopted with one amendment.

The representative of Papua New Guinea spoke. AP/2721 on the situation in Angola: the resolution was
rejected.

7. **Results of the first regional seminar with the social** AP/2722 on the situation in Angola: the resolution was
**and economic partners — Dakar (Senegal), 18 and** rejected.
**19 March 1999**

AP/2748/COMP. on ACP-EU cooperation and involvement in
Mr Malosse, a member of the Economic and Social Committee, electoral processes in ACP countries and the role of the Joint
reported on the results of the meeting. Assembly: the resolution was adopted with one amendment.

AP/2727 on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with
8. **Report by the Follow-Up Group on Fisheries** special reference to ACP rum: the resolution was adopted.

**— Co-rapporteurs:** **Mr Cunningham** **and** **Mr Faure**
AP/2728 on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with
**(Seychelles)**
special reference to ACP sugar: the resolution was adopted.

AP/2656 on the impact of structural operations in the
AP/2752/COMP. on the millennium round negotiations: the
European fisheries sector on the sustainable development of
resolution was adopted with 6 amendments.
the fisheries sector in the ACP countries: the resolution was
adopted.
AP/2756/COMP. on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP bananas: the resolution
9. **Vote on motions for resolution on which the debate** was adopted.
**has been closed:**
AP/2744 on the WTO millennium round of negotiations: the
AP/2705 on the situation of children in the ACP countries: the resolution was adopted with one amendment.
resolution was adopted.
AP/2751 on the participation of civil society in the developAP/2706 on child soldiers: the resolution was adopted with ment process: the resolution was adopted with six amendone amendment. ments.

AP/2760/COMP. on the situation in the Great Lakes and the
AP/2753/COMP. on the significance of small and mediumDemocratic Republic of Congo in particular: the resolution
sized enterprises for sustainable development in the ACP
was adopted with 2 amendments.
countries: the resolution was adopted.

AP/2743 on support for the peace process in Burundi: the
resolution was adopted. AP/2750 on the cultural dimension in development cooperation, including matters relating to heritage and tourism: the
AP/2754 on the situation in Congo-Brazzaville: the resolution resolution was adopted with one amendment.
was adopted.
AP/2749/COMP. on the contribution of research and science
AP/2757/COMP. on the resumption of hostilities between — including information technologies — to sustainable develEthiopia and Eritrea: the resolution was adopted. opment: the resolution was adopted.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/13

10. **Other business** The Co-President, Lord Plumb, stated that there was no
objection to the proposals.
The Co-President, Lord Plumb, paid tribute to Mr. Fleming
Bjornekaer, Director at the Council with responsibility since 11. **Date and place of next meeting**
1989 for the Joint Assembly, who would be retiring in July
1999.
The Co-President, Lord Plumb, noted that the place and date
of the next session would be the Bahamas from 11 to
The Co-President announced the Bureau’s proposals concern14 October 1999. He stated that there was no objection to the
ing the creation of two new working parties:
proposal.
— The impact of sanctions and, in particular, of embargoes
on the people of the countries on which such measures 12. **Closure of meeting**
are imposed (rapporteur: ACP; chairman: EU)

— Use of renewable energy sources in the ACP countries Lord Plumb and T.D. Mogami, Co-Presidents, thanked the
(rapporteur: EU; chairman: ACP) participants and the organisers.

_(The session closed at 2.00 p.m.)_

Lord PLUMB and T. D. MOGAMI D. NICKEL and N. P. MAGANDE

_Co-Presidents_ _Co-Secretaries-General_

C 271/14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

_ANNEX I_

**ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE ACP-EU JOINT ASSEMBLY**

**ACP representatives** **European Parliament**

ANGOLA AELVOET
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA ALDO
BAHAMAS AMADEO
BARBADOS ANDRE [´] -LE [´] ONARD
BELIZE ANDREWS
BENIN ANTONY
BOTSWANA BALDARELLI
BURKINA FASO BALDI
BURUNDI BALDINI
CAMEROON BEREND
CAPE VERDE BERTENS
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC BONTEMPI
CHAD CACCAVALE
COMOROS CARLOTTI
CONGO CARNERO GONZA [´ ] LEZ
CONGO (ex-ZAIRE) CASINI, Carlo
CO [ˆ ] TE D’IVOIRE CASTAGNE [`] DE
DJIBOUTI CHANTERIE
DOMINICA CORRIE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CUNHA
EQUATORIAL GUINEA CUNNINGHAM
ERITREA DELCROIX
ETHIOPIA ESCUDERO
FIJI FASSA
GABON FERNA [´ ] NDEZ MARTI [´] N
GAMBIA GARCI [´] A ARIAS
GHANA GHILARDOTTI
GRENADA GILLIS
GUINEA GIRA [˜ ] O PEREIRA
GUINEA BISSAU GLASE
GUYANA GRO [¨ ] NER
HAITI HORY
JAMAICA HUME
KENYA JUNKER
KIRIBATI KINNOCK
LESOTHO KOKKOLA
LIBERIA KUHN
MADAGASCAR LANNOYE
MALAWI LEHIDEUX
MALI McGOWAN
MAURITANIA MAIJ-WEGGEN
MAURITIUS MIRANDA
MOZAMBIQUE MORRIS
NAMIBIA MOUSKOURI

NIGER NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK
NIGERIA NORDMANN
PAPUA NEW GUINEA PAASIO
RWANDA PETTINARI
ST KITTS AND NEVIS Lord PLUMB
ST LUCIA PONS GRAU
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES van PUTTEN
SAMOA RACK
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE RASCHHOFER
SENEGAL REDING
SEYCHELLES ROBLES-PIQUER
SIERRA LEONE ROCARD
SOLOMON ISLANDS SANDBÆK
SOMALIA SAUQUILLO PE [´] REZ DEL ARCO
SOUTH AFRICA SCHIEDERMEIER
SUDAN SCHMIDBAUER
SURINAME SCHWAIGER

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/15

SWAZILAND SOUCHET
TANZANIA TELKA [¨ ] MPER
TOGO THOMAS
TONGA TORRES COUTO
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO VANHECKE
TUVALU VECCHI
UGANDA VERWAERDE
VANUATU VIOLA
ZAMBIA WIELAND
ZIMBABWE WU [¨ ] RTZ

_ANNEX II_

**RECORD OF ATTENDANCE**

MOGAMI, Co-President (Botswana) Lord PLUMB, Co-President

KINNOCK, VP( [1] )( [2] )( [3] )
DAWIT (Ethiopia), VP
VERWAERDE( [1] )( [2] )
BETHEL (Bahamas), VP
JUNKER, VP( [2] )( [3] )( [4] )
GABAAKE (Botswana), VP
GILLIS, VP
NORRIS M. CHARLES (Dominica), VP
SCHWAIGER, VP
LIGAIRI (Fiji), VP
VECCHI, VP( [1] )( [2] )( [3] )
MANDENG (Cameroon), VP
ROBLES PIQUER, VP
B. KPOTO (Liberia) VP
DIALLO (Mali), VP AELVOET
KURUNERI (Zimbabwe), VP ALDO( [1] )( [2] )
MA’AHANUA (Solomon Islands), VP ANDRE [´] -LE [´] ONARD( [3] )( [4] )
MAGANI (Tanzania), VP BALDI
ABAKAKA (Chad), VP BEBEAR( [3] )( [4] ) (for BALDINI)
BEREND( [1] )( [2] )
DE SOUSA (Angola) BERTENS
NGUEMA ONGUENE (Equatorial Guinea) CARLOTTI( [2] )( [3] )( [4] )
CHELTENHAM (Barbados) CASTAGNE [`] DE( [2] )( [3] )( [4] )
ABOUDOU (Benin) CHANTERIE( [1] )( [3] )( [4] )
NABOHO (Burkina Faso) CORRIE
NGENZEBUHORO (Burundi) CUNHA( [2] )( [3] )
BROU (Côte d’Ivoire) CUNNINGHAM
MUKEYA KYAMWIMBI (D.R. Congo) DARRAS( [2] )( [3] ) (for BONTEMPI)
MOUTI (Djibouti) DELCROIX
VASQUEZ (Dominican Republic) ESCUDERO( [3] )( [4] )
WELDEGIORGIS (Eritrea) FABRE-AUBRESPY( [1] ) (for SOUCHET)( [4] ) (for
RAWIRI (Gabon) SANDBÆK)
TOURAY(Gambia) FASSA( [2] )( [3] )
BAAH-DANQUAH (Ghana) GARCIA ARIAS( [2] )( [3] )( [4] )
REDHEAD (Grenada) GIRA [˜ ] O PEREIRA( [2] )( [3] )
KOUMBIA DIALLO (Guinea) GRO [¨ ] NER( [4] )
DA SILVA GOMES (Guinea-Bissau) KUHN
LEBLANC (Haiti) LEHIDEUX
FITZ JACKSON (Jamaica) McGOWAN
MBELA (Kenya) MAIJ-WEGGEN
KOUMBA (Congo) MUTIN( [4] ) (for GHILARDOTTI)
TEFO MABOTE (Lesotho) NORDMANN( [1] )( [4] )
RAMANANA (Madagascar) van PUTTEN

( [1] ) Present on 29 March 1999.
( [2] ) Present on 30 March 1999.
( [3] ) Present on 31 March 1999.
( [4] ) Present on 1 April 1999.

C 271/16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

BABA (Mauritania) ROCARD( [1] )( [2] )( [3] )
CLAIR (Mauritius) SANDBÆK( [4] )( [1] )
MUCHANGOS (Mozambique) SAUQUILLO PEREZ DEL ARCO( [1] )
WOHLER (Namibia) SCARBONCHI( [1] ) (for HORY)
ABDOU-SALAYE (Niger) SCHMIDBAUER
OGUNSANWO (Nigeria) SOUCHET( [1] )( [2] )( [3] )
Sir KAPUTIN (Papua New Guinea) TELKA [¨ ] MPER
SEBARENZI KABUYE (Rwanda) VANHECKE( [2] )( [3] )
MPONDA (Zambia) WU [¨ ] RTZ( [4] )
MEREDITH (Samoa)
DAN SOKO (Senegal)
FAURE (Seychelles)
EBRAHIM (South Africa)
DE VIVENOT (St Christopher and Nevis)
THOMAS (St Vincent /Grenadine)
LAURENT (St Lucia)
SHIDDO (Sudan)
RAMKHELAWAN (Suriname)
DLAMINI (Swaziland)
PERE (Togo)
KINEANGANOFO (Tonga)
GORDON (Trinidad and Tobago)
NTAMBI (Uganda)
AREM-MAI [¨] TART (Central African Republ.)

**Observers:**

_Cuba:_

CROMET, MARTINEZ CORDOBES, MUJICA CANTELAR, RODRIGUEZ

**Apologies for absence:**

ANTIGUA UND BARBUDA, BELIZE, KAPVERDE, KOMOREN, MALAWI, SA [˜ ] O TOME [´ ] UND PRI [´] NCIPE,
SIERRA LEONE, SOMALIA, TUVALU, VANUATU,
Also present:

**ANGOLA** **BAHAMAS** **BURUNDI**

HAMUKUYA DAVIS NIYUHIRE
PRATA NIJIMBERE
ALVES PRIMO **BARBADOS** NIYUNGEKO
CABONGO
KING
PHILLIPS **COTE D’IVOIRE**
**EQUATORIAL GUINEA**
**BENIN** KANON
MBA EKUA MIKO BAMBA
ELA NDONGO HINVI ANET N’ZI NANAN K.
NSOBEYA EFUMAN CARRENA-AZ. KAKO OURAGA
OLO ANDEME N’DRI KOFFI MARIUS
**BOTSWANA** GBAKAYORO GBIZIE
BANNY
**ETHIOPIA** MANYEULA
SOSSAH
MOAGI
OLANGO
ZERAY **BURKINA FASO** **CONGO, D.R.**
DINBERU
ROBLEH PARE MANGAYA YANGE
BIRYE ZAN KABEYA TSIPATA
DELIL BALIMA TSHIBOLA

( [1] ) Present on 30 March 1999.
( [2] ) Present on 31 March 1999.
( [3] ) Present on 1 April 1999.
( [4] ) Present on 29 March 1999.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/17

**DOMINICAN REPUBLIC** LOUOMAT EKEMI **RWANDA**
KOUYOUKILA
IRONELIS MATEO HODALI NSINGA
SAFARI
**LESOTHO**
**ERITREA** MANZI BAKURAMUT
LECHESA UYISENGA
EIESAB
KABALIRA
FESSAHA
ROBINET **LIBERIA**
**ZAMBIE**
WLLIAMS
**GABON**
GARLAWULO CHABALA
REKANGALT KOUKOU CHALWE
NGOYE-MALOUMBI TOWNSEND
MOUSOOUNDA MOMO **SAMOA**
GOULONGANA CONORMIA
NDONG-NGOUA BORSAY MEREDITH
ANGUILE GUAH
RANOZINAULT TELEWODA **SENEGAL**
GERBE
NDEMBET **MADAGASCAR** KANDE
AKOUMBOU DIABKHALE
RAZAFINIARINORO

**GHANA** **ZIMBABWE**
**MALI**
YEBOAA I
NYATHI
ADIH KOUYATE
MUMBENGEGWI
ABASS IMBARCAOUANE
MUPAMBIREYI
GAKOU
MUSHURE
DIARRA
**GUINEA**
DIALLO
YAYA DANSOKO **SUDAN**
DIARSO DIAKITE
AMBROSE

GINDIEL
**GUINEA BISSAU** **MAURITANIE**
ATABANI
RUI MENDES SY OSMAN
SABARY HOILE
**HAITI** DIAW

**SURINAME**
BERNARDIN
**MAURITIUS**
MADISTIN PLAYFAIR
AZOR-CHARLES WANT CHAT KWONG IMAMDI
BERNARD SERVANSINGH SPIER

GOVINDEN
**JAMAICA** **SOUTH AFRICA**
BARNES **MOZAMBIQUE** MARS
LODGE ERNESTO KING
NKAVADEKA
**CAMEROON** BANZE **SWAZILAND**

BASSONG
**NAMIBIE** DLAMINI
BYAKOLO
NGONO NGAVIRUE
**TANZANIA**
MATJILA
**KENYA** SLAA
**NIGERIA** KARUME
KOMBO
MWANZIA OLISA
**TOGO**
LOYATUM OKUJAGU
ROTICH YAKUBA BONTCHI
M’MELLA ADEGBAYO GBONE
NGENGA KESHI NYAWOUAME
MESHACK MITEI DAMA

**UGANDA**
**CONGO** **PAPUA-NEW GUINEA**
NNAMOJO
BONBETE CHARLIE

DOUKORO SMITH
**CENTRAL AFRICAN**
EYENI PEPSON
**REPUBLIC**
BOBBIA TUMBU
DIMI TO BOLTON SORONGOPE ZOUMA

C 271/18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**ACP-EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS**

WIECZOREK-ZEUL President-in-Office of the EU Council
SAITOTI President-in-Office of the ACP Council

**COMMITTEE OF ACP AMBASSADORS**

MUMBENGEGWI Zimbabwe

**EU COUNCI**

BJØRNEKÆR Director

**EUROPEAN COMMISSION**

Prof. PINHEIRO Commissioner reponsible for External Relations, ACP, South Africa and
Lomé.

LOWE Commission

PETIT Commission
CLARKE Commission

STENBERG Commission

**ALSO PARTICIPATED**

AJELLO EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region
OTUNNU UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for children involved in
armed conflics

**ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE**

MALOSSE Director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry
BAEZA Member of the Economic and Social Committee
de PAUL de BARCHIFONTAINE Secretary-General, Belgian Agricultural Alliance

**CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT (CDI)**

SHARMA
SALVI

**TECHNICAL CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION (CTA)**

BURGUET Chairman of the ACP Conference of National Chambers of Commerce
and Industry and other Economic Operators (Zimbabwe)
COOKE Director

**WELTBANK**

WINTER JONES

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/19

**ASSOCIATION OF ACP NATIONAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND OTHER**
**ECONOMIC OPERATORS**

BERNARD

**ACP SECRETARIAT**

MAGANDE Co-Secretary General

**EU SECRETARIAT**

LIBERATO Director

**OAU**

LEBA Director, Permanent office Brussels

**NGOs**

van DRIMMELAN Network Aprodev
MACKIE NGO-EU Liaison Committee
DEUCHARS NGO-EU Liaison Committee
HELMER European Centre on Pacific Issues
POHIVA PCRC + NIFP
CHITALIA IPPF-EN
BACKHURST World Vision
NKOYEK Congue
MBOUP ACCT

C 271/20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

_ANNEX III_

**RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED**

Page

— on regional cooperation in the ACP countries (ACP-EU 2484/99/A/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . 21

— on climate change and small island developing states in the context of ACP-EU cooperation
framework (ACP-EU 2478/A/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

— on the future of ACP-EU relations (ACP-EU 2666/99/A/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

— on the impact of structural assistance to the European fisheries sector on the sustainable development
of the ACP fisheries sector (ACP-EU 2656/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

— on the situation of children in the ACP countries (ACP-EU 2705/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . 43

— on child soldiers (ACP-EU 2706/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

— on the situation in the Great Lakes and the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular (ACP-EU
2760/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

— on support for the peace process in Burundi (ACP-EU 2743/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . 49

— on the situation in Congo-Brazzaville (ACP-EU 2754/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

— on the resumption of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea (ACP-EU 2757/99/fin.) . . . . . 51

— on the situation in Nigeria (ACP-EU 2717/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

— on the situation in Sierra Leone (ACP-EU 2758/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

— on the situation in Guinea-Bissau (ACP-EU 2745/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

— on the situation in Angola (ACP-EU 2759/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

— on ACP-EU cooperation and involvement in electoral processes in ACP countries and the role of the
Joint Assembly (ACP-EU 2748/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

— on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP rum (ACP-EU
2727/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

— on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP sugar (ACP-EU
2728/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

— on the WTO millennium round of negotiations (ACP-EU 2752/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . 62

— on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP bananas (ACP-EU
2756/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

— on the WTO millennium round of negotiations (ACP-EU 2744/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . 66

— on the participation of civil society in the development process (ACP-EU 2751/99/fin.) . . . . 67

— on the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises to sustainable development in the ACP
countries (ACP-EU 2753/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

— on the cultural dimension in development cooperation, including matters relating to heritage and
tourism (ACP-EU 2750/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

— on the contribution of research and science — including information technologies — to sustainable
development (ACP-EU 2749/99/fin.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/21

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on regional cooperation in the ACP countries**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the report of the Working Group on regional cooperation in the ACP countries,

A. whereas the regional dimension underpins ACP-EU relations and is, without a doubt, the defining feature
of the Lomé Conventions,

B. whereas regional cooperation and integration have been considered a priority since the early days of
ACP-EU cooperation,

C. whereas in recent times a growing number of regional agreements taking very different forms and signed
for a wide variety of reasons have been concluded around the world; whereas this general trend towards
regional integration cannot be explained in economic and commercial terms alone,

D. having considered the state and future prospects of regional cooperation and integration in the ACP
countries,

1. Affirms the relevance of regional cooperation and integration for the ACP countries, given that they are
a means of tackling the challenges thrown up by globalisation (particularly for the least developed countries)
and are one of the keys to growth, the eradication of poverty, and sustainable development, and a means of
putting an end to the marginalisation of the ACP countries;

2. Points out that the underlying reasons for and the objectives and means of achieving regional cooperation
and integration differ greatly from region to region and sub-region to sub-region within the ACP group and
that each has its own reasons for pursuing this goal;

3. Maintains, in the light of the results achieved by the various regions, that the political and security
dimension is vital to the success of regional integration processes and that peace is a precondition for regional
development;

4. Notes that there is no standard model for regional cooperation and integration and that due account
must be taken of local needs and possibilities;

5. Acknowledges that the ACP group must continue in its present form, but that account must nevertheless
be taken of the needs and specific nature of its various regions and sub-regions;

6. Is fully aware of the difficulties encountered and the fact that the results achieved have fallen short of the
goals set, but welcomes the progress made over the recent period;

7. Maintains that the European Union’s role has to be confined to providing support for implementing
measures being taken in the various regions and that regional cooperation and integration depend first and
foremost on the will of the peoples involved;

8. Considers that regional integration does not in any way conflict with the liberalisation process taking
place around the world and that, on the contrary, it provides countries with a means of preparing for and
facilitating such integration;

9. Stresses that economic integration will only last if the basic economic and political conditions are
favourable and if there is a long-term commitment to the integration process; considers that common interests
and political will are two key elements which are essential for success; and adds that other factors are also
decisive, including a climate of peace and stability, the rule of law, good governance and macroeconomic
stability;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

10. Believes that ACP-EU regional cooperation can only be effective if it reflects the existence of those
factors;

11. Considers that economic integration should become the starting-point for and the main focus of
regional cooperation;

12. Recalls that, while regional cooperation and integration are a priority for the ACP countries, they can
only be achieved in a context conducive to peace, democracy and respect for human rights, and not on an
ethnic basis which stirs up hatred and gives rise to armed conflicts;

**As regards Africa**

13. Points out that the origins of regional integration can be traced back to the pre-colonial period;

14. Notes that a development model geared mainly to national concerns in the framework of former
colonial boundaries has, since the 60s, influenced Africa’s desire to affirm its identity and pursue development;

15. Emphasises the importance of the strategic decision taken by Africa to establish the African Economic
Customs Community under the Abuja Treaty;

16. Considers that, as part of its relations with Africa, the European Union has a duty to contribute to the
fulfilment of the objectives set out in the Abuja Treaty;

17. Reaffirms the relevance of regional cooperation and integration in Africa, inter alia for the following

reasons:

— the fact that Africa is divided into 54 countries has made it impossible for the economic conditions required
for a viable national market and industrial base to develop in most of those countries;

— the fact that many of the present-day states have artificial borders as a result of the boundaries drawn up
by the colonial powers serves as a barrier to the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons;

— the potential benefits to be gained from regional integration can be gauged from the scale of the informal
economy and of informal trade flows;

— the high proportional cost of transactions owing to the fact that, in general, population density remains
low despite overall population growth;

— economic and trade structures favour traditional markets to the detriment of intra-regional relations;

18. Maintains therefore that, given the conditions obtaining in Africa, the pursuit of regional integration is
an essential step towards the continent’s harmonious integration into the world economy;

19. Considers that the difficulties hitherto encountered actually enhance the relevance of regional
cooperation and integration;

20. Welcomes the fact that such obstacles have now been clearly identified; whereas they include:

— major differences in the size, level of development, peripheral or island location and political weight of the
different countries, which make cohesion particularly difficult;

— the institutional weakness of the various states;

— the dependence of public finances on customs revenues;

— the compartmentalisation of African markets, which is aggravated by the non-convertibility of some of the
currencies;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/23

— the impact of conflicts, which prevent any progress being made towards regional integration, together with
the unsatisfactory situation as regards the rule of law, democracy, good governance and macro-economic
stability, all of which are preconditions for both national development and regional integration;

21. Welcomes the fact that the improved economic situation is conducive to economic integration, which
is particularly difficult to achieve during a recession, and that the adoption of more balanced macro-economic
policies has improved the prospects for the convergence of such policies at regional level;

22. Warmly welcomes the fact that, following a long period during which the above difficulties proved
insurmountable, considerable, though inconsistent, progress has clearly been made towards regional
cooperation and integration over the recent period; notes that, in some cases, the advances made in just a few
short years equal or even exceed those made over the two preceding decades;

23. Notes that the progress made towards regional cooperation and integration in Africa is in line with the
progress made in the economic and political spheres, which confirms — should such confirmation be necessary
— the validity of the goal of establishing an African economic community;

24. Draws attention to the fact that peace and security are among the main objectives of regional
organisations;

25. Points out that progress has been made as regards the implementation at national level of decisions
taken at regional level;

26. Points out that greater account is being taken of the need to ensure that economic operators and civil
society are more fully involved in the integration process;

27. Notes the diversity of the various regional integration processes;

28. Emphasises that there has been a growing political will over the recent period to make progress on
regional integration, with a view to ensuring that Africa becomes a visible and audible player on the world
stage and is able gradually to affirm its identity and achieve sustainable development;

29. Agrees with African leaders that the development of Africa will be regional or not at all;

**As regards West Africa**

30. Notes that West Africa is a relatively homogenous sub-region which has a long experience of regional
integration, dating back to the period between the 10th and 15th Centuries;

31. Notes that ECOWAS, which is the general regional organisation for this 17-country sub-region, has
achieved positive results as regards the free movement of persons but very little in terms of economic
cooperation and the liberalisation of trade;

32. Draws attention to the major advances made by the WAEMU, which is making swift progress towards
the completion of a customs union and the coordination of macro-economic policies; welcomes the
establishment, in March 1998, of the WAEMU interparliamentary committee and calls for a WAEMU
parliament to be created in the very near future;

33. Points to the extremely positive results achieved by the CILSS, which, operating on a basis of regional
solidarity, has wholeheartedly committed itself to combating drought and desertification;

34. Notes in particular the following conclusions drawn by the CILSS:

— in order to be a success, regional cooperation requires the active involvement of local people in the setting
of goals and the implementation of measures;

— capacity building and the development of human resources are of essential importance;

— progress made in the fields of food safety and combating desertification is only sustainable in a sub-regional
context;

C 271/24 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

35. Notes that the main difficulties have arisen in connection with regional integration in West Africa,
particularly:

— the crisis in the 1980s obliged governments to make domestic policy a priority;

— the lack of grassroots support (the integration process was formulated without the involvement of the
general public, which has detracted from its sustainability and undermined programme implementation);

— the large number (40 or so) of regional organisations in West Africa;

36. Welcomes the fact that there are several good reasons to believe that now is a particularly favourable
moment for regional integration in West Africa and that the time has therefore come to infuse new life into
the process;

37. Notes in particular that, thanks to the efforts of the European Union, the regional dimension is now
taken into account by donors — in particular the Bretton Woods institutions;

38. Notes that ECOWAS and the WAEMU share the same goals, which makes it possible for them to work
together, and welcomes the fact that the people in charge of those two organisations have decided to do so;

39. Points out that the ECOWAS member states have signed a non-aggression treaty and set up a mediation
committee and a group of observers, and that ECOWAS’s intervention in Liberia — the first of its kind —
yielded positive results;

**As regards Central Africa**

40. Notes that Central Africa is the African region in which regional integration has proved most difficult,
essentially for political reasons;

41. Notes that the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is probably the most significant
example of the failure of a regional organisation set up pursuant to the Lagos action plan and the Abuja Treaty
being caused by the absence of the requisite political conditions:

— the region was in the grip of conflicts and humanitarian disasters;

— the long-term approach needed for regional integration was at odds with a situation in which national
policies were totally absent or inadequate;

— owing essentially to the irregular payment of contributions, the organisation lacked the resources it required
in order to function;

42. Notes that the failure of the GLEC was due to humanitarian disasters and to overlapping with other
regional organisations;

43. Notes that the region has substantial resources and a lot of potential and that, if it is to be able to
develop and integrate, conflicts will need to be settled and greater political and economic stability achieved;

44. Notes the setting up at subregional level of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa
(EMCCA) to take the place of the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (CEUCA) with a view to
harmonising policies and establishing a legal and economic framework favourable to the relaunch of
investment and the establishment of a common market;

**As regards East Africa and the Horn of Africa**

45. Notes that, as a region, East Africa does not have a very clear economic and geographical identity,
which explains why a variety of regional organisations have grown up there;

46. Draws attention to the major advances made by the PTA (which has since become the COMESA) as
regards the liberalisation of intra-regional trade; points out, however, that the organisation’s success has been
undermined by political and security problems in several of its member countries;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/25

47. Points out that the East African Cooperation, which was revived in 1996, is a collection of countries
which share the same language, culture and infrastructures — a factor which is conducive to partnership and
regional integration;

48. Emphasises that, if progress towards regional integration is to be sustainable, a clearer geographical
demarcation between the various regional communities will be required in the medium to long term;

49. Stresses that IGAD, the initial aim of which was to combat drought and desertification, has become a
regional economic Community whose priorities are food security, environmental protection, economic
cooperation and conflict prevention;

**As regards Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean**

50. Notes that the main goal of regional integration in this region is not to achieve a state of interdependence,
since this has existed for many years and is reflected inter alia by the scale of capital flows, considerable
intra-regional migration and the construction of regional infrastructures necessary for easy access to landlocked
countries and coastal states;

51. Notes that the region’s industrial vigour and the formation of a regional market were made possible by
protectionist measures which paved the way to genuine industrialisation, and that the abolition of such
measures would, at least in the short term, have an appreciable impact on employment;

52. Notes the imbalances between the countries of the region and the unequal relations resulting therefrom
and draws attention to the difficulties experienced in settling the issue of the costs and benefits of integration
as a result of this situation;

53. Notes that the prospect of the development of major projects for the exploitation and transport of
natural resources is a powerful spur to integration;

54. Notes that the SACU, Africa’s oldest regional organisation, has removed tariff and non-tariff barriers,
established a common external tariff, secured the convertibility of currencies linked to the South African Rand
and is experiencing problems with compensation arrangements and that it is consequently necessary to create
within the area a more united and competitive economy able to achieve a high and sustainable rate of growth
by giving precedence to long-term regional economic interests;

55. Recognises the success of the SADCC in the area of functional cooperation, especially improvement of
the transport corridors, based on cooperation between South Africa’s neighbouring countries during the
apartheid era; notes the satisfactory results achieved by the SADCC with sectoral policies (transport,
communications and energy) and that it had less success in the trade and investment spheres owing to the
difficulties involved in striking a harmonious regional balance between the interests of its member countries;

56. Points out that the SADC, which replaced the SADCC, has the goal of establishing a development
community which is intended to be more than a mere economic community and which thus, while comprising
elements such as a common market and the harmonisation of economic and monetary policies, also makes
reference to shared economic, political and social values, including the need for sound government, public
participation and measures to combat poverty;

57. Points out furthermore that strengthening regional solidarity, peace and security is also an important
element of the agreement and that the SADC Parliamentary Forum, made up of delegates from the member
countries, will consider matters relating to human rights and democratic principles;

58. Points out that several countries of the region are members of both the SADC and the COMESA, that
the composition of these two organisations is rapidly changing and that a certain degree of rivalry exists
between them; considers that this situation results in a loss of resources and that it should be clarified in the
interests of all the countries concerned;

C 271/26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

59. Points out that the ACP States which belong to the Indian Ocean Commission are all members of the
COMESA (some of them also being members of the SADC), that others are members of the Indian Ocean
Association for Regional Cooperation, that the IOC’s objectives are political cooperation, social and economic
cooperation and operational cooperation and that economic cooperation between those states has not been
particularly successful, whereas operational cooperation on issues of importance to the small developing island
states (namely the environment and tourism) has proved highly satisfactory;

60. Emphasises the efforts made by the Indian Ocean Commission to develop regional cooperation between
the island countries of the region; notes that the development of the institutional structure should enable
objectives to be better attained and the obstacles encountered hitherto to be overcome;

**As regards the Cross-Border Initiative (CBI)**

61. Draws attention to the value and originality of the Cross-Border Initiative involving some East African,
Southern African and Indian Ocean countries, which differs from the approach to regional integration hitherto
prevalent in Africa in several respects, including:

— an outward-looking approach and a less protectionist attitude;

— direct involvement of the private sector by means of technical working parties set up at national level;

— complementarity between regional and national policies;

— a flexible, variable-speed approach;

62. Considers that the regional economic communities can benefit from the CBI’s success, particularly as
regards support from donors, the role of the private sector, covering the transitional costs of integration,
technical assistance and capacity building;

**As regards the Caribbean region**

63. Emphasises the fragility and vulnerability of Caribbean economies and their dependence on the export
of commodities, in particular bananas, sugar and rum;

64. Welcomes the progress made in the region as regards cooperation and regional integration;

65. Notes with the greatest interest the proposal by the Dominican Republic for a strategic alliance between
the Caribbean and Central America which could influence overall development strategy by helping to enhance
competitiveness and economic growth, strengthen the productive and technological capacity of the region,
attract foreign investment and help in coordinating trade policies in the various international arrangements in
which they participate;

66. Draws attention, further, to the decision taken by the leaders of the Caricom countries meeting in St
Lucia from 30 June to 4 July 1998 reaffirming their commitment to the creation of a single market by the end
of 1999;

67. Takes the view, therefore, that the European Union must increase its support for cooperation and
regional integration in the Caribbean;

68. Is in favour of the establishment of a special scheme designed to help the vulnerable and fragile island
states and in this regard draws attention to the need to recognise the value of the emerging vulnerability index
in assessing the development status and needs of vulnerable small island states;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/27

**As regards the Pacific region**

69. Notes that the ACP countries of the region, although spread over an enormous area, constitute a unity,
the coherence of which is based on traditional values,

— the commitment to peace, democracy and the rule of law,

— the will to secure their development together after the diversity of the colonial period;

70. Welcomes the fact that the eight ACP States of the South Pacific wish to maintain and strengthen their
links with both the ACP Group and the EU;

71. Notes that the ACP countries of the Pacific have affirmed their intention to work together within the
framework of the ACP group and ACP-EU cooperation with a view, in particular, to overcoming the obstacles
associated with their small, isolated economies and, in this context, to promote long-term economic and social
development;

72. Believes that, by acting on a regional basis, the countries of the Pacific can benefit from economies of
scale, negotiate international agreements more effectively, encourage market access and find support for their
national policies;

73. Calls, accordingly, for the fragility, smallness, isolation and, therefore, vulnerability of the Pacific ACP
countries to be given particular consideration;

74. Stresses the importance of the South Pacific Forum, not only in terms of economic cooperation, but
also as a means of ensuring peace and security in the region and emphasises the significance of the Melanesian
Spearhead Group (MSG);

**As regards regional cooperation within the ACP-EU framework**

75. Finds that, despite the substantial sums which have been devoted to it, regional cooperation within the
ACP-EU framework cannot be deemed a success hitherto; notes, for instance, that the Court of Auditors, which
had assessed the general impact of the regional cooperation programme, came to the conclusion that it had
hardly contributed to fulfilling the essential objectives of regional cooperation;

76. Welcomes the fact that the lessons of the past have now been learned and that the obstacles encountered
have now been properly identified, which creates the right conditions for them to be overcome;

77. Stresses the importance of forms of cooperation other than regional integration which may contribute
to greater understanding and regional solidarity;

78. Affirms that it is now both possible and necessary to provide a fresh impetus and fresh goals for support
for regional cooperation and integration within the ACP-EU framework; considers, in particular, that positive
experiences should be drawn upon;

79. Stresses that economic cooperation must never be divorced from its human aspects, which means that
an economy must serve its people, and, in particular, that economic and financial operations should not
divorce economic factors from the effects which they actually have on the people concerned in terms of food,
education, housing, healthcare, culture and progress towards peace;

80. Is itself in favour, under this report, of adopting specific measures which take into consideration the
needs, the specific characteristics, the weaknesses and the varying development levels of the regions, subregions
and developing island states in the context of the overall ACP-EU agreement;

81. Believes that each region has its own specific constraints, dynamics and potential, and that cooperation
within the ACP-EU framework must strengthen and consolidate those existing regional initiatives which are
realistic and sustainable, and adds that in any event the initiatives must come from the regions themselves;

82. Believes, however, that a number of common problems need to be tackled, which calls for a pragmatic,
flexible tool to provide support for economic integration policies;

C 271/28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

83. Believes that, from now on, the starting-point for all regional projects must be to ask whether a given
project is an appropriate regional approach (and, if so, why), and that, in this context, the specific problems
and the obstacles inherent to small developing island states must be taken into consideration;

84. Expresses itself in favour of an incentive mechanism making it possible to provide special support for
regions and other sub-regions which in practice show a genuine desire for economic integration; considers that
such a mechanism might take the form of budgetary aid for the balance of payments, or specific compensation
arrangements;

85. Believes that it is essential for the preconditions for regional integration to be clearly identified at the
outset;

86. Believes that a tighter focus might usefully be combined with the principle of ‘variable geometry’ in
such a way that no country feels excluded and others are not held back;

87. Considers that regional integration programmes should become the corner-stone around which the
priority sectors for cooperation should be articulated;

88. Believes that the identification of effective, duly mandated regional partners within the ACP states is
vitally important for the effective implementation of the regional programmes and should thus be a priority
for ACP-EU cooperation;

89. Considers that particular attention should be paid to the multiplicity and overlapping of institutions;

90. Believes that political commitment to implementing regional policies at national level is crucial;

91. Expresses itself in favour of European Union support being provided for regional organisations
according to their commitment;

92. Considers that the scrutiny and monitoring of programmes and projects should be substantially
improved;

93. Is in favour of EU technical support for regional security agreements and recommends that regionalised
mediation structures should be set up so that ethnic, linguistic, social, economic or religious tensions can be
monitored;

94. Believes that regional integration processes have hitherto been markedly bureaucratic, and that it is now
necessary to ensure effective participation, in various forms, by all players (organisations in civil society,
decentralised public authorities, NGOs, private sector, etc.);

95. Believes that the renegotiation of a new agreement between the European Union and the ACP countries,
subsequent to Lomé IV, comes at a time when the conditions for a major renewal of support for regional
cooperation and integration are in place;

96. Believes, therefore, that the whole of the new agreement, as well as its individual components, including
the trade provisions, should encourage such support and in no circumstances run counter to it;

97. Expresses itself in favour, in this connection, of an overall ACP-EU framework agreement defining, inter
alia, the objectives, principles and practical arrangements governing, where appropriate, specific agreements
with the regions and subregions to supplement the new ACP-EU Convention;

98. Believes that monetary cooperation amongst the ACP countries would enable trade and regional
cooperation to be considerably facilitated; considers, in this context, that the EU must support such cooperation
and that the introduction of the euro, which will signify the establishment of a major area of monetary stability,
offers an opportunity to conclude agreements initially intended to contribute to the stability of the ACP
countries’ currencies;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/29

99. Considers that cooperation in the field of statistics should be one of the aspects of ACP-EU cooperation
in order to:

— facilitate the implementation of national and development cooperation policies,

— encourage investment and economic development,

— help to prevent economic crises;

100. Expresses itself in favour, under the conditions set out above, of such agreements taking into account
all the dimensions involved, i.e. the economic dimension, including trade, but also the political and security
dimensions;

101. Calls on the Commission, at the appropriate moment, to establish progress indicators for the various
regions and for cross-border initiatives, taking into account not just economic development but also cultural
and social dimensions and the need to improve the quality of life, and calls on the Commission to submit
regular reports on the trends observed in the progress indicators by commenting on those trends;

102. Considers, in this context, that the ACP-ECU institutions should be supplemented at regional and
sub-regional levels and proposes therefore that meetings of the Council of Ministers and the Joint Assembly be
held at those levels; considers in particular that such meetings would enable the various participants in
cooperation (the private sector, civil society, NGOs, etc.) to be more fully involved;

103. Stresses the possibilities created by the presence in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic and
the Pacific of the Community’s ultra-peripheral regions (UPRs), and the overseas countries and territories
(OCTs) associated with the EU and the ACP States;

104. Affirms the relevance of strong partnerships and dynamic cooperation between the ultra-peripheral
regions, the OCTs and the ACP States to the harmonious development of all the partners and their gradual
integration in world trade, taking account of the specific nature and legitimate interests of each of them;

105. Hopes therefore that the combined effects of the coming reforms of the Union’s relations with the
ACP, the OCTs and the UPRs will serve as an opportunity for the Commission and Council to adopt a
coordinated, coherent approach enabling these three entities to establish decentralised partnerships in the
framework of future regionalised ACP-EU agreements;

106. Urges the Commission and Council to involve closely the overseas regions, countries and territories in
defining the political, economic and commercial regional and subregional partnerships that the Union hopes
to establish with its partners in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific by the year 2005;

107. Calls, inter alia, in the framework of the regionalised political partnerships, for the structures of
political dialogue, particularly the Joint Assembly, to be fundamentally reorganised so as to associate in an
appropriate manner the representatives of the surrounding UPRs and OCTs;

108. Calls for each of the future ACP-EU regional agreements to take full account of the presence of UPRs
and OCTs in or near the geographical regions to which they apply;

109. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

C 271/30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on climate change and small island developing states in the context of the ACP-EU cooperation**
**framework**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the report of the Working Group on Climate Change and ACP Small Island States (ACP-EU
2478/A/99/fin. and ACP-EU 2478/B/99/fin.),

— having regard to its previous resolutions on climate change, small island states and environment,

— having regard to the relevant provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),
which gives specific recognition to the particular vulnerability and special circumstances of developing
countries, particularly small island states and other countries with low-lying coastal areas or areas liable to
drought and desertification,

— having regard in particular to articles 4.1 (e), 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7 and 4.8 of the UNFCCC that outline the
commitments of developed countries (among them the European Union and the EU Member States) to
support developing countries with financial resources and transfer of technology,

— having regard to the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, in particular article 12 (clean development
mechanism),

— having regard to the Buenos Aires Plan of Action, contained in the decisions of the fourth session of the
Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, which calls on industrialised country Parties to provide funding,
through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to alleviate the negative impact of climate change and to
minimise its adverse effects,

— having regard to the Programme of Action for small island states adopted at the UN Global Conference on
the Sustainable Development of small island developing states (Barbados 1994) and in particular Chapter I
thereof,

— having regard to the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) on progress in the
implementation of the Programme of Action for small island states which states that little progress has
been made on the climate change and energy resources chapters,

— having regard to the report of the prospective donors-SIDS conference that took place at the United
Nations on 24-26 February 1999 in the context of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of
Action,

— having regard to the conclusions of the EU Environment Council of 6 October 1998 in which the
Commission is asked to indicate how EC Overseas Development Aid funds might better serve the objective
of the UNFCCC, noting that these funds should not be used to finance the acquisition of certified emission
reduction units,

— having regard to the International Convention to Combat Desertification,

— having regard to article 41 of the Lomé IV Convention whereby the Parties recognise the value of
exchanging views on major ecological hazards, such as the greenhouse effect, aimed at assessing the scope
for joint action within the terms of the Convention,

A. noting that at the prospective donors-SIDS conference that took place in February 1999, it was underlined
that development assistance to SIDS substantially declined and that resource mobilisation was one of the
main challenges; donor countries, among them the EU Member States and the European Commission,
confirmed the critical need for improved and effective coordination in the cooperation with SIDS; better
coordination would reduce costs and improve effectiveness and efficiency,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/31

B. whereas climate change is an unprecedented threat to human wellbeing and survival caused by increasing
and inequitable unsustainable consumption patterns globally,

C. committed to the objective of a reduction in greenhouse gases emissions by the Annex 1 countries of 20 %
by the year 2005 based on the 1990 emission-levels, which was proposed by the Alliance of Small Island
States (AOSIS) at the first Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC,

D. whereas the Kyoto Protocol is considered as a step in the right direction but still inadequate,

E. deeply concerned that the EU has conditioned its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on the actions of other
countries, and further concerned that many EU Member States are experiencing rapid growth in greenhouse
gas emissions,

F. whereas the African continent is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of factors
such as widespread poverty, recurrent droughts, inequitable land distribution and overdependence on
rain-fed agriculture; and whereas increased droughts could seriously impact on the availability of food,

G. whereas certain African states in the southern Sahara are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to climate
change on account of their landlocked nature and their proximity to the Sahara desert, and whereas they
are amongst the poorest countries on earth,

H. whereas coastal zones are characterised by a rich diversity of ecosystems and a great number of
socio-economic activities, and whereas it is currently estimated that about half of the global population
lives in coastal zones,

I. recalling that about a third of all signatories to the Lomé Convention are small island states and that these
countries are particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of climate change such as sea-level rise,
coral bleaching, and the increased frequency and intensity of tropical storms,

J. whereas small island developing states and African states in the southern Sahara are among those that
contribute least to global climate change and sea level rise, they are among those that would suffer most
from the adverse effects of such phenomena and could in some cases become uninhabitable,

K. considering the preliminary outcome of the studies on the vulnerability index by the Joint Commonwealth/World Bank Task-Force on Small States that emphasises that small island developing states are,
among the developing states, most vulnerable to external economic and environmental shocks and that
their resilience to these shocks is most limited,

L. having regard to the negotiations currently taking place for a future ACP-EU agreement and the necessity
of integrating the principles of sustainable development into all areas of cooperation,

M. whereas the European Union and the Commission to date have not developed a coherent policy and
programme to implement the commitments made under articles 4.1 (e), 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4,7 and 4.8 of the
UNFCCC, in particular with regard to transfer of technology and capacity-building in developing countries,

**With regard to the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the sustainable**
**development of Small Island Developing States**

1. Calls on all parties to reaffirm the importance of the priorities set out in the ‘Barbados Programme of
Action for the sustainable development of Small Island States’ and to fully and effectively integrate this
programme and a specific programme for the African states in the southern Sahara into the planning and
implementation of the Lomé Convention and its successor agreement in ACP Small Island Developing States
(SIDS), and African states in the southern Sahara;

2. Affirms that regional mechanisms for interaction and cooperation among SIDS are an essential basis for
action under the ‘Barbados Programme of Action’;

C 271/32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

3. Notes a lack of coordination among EU member states concerning their commitments made under the
‘Barbados Programme of Action’ and insists that country level coordination among donors and partners within
the overall framework of a national strategy is critical to maximise the impact, efficiency and cost-effectiveness
of actions to promote sustainable development;

4. Considers that efforts being made at the national and regional levels to implement the ‘Barbados
Programme of Action’ need to be supplemented by effective financial support from the international
community;

5. Calls on the EU to play an active role in the two day United Nations Special Session to be held in New
York in September 1999 to undertake a full and comprehensive review and appraisal of the Programme of
Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island States, so as to achieve its full objectives;

6. Calls on the European Commission to take the initiative on the critical issue of donor coordination
between EU Member States, the Commission and SIDS in the framework of the implementation of the
Barbados Programme of Action; also calls on the Commission to draw up, with the EU Member States, a Plan
of Action on improved donor coordination, to be presented at the United Nations General Assembly Special
Session (UNGASS) in September 1999;

**With regard to climate change in the ACP-EU framework**

7. Considers that prevention of and adaptation to climate change is an area in which ACP-EU cooperation
should be enhanced in the new agreement successor to Lomé IV;

8. Agrees that actions supported under National and Regional Indicative Programmes (NIP/RIP) need to be
implemented with an integrated approach to sustainable development; that in particular adaptation strategies
relating to climate change and sea level rise should be incorporated in long-term development planning
processes; and that bilateral donors and United Nations agencies and organisations, as well as the World Bank,
should join in the promotion of coordinated capacity-building programmes to support the development and
implementation of national, subregional and regional strategies;

9. Recommends that policy development and programmes on climate change in the context of ACP-EU
cooperation be focused on three areas: renewable energy-resources, adaptation and disaster-preparedness;

10. Notes the establishment of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol and
stresses that efforts should be made to bring coherence between projects developed under CDM and
programmes related to renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness under the
Lomé Convention;

11. Notes that, up to now, no commonly agreed methodology has been devised to assess the results of
projects under the CDM; consequently believes that a strict, transparent monitoring and verification system,
and clear participation requirements, are essential if the CDM is to be successful;

12. Notes the potential for the CDM to generate substantial resources for the funding of mitigation and
adaptation projects in ACP countries; recommends, in order to ensure that the CDM is competitive with the
Protocol’s other implementation mechanisms and that mitigation projects are carried out in regions long
neglected by the market, that:

— an adaptation levy be applied to transactions under Article 6 (Joint Implementation) and Article 17
(Emissions Trading); and that

— project eligibility criteria developed under the CDM can promote projects in ACP and least developed
countries;

13. Notes that the Buenos Aires Plan of Action calls on developed country Parties to the Convention to
provide funding, through the GEF, to implement adaptation response measures in particularly vulnerable
countries and regions, and especially in countries vulnerable to climate-related natural disasters; calls on the EU
and ACP representatives in the GEF Council to ensure that this decision is fully implemented through the GEF
project cycle;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/33

14. Recommends that policies and programmes be developed and implemented to support the ACP
countries in capacity-building, dissemination of information, training, and the development of targeted policies,
so as to make the CDM more understandable and acceptable, thus facilitating the presentation of projects by
ACP countries to the CDM;

15. Stresses that, although many priority areas in the ‘Barbados Programme of Action’ are already present
in the current Lomé Convention, some areas which are of great importance to small island states, coastal
regions and landlocked countries which are vulnerable to climate change are lacking in the Convention, such
as integrated coastal management and integrated approach on land use;

16. Considers Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) an evolutionary process that identifies and
implements options to attain sustainable development and adaptation to climate change in coastal zones and
small islands, and is of the opinion that the Lomé Convention should establish a framework for promoting
ICZM in ACP island states and coastal areas;

17. Points out the need to strengthen systematic observational networks to identify the possible onset and
distribution of climate change and assess potential impacts, particularly at regional level; consideration should
be given to assisting ACP vulnerable states in their effort to develop monitoring and related climate and
weather forecasting capacities;

18. Believes that disaster prevention and preparedness should form an integral part of development
cooperation and considers it essential that this aspect is taken into account in the negotiations for a new
ACP-EU Convention, as well as integrating it into national indicative programmes and individual projects;

19. Affirms in this context that there is a particular need for capacity-building for disaster planning and
management and for the promotion and facilitation of the transfer of early-warning technologies to countries
prone to disasters;

**With regard to trade and economic cooperation**

20. Emphasises the importance of recognising the special needs of small ACP island states which are
physically and economically vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particular to natural disasters such as
hurricanes and droughts, all of which affect their economic activities in such fields as agriculture, fisheries and
tourism, upon which they are dependent as a result of their narrow resource base;

21. Calls on the European Union to give greater weight to the vulnerability factor in all development
assistance vis-à-vis these countries exposed to such risks, taking into account the work in train by the Joint
Commonwealth/World Bank Task-Force on Small States;

22. Calls also on the European Union to provide differential treatment in terms of preferential market access
for the benefit of the vulnerable small and island states;

**With regard to international arrangements**

23. Believes that, given the increasing number of decision-making bodies concerned with various aspects of
sustainable development, including international conventions, there is an ever greater need for better policy
coordination at the intergovernmental level, as well as for continued and more concerted efforts to enhance
collaboration among the secretariats of those decision-making bodies;

24. Urges governments to conclude and to implement the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa;

C 271/34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

25. Calls on the Commission to examine the modalities in which the Lomé Convention could be used to
implement parts of the UNFCCC; in this context, recommends the establishment of a Task Force with
representatives of the relevant Directorates-General. The task-force should:

— map out the structures, instruments and programmes within EU-ACP cooperation that could be applied to
support the implementation of the commitments of the European Union, the EU Member States and the
ACP countries under the UNFCCC, particularly with respect to transfer of technology and capacity-building.
As focal areas of this study are proposed: renewable energy resources, adaptation to the effects of climate
change and disaster-preparedness;

— prepare a Plan of Action, based on the analyses of the above-mentioned study, that will lead to: a) more
knowledge about the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and related instruments among the actors involved in the
programming and implementation of the instruments of the Lomé Convention and vice-versa, b) more
coherence in the implementation of the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and Lomé Convention, in particular in the
areas of renewable energy resources, adaptation to the effects of climate change and disaster-preparedness.

The task-force should report regularly to the ACP-EU Joint Assembly. An initial report should be presented
6 months after the adoption of this resolution and followed by annual reports on its progress and activities;

26. Calls on the ACP and EU to convoke, using existing mechanisms under the Lomé Convention (art. 41),
a joint ministerial conference on the subject of climate change;

27. Calls on the EU and the United States for early unconditional ratification of the Kyoto protocol, and to
commence immediate action to prepare for its prompt implementation through the adoption of strong policies
and measures;

**With regard to information sharing and access to technology**

28. Firmly believes that the availability of scientific and technological information and access to, and
transfer of, environmentally sound technologies are essential requirements for sustainable development;

29. Underlines the need, in order to assist national capacity building, to accelerating operationalisation of
the Small Islands Developing States Information Network (SIDSnet) and Small Islands Developing States
Technical Assistance Programme (SIDS/TAP), with support to existing regional and subregional institutions;

30. Considers that access to electronic networks provides a unique opportunity to mitigate several specific
problems of SIDS such as remoteness, isolation and lack of infrastructure; in this sense, SIDSnet can be a most
effective mechanism to facilitate the collection, synthesis and share of relevant information, knowledge and
experience across regional boundaries and to promote a global agenda on issues relevant to small islands and
to states which are vulnerable to climate change;

31. Calls on the Commission (DGVIII/C) to make available, for presentation on SIDSnet, information on
the EU SIDS-related activities/programmes/projects;

32. Recommends that each SIDS or group of states in a region develop a plan for the implementation and
managing of electronic networking for sustainable development and asks the Commission, in coordination
with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) to provide technical and financial support to this end;

**With regard to public awareness**

33. Is encouraged by the fact that the general level of public awareness of the problems associated with
climate change has improved significantly since the Earth Summit in 1992, but regrets that this has yet to be
translated into significant and effective action;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/35

34. Calls on the governments of the signatory states to the Lomé Convention and the Commission to
undertake to carry out public information and communication, which in the short run, promote acceptance of
necessary initiatives and in the long run will ensure changes in life style, and thus support the necessary
administrative and economic initiatives. Special attention must be paid to education in order to heighten
people’s awareness of, and responsibility for, the environmental consequences of energy production and usage;

35. Believes that, since climate change will impact on existing systems and activities, and adaptation is likely
to be left to decision-makers whose everyday interests are in other areas than climate change, programmes
should be implemented in ACP and EU countries to build awareness of the need to take climate change into
consideration in deciding on weather sensitive activities in sectors such us water resources, agriculture,
transport, power generation, urban planning, etc.;

36. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the
Commission, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with the request
that it be circulated to all non-EU contracting parties, and the Secretariat of the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD) of the United Nations.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the future of ACP-EU relations**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the report submitted by the Working Party on the future of ACP-EU relations,

— having regard to the conclusions reached at the hearings organised by the Working Group,

A. whereas the ACP-EU partners have reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives of the
Lomé Conventions and, in particular, the Libreville Declaration in which the heads of state and government
of the ACP countries, whilst acknowledging the contribution made by the Lomé Conventions to the social,
economic, political and cultural development of the ACP countries, called for the relationship to be
strengthened on the basis of a reformed, authentic and more equitable partnership,

B. having regard to the decisive role played by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the European Parliament in
the renegotiation and consolidation of ACP-EU cooperation,

C. whereas globalisation has resulted in a widening of disparities, both within and between countries, whereas
those disparities have been further aggravated by the financial crisis which struck a number of Asian and
Latin American countries in 1998, and whereas the need to regulate the effects of globalisation on the
developing world is greater than ever,

D. whereas the soundness of the financial markets, even if it is important for worldwide economic stability,
does not constitute the international community’s main objective,

E. whereas over the last ten years, following the collapse of the Communist system in the USSR and its former
allies, nearly a billion people have seen the value of their income fall; and whereas the number of those
living in poverty increased enormously during 1998 because of the financial crisis in countries such as
Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Brazil,

F. reiterating the importance of civil society’s role in all areas of ACP-EU cooperation, including economic
and trade cooperation,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

G. whereas ACP-EU cooperation, which brings together 86 European and ACP countries, can play a decisive
role in the process of globalisation,

H. having regard to Article 130v of the Treaty on European Union on coherence policies, which states that
the Community shall take into account the development objectives in the policies that it implements which
are likely to affect developing countries,

I. having regard to the Lomé IVa Convention and its general policy objectives in terms of poverty eradication
and sustainable development in general, and rural and agricultural development and food security in
particular,

J. recalling that the renegotiation of the EU-ACP partnership is a chance to renew, revitalise and strengthen
that relationship,

K. whereas conflict and poverty are inter-linked and the objectives of ACP-EU cooperation have been
frequently undermined by violent conflict, 13 of the 30 or so armed conflicts currently being fought being
in ACP countries,

1. Maintains that, if sustainable development is to be achieved, human beings and their basic rights should
be made the focal point of development policy deliberation and activities;

2. Considers that equality between men and women is an essential element of development;

3. Considers, therefore, that if the eradication of poverty is adopted as the prime objective of the next
Convention, ways of redressing the imbalances afflicting the ACP countries must be found and acted upon;

4. Considers the eradication of poverty to be a moral and political imperative, failing which the growing
inequalities in an increasingly interdependent world will be a source of increasing tension and will contribute
to the creation of further conflict;

5. Considers that the political and economic objectives of future cooperation initiatives cannot be separated
and that, in particular, security and the fight against poverty are closely linked;

6. Considers that, under the new agreement, the ACP-EU partners will have both the possibility of, and
responsibility for, taking up international challenges wholeheartedly, thus confirming the past and future
partnership’s unique contribution to international cooperation;

7. Maintains, in particular, that the new ACP-EU Convention will provide an important opportunity for
honouring the commitments and achieving the objectives adopted at international summits and notes that the
OECD’s Committee on Development Aid has negotiated a number of useful reference points;

8. Considers that political and policy dialogue should systematically address major social and human
development questions such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive and public health, and education in relation to the
objective of poverty eradication;

9. Stresses that health is a basic human right and needs to be integrated as a principle of cooperation under
any new agreement and that improved health status as a part of social and human development should be an
objective in all aspects of future EU/ACP cooperation;

10. Stresses that in countries where a broad societal and sectoral approach to health and education is
pursued by government — in coordination with international donors — the benefits are obvious, and
commends those ACP governments which have adopted such an approach;

11. Emphasises that this approach is invariably based on: sound human development policies focussed on
the needs of the poorest; an adequate reflection of these policies in priorities for budget allocation; an open
dialogue at all levels, from policy formulation to delivery on the ground;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/37

12. Maintains that investment in peace, health and education is complementary, that all these issues are
interconnected and that to provide people with a stake in peace and access to education and health services is
an essential precursor to combatting poverty;

13. Recalls that, while GNP is still the indicator most frequently used to measure development, recent
research shows that human development indicators give greater priority to the welfare of the people; hopes
that particular attention will be paid to the new indicators in measuring the progress achieved;

**Trade and Investment**

14. Reasserts the need for the next ACP-EU agreement to include a trade cooperation aspect which will
contribute to eradicating poverty, promote the economic and social development of the ACP countries and
take into account their differing levels of development;

15. Calls on the Commission to make a gender analysis of the importance of proposed trade and investment
policies;

16. Calls for the full participation of civil society in decision-making activities on trade and investment
issues;

17. Considers that the multilateral trade system should be democratised through an effective and equitable
participation of developing countries in WTO decisions and greater involvement of civil societies;

18. Calls for a ten-year transition period during which trade preferences will be revised and adapted to the
new rules of the WTO;

19. Calls for the creation of the necessary conditions to allow ACP enterprises to be able to compete with
EU enterprises under conditions of free trade before any consideration is given to the introduction of
reciprocity;

20. Considers that ACP and EU partners should work together to make WTO rules more developmentfriendly and to ensure that, within the WTO framework, implementation of the Marrakesh Agreement is
compatible with the European Union’s commitments vis-à-vis trade with ACP countries;

21. Considers that integration of developing countries in world trade should be coupled with empowering
them to participate in WTO decision-making procedures and to take advantage of dispute settlement
mechanisms; calls therefore on European and ACP partners to work together on the creation of a legal aid
centre independent of the WTO tailored to supporting developing countries in WTO procedures and
mechanisms;

22. Calls on the European Union to take account of ACP and developing country interests in determining
its future policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and other relevant issues, in accordance with the Amsterdam
Treaty;

23. Calls on the negotiators of the new Lomé Convention to include provisions relating to the principles of
Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) concerning the preservation of knowledge, innovation and
the practices of indigenous and local communities and their intellectual property and cultural property rights,
including approval, involvement and the equitable sharing of benefits of any use of such resources;

24. Calls on the negotiators of the Lomé Convention to include provisions which guarantee national
sovereignty with regard to genetic resources by banning biopiracy, patents on living organisms (TRIPS), and
the development of sterile varieties by genetic manipulation (’terminator technology’);

25. Stresses that, with reference to non-LDC countries, the future trade agreement should maintain
preferential access for a significant proportion of ACP countries’ exports;

C 271/38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

26. With regard to the review of the product protocols, calls for the precise and unique circumstances of
each industry to be taken into account and that the protocols be tailored, on a case by case basis, to the
requirements of each industry, and provide for the roll-over of the sugar, banana and beef/veal protocols, to
ensure the survival of these industries. With respect to rum, calls for the creation of a new protocol which
ensures the abolition of all quotas in 2000, and continued duty-free access, as well as a new compensation
mechanism designed to offset sudden EU market liberalisation in 2003;

27. Considers that the stabilisation of revenue from basic products continues to be a major challenge for
the ACP countries and that the STABEX must therefore be maintained, although arrangements must be made
to ensure more expeditious payments and benefit producers in the affected sectors;

28. Firmly believes that the development of the private sector, in particular of small and medium-sized
enterprises, can give a vital impulse to sustainable economic and social development; calls on the ACP-EU
negotiators to considerably strengthen the role of the private sector in the future Convention by creating the
right political and economic conditions for its rapid growth;

29. Welcomes the fact that the role of the private sector in the development process is now fully
acknowledged and that, therefore, the inclusion of the private sector is a major challenge for the new
Convention;

30. Welcomes the fact that the ACP countries have devised an integrated strategic approach to the
renegotiation of the Convention which goes beyond a mere revision of the instruments; also welcomes the
comprehensive EU mandate conferred by the EU Council on the Commission, which followed the wide-ranging
process of consulting civil society launched by the Commission Green Paper;

31. Calls for an investment protection mechanism which will encourage foreign investment while providing
for Environmental Impact Assessments and promoting acceptable social standards;

32. Stresses the importance of local investment, particularly in the SME and micro enterprise;

**Political framework for conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction**

33. Stresses that transparent local and national political systems enable people to deal with tensions and to
resolve their differences in peace, in an environment in which law and order prevail and in which rules are
observed and applied; considers, therefore, that the existence of democratic government, press freedom and an
impartial police force and legal system and the condemnation of corruption are decisive factors in conflict
prevention; calls on the negotiators of the next Convention to define the conditions which will provide greater
support for the reform of legal systems, for the training of police officers and soldiers, for human rights and
for the rule of law;

34. Maintains that conflict impedes development in the ACP countries and that it is responsible for extreme
poverty in a number of regions;

35. Is aware that stability and peace require long-term investment and that this requires lengthy and often
low-key political efforts;

36. Considers that the time has come for resolute, though determined action in order to prevent or resolve
conflicts and considers that the necessary humanitarian aid must not be used as a substitute for action;

37. Maintains that the pursuit of development strategies which effectively combat poverty and insecurity is
the most effective way of preventing tensions and conflicts;

38. Considers that conflict prevention should not be an ’added extra’ but should underlie all aspects of
development and trade policy and therefore be an integral part of the next ACP-EU agreement;

39. Maintains that economic pressures, further aggravated by the process of globalisation, can be a factor
in the development of conflicts, that the increasing polarisation between wealth and poverty encourages such
conflicts, and that solidarity — an essential aspect of the EU-ACP partnership — must therefore be protected
and strengthened;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/39

40. Stresses that, particularly in Africa, environmental degradation, over-population and the resulting
struggle for water, land and resources are essential factors in the emergence of tensions and conflicts and
considers, therefore, that access by the people to resources should be an integral part of environmental
protection strategies;

41. Points out that cultural, ethnic or religious tensions are greatly inflamed if people no longer have access
to resources on an equitable basis and that investment in basic social needs (particularly health and education)
consequently helps to reduce the risks of instability and violence;

42. Reiterates the importance of obtaining access to justice for all members of society;

43. Considers that the stability of a society depends to a large extent upon the way in which civil society is
organised and supported and the ability people have to express themselves, and therefore calls for greater
support to be given to the various representative bodies of civil society;

44. Stresses, in particular, that promoting the strict equality of men’s and women’s rights is a sound
investment in terms of peace and security and notes that, even more than in other areas, women have essential
roles to play in defusing tensions since they look for ways of achieving peace and security in order to protect
their family and to be able to bring up their children;

45. Welcomes the fact that macro-economic reforms are now better adapted to the realities and the
potential of the various countries but stresses that the social implications thereof are still only partially taken
into account; considers that structural adjustment plans must be more transparent and that the International
Monetary Fund must take into account the political side of the problem for any decisions adopted. At the same
time, applauds the new orientations of the World Bank (IBRD) in its dealings with developing countries;

46. Stresses that debt relief is an essential condition for development for ACP governments and fully agrees
with increasing demands from ACP and EU leaders as well as civil society to the effect that debt strategies must
be incorporated into effective development strategies, including conflict prevention;

47. Points out that ‘post conflict’ societies have special needs and that the rapid establishment of social
services and effective demobilisation and reintegration of soldiers should be given special priority;

48. Considers that smooth and gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy on the
basis of equitable rules and with due regard to their level of development will contribute to economic and
political stability;

49. Regrets the increased tendency of some African States towards unilateral armed intervention in the
internal conflicts of other sovereign African States;

50. Deplores the fact that, in recent times, military expenditure has increased in a number of developing
countries to the detriment of funding for education and health care, and therefore considers that the ACP-EU
partners should agree on maximum ceilings for military expenditure and minimum thresholds for expenditure
on education and health care;

51. Welcomes the fact that the European Union has agreed upon a Code of Conduct for arms sales and calls
for the implementation and strengthening of that Code to be discussed by the negotiators;

52. Stresses that the presence of millions of small arms circulating in many ACP countries actually impedes
development and that assistance should be given to efforts to collect in such weapons;

53. Calls for a bold new approach focussing on human beings and the future to be adopted by the
negotiators;

54. Calls for greater support for regional and subregional conflict-prevention and peace-restoration
mechanisms;

C 271/40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**Health and education in social and human development**

55. Considers that there needs to be a strengthening of the key provisions relating to basic services including
education, health, water and housing;

56. Calls for a Social and Human Development Chapter in the new EU/ACP agreement for future relations,
with specific sub-chapters on health and reproductive health;

57. Stresses that interventions aimed at improved health and targeted towards the poorest will require
additional and inter-sectoral efforts alongside and including the health sector;

58. In this regard calls for capacity building in social and human development areas as an additional area of
focus for the new EU/ACP agreement;

59. Calls on the EU and ACP countries to guarantee budgetary allocations to primary health and education
as envisaged under the UN Copenhagen Conference 20/20 initiative which proposes that at least 20 % of
government spending and donor support should be allocated to these areas and that EU and ACP government
spending should be additional to, not instead of;

60. Stresses that levels and rates of spending are insufficient in assessing the ’performance’ of individual
ACP countries and that actual development impact, in terms of improved health and educational standards,
should determine assessments of performance in addition to levels of funds spent;

61. Calls for the inclusion of human development indicators — in addition to macro-economic indicators
such as GDP — as indicators of poverty;

62. Stresses that development programmes and projects in ACP countries should be systematically assessed
through ‘health impact assessments’ for their impact on the health and the well-being of populations affected
or involved in, for example, the construction of dams and roads;

63. Reiterates that ownership of interventions in relation to poverty alleviation is crucial and that this
requires early involvement from civil society in the formulation of policies and programmes;

64. Stresses that the increased efforts for an integrated approach on social and human development issues
needs to be complemented by an increased capacity and expertise for policy formulation and dialogue at the
level of the European Commission and EU Delegations;

65. Reiterates that the EU has an important role to play with regard to increased policy coherence and
coordination on poverty-focused social and human development interventions amongst EU Member States
and with other international donors;

66. Calls for an increased focus on medical and other interventions to combat infections such as HIV/AIDS,
Malaria and Tuberculosis;

67. Stresses that the prevention of HIV/AIDS remains a very important challenge beyond the year 2000
calls on politicians in ACP countries to address HIV/AIDS through visible, broad, inclusive national strategies
which have been the key to stemming the spread of the disease in Senegal and Uganda;

68. Calls for the Commission, together with its international partners and EU member states, to strengthen
efforts to develop and ensure accessibility of an AIDS vaccine and a vaginal microbicidal product as additional
preventive methods;

69. Commends those EU and ACP governments which have contributed to acquiring and sharing knowledge
relating to HIV/AIDS interventions, which has enabled sound HIV/AIDS practices and policies to be identified;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/41

70. Calls for investment in the acquisition and sharing of knowledge to be a priority area for health
cooperation in future EU/ACP relations, knowledge being a public good which can greatly benefit the poorest
countries;

71. Calls for the urgent inclusion of ACP Ministers for Social and Human Development Sectors in the
current negotiations and in all policy dialogue on poverty-focused interventions in ACP countries;

72. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the impact of structural assistance to the European fisheries sector on the sustainable development**
**of the ACP fisheries sector**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

A. having regard to its previous resolutions on fisheries, particularly those referring to the ACP fisheries sector
and the 8th EDF, and ACP-EU Cooperation in the fisheries sector beyond the year 2000,

B. having regard to the EU’s legal obligation under the Maastricht Treaty to ensure coherence between its
various policies, including the Common Fisheries Policy and the policy for development cooperation,

C. having regard to the commitment taken through the Amsterdam Treaty, to integrate sustainable
development principles in other EU policies (Art. 2 and Art. 6),

D. having regard to the commitment of the European Union to apply the principles enshrined in the FAO
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries,

E. having regard to Court of Auditors report No 18/98 on Community measures to encourage the creation of
joint enterprises in the fisheries sector, and particularly the criticisms of how disbursements have been
managed,

F. having regard to the proposal of the European Commission regarding Community structural assistance in
the fisheries sector (COM (1998) 728 final), particularly the redefinition of joint enterprises,

G. recognising that the overall objective of ACP-EU fisheries relations is to promote the development of
fisheries activities in ways which conserve fish stocks and maximise the valorisation/value of ACP fisheries
resources, and which also take into account, in priority order, the needs of the local population for access
to fishery resources, food, employment and income,

1. Is convinced that the aim of the creation of joint enterprises should be to improve the economic
efficiency and equity of fishing operations, at local level, of the ACP countries, keeping in mind that the basic
objective is the sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the ACP countries through maintenance of a
productive resource base;

2. Estimates that the lack of information on the state of stocks in ACP waters, on fishery activities
undertaken through joint enterprises in ACP States (subsidised by European structural funds), and on their
impact on local ACP fishery sector development, calls for the application of a precautionary approach in this

area;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

3. Estimates further in this context that special long-term efforts are required by ACP countries in
collaboration with their EU partners to strengthen ACP human and institutional capacity in order to analyse
and manage the sector through training and high quality joint research;

4. Notes that the strengthening of ACP economic and policy analysis and of monitoring and control
capabilities are thematic priorities which should be commensurate with the requirements of managing complex
fisheries;

5. Notes that there are risks in encouraging, via joint enterprises established in ACP countries, the
over-exploitation of ACP fishery resources, which can distort competition for both resources and markets with
the existing fisheries (capture and processing), particularly the artisanal sector;

6. Asks, within the framework of the review of the rules and arrangements regarding European Community
structural assistance in the fisheries sector, that:

— the objective of the structural measures to help achieve ‘a sustainable balance between fish stocks and their
exploitation...’ be taken into account not only in Community waters but also in all waters where the
Community fleets are actively deployed, in particular the waters of ACP States;and furthermore, maintains
that

— the objective of the structural measures ‘to strengthen competitiveness and contribute to the development
of economically viable enterprises...’ and ‘to revitalise areas dependent on fisheries’ should not be achieved
through subsidising forms of partnership which encourage competition for resources with local ACP
fisheries sector or which increase competition for markets with local existing ACP fisheries sector
enterprises (particularly in the artisanal sector);

— the objective of the structural measures to establish joint enterprises ‘to improve the supply of fishery
products in the European market...’ should not undermine market access for existing local ACP enterprises,
particularly in the artisanal sector, nor undermine the food security of the local population in ACP states;

7. Recommends that support be provided to ACP states to enable them to control the activities of foreign
(including European) fishing fleets and joint enterprises, and to develop, with the participation of the local
fisheries sector, policies which include detailed plans for the management of marine fishery resources and
fleets, as has been recommended by the FAO;

8. Proposes that, as a result of this plan, a coherent strategy be defined between the European Union and
every ACP state, in association with the local ACP fisheries sector stakeholders, particularly those in the
artisanal fishery, which will take into account the different aspects of the existing EU and foreign fleets presence
(through fisheries agreements, joint enterprises, etc), as much in these countries as in those in the region;

9. Asks the European Union to undertake to ensure that all planned vessel transfers do not infringe
international law or undermine the conservation and resource management policies put in place by the ACP
states;

10. Asks that, within this framework, the global access of European fleets should be based on a preliminary
scientific resource assessment, carried out jointly and/or by independent experts, an evaluation of the local
access needs (particularly for the artisanal sector) as regards food security, employment and income, and access
given to other foreign fleets;

11. Believes that, in order to achieve reduced fishing capacity in European waters and to avoid
over-exploitation of ACP fisheries resources, EU structural assistance should promote alternatives to the export
of fishing capacity to ACP countries;

12. Notwithstanding paragraph 8 above, and in conformity with relevant provisions of Title III, in particular
Articles 58, 59 and 60 of the Fourth ACP-EU Convention of Lomé, necessary measures will be taken by the
European Community and its Member States with the aim of finding avenues for closer cooperation between
the EU and ACP States within the framework of well-defined joint ventures or ACP projects, in order, _inter alia_,
to enhance ACP capacity to undertake economically viable fishing activities, including those related to industrial
fishing;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/43

13. Takes the view that structural aid should be used to promote the adoption of more selective fishing
methods and gear by European vessels operating in ACP waters;

14. Recommends that the construction of European vessels primarily destined to fish in ACP waters should
be discouraged, particularly where they increase pressure on ACP fish stocks which are either of unknown
status or already locally exploited, and where they make no contribution to reducing the pressure on resources
in European waters (which is the objective of the structural measures);

15. Asks the Commission to report back regularly on the measures taken regarding the application of the
present resolution, particularly with regards to resources assessment in an ecosystem context; furthermore
related support should be given to management for sustainable use;

16. Encourages ACP governments at national or provincial levels, as appropriate, to establish protected
marine areas in order to conserve the productivity of their waters and replenish heavily fished areas, and thus
also safeguard marine biodiversity for multiple purposes;

17. Encourages the development of new relationships between governments and private sector operators,
small-scale and industrial alike, to underpin such sustainable management approaches for mutual benefit;

18. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation of children in the ACP countries**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the resolutions on matters relating to the interests of children previously adopted by the
ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

— having regard to Article 244 of the current Lomé Convention,

— having regard to the Junker General Report on the ‘Significance of the UN World Conferences of 1990 to
1996 for cooperation between the European Union and the ACP States in the framework of the Lomé
Convention’,

— having regard to the European Parliament’s Rocard report on the Commission communication on the
guidelines for the negotiation of new cooperation agreements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries,

— whereas the Commission Green Paper on the future of ACP-EU development cooperation makes only one
reference to young people, and none at all to children,

— having regard to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,

— having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child of 1959,

— having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1976,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

— having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, the only human rights
document to date that has been ratified by all States, with the exception of the United States and Somalia,

— having regard to the World Summit on Social Development held in Copenhagen in 1994,

— having regard to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995,

— having regard to the International Conference on Child Labour held in Oslo in 1997,

— having regard to EU budget heading B7-612: Preparatory actions undertaken through non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in the campaign against child discrimination,

A. whereas 90 % of all children live in developing countries and every third person worldwide is a child under
15, and in some parts of Africa almost every second person is a child,

B. whereas the needs of children are not the same as those of adults, and whereas the rights of children are an
inseparable, integral part of human rights,

C. whereas more than half of all child deaths are associated with malnutrition, which leads to physical and
mental handicap and chronic susceptibility to disease,

D. convinced that the right to education is a fundamental right, to be granted to boys and girls alike, and
whereas 130 million school-age children worldwide grow up without access to primary education, and
whereas over 150 million children who start school do not complete more than four years of schooling,

E. whereas a 10 % increase in the number of girls who start primary school leads as a general rule to a drop
in infant mortality,

F. whereas some 250 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are currently working in developing
countries and whereas poverty is the main reason for child labour,

G. whereas religion, custom and tradition are no excuse for tolerating the genital mutilation of girls and
under-age young women,

1. Welcomes the creation of budget heading B7-6 1 2: Preparatory actions undertaken through
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the campaign against child discrimination, and calls for a legal
base for this to be established;

2. Calls on the EU and all 70 signatories to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to incorporate
the principles enshrined therein in their national legislation and to comply with the obligation to implement
development policies geared to the needs of children;

3. Suggests, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,
working towards the adoption of a Council decision which would help to give prominence to children’s rights
in EU development cooperation in the areas of development, trade and humanitarian aid;

4. Calls for the Post-Lomé Convention to enshrine protection of and respect for children’s rights, and for
the negotiations on the future of Lomé to take account of its impact on the needs of children;

5. Calls on the Commission to set up a Child Desk along the lines of those already existing in DG VIII in
connection with gender, poverty and the environment, which would contribute to the evaluation and
preparation of good models;

6. Suggests that a key theme of an ACP-EU Assembly should be the interests of children in development
cooperation;

7. Calls, in ACP-EU cooperation, for more resources to be allocated to combating poverty and meeting
fundamental needs than are currently available under the eighth development fund;

8. Calls for emergency aid measures to be implemented in areas of famine and calls on the ACP States to
spend an appropriate portion of their budget on securing food supplies and basic education for their
population, instead of on defence;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/45

9. Calls for basic health services to be made as widely available as possible in the ACP States for the early
treatment of disease, health education and family planning, AIDS prevention and medical care for HIV-positive
children;

10. Calls on all the ACP countries to endeavour to provide nationwide access to primary education and to
introduce compulsory schooling for boys and girls, at the same time providing flexible forms of education
which are geared to regional population levels, numbers of school-age children, and local customs, for example
mobile education provision in thinly populated areas or for population groups with nomadic life styles, and
teaching of manual skills with a view to later job prospects;

11. Calls on the ACP regions to ensure that pregnant girls are on no account forced to leave school because
of their pregnancy, but instead receive special support from the State and other agencies at least until the
completion of their education;

12. Advocates the development of strategies to prevent child labour and calls on the EU, as well as the ACP
countries, to make free educational facilities an attractive alternative to child labour which provides a long-term
way of escaping from poverty, for example by the payment of wages to schoolchildren;

13. Calls on the ACP States to take direct action against child labour by outlawing child labour that is
dangerous and damaging to health, as well as forms of child labour akin to slavery, laying down minimal
provisions on hygiene, food and breaks from work and setting up bodies to represent young people;

14. Calls on the ACP countries to introduce more stringent national laws against sexual abuse, sex tourism
and child pornography, and to ensure that they are respected;

15. Calls for close bilateral and international judicial cooperation between the EU and ACP countries which
are sex tourism destinations, as well as international cooperation with law-enforcement agencies in third
countries in combating sexual abuse, sex tourism and child pornography;

16. Calls on the Union, the Member States and the ACP countries to provide effective education on sexual
abuse, sex tourism and child pornography, and to involve the international tourism industry in these efforts;

17. Calls on the Member States of the Union and the ACP States to make the circumcision of under-age
women a punishable offence where this is not already the case and to continue, with assistance from the EU,
the campaign launched by UNICEF against female genital mutilation;

18. Calls on the EU and ACP States to develop programmes to improve the situation of disadvantaged
children such as orphans, street children, homeless under-age mothers and refugees;

19. Calls on the EU and ACP countries to do everything in their power to ensure that children are not
required to serve as soldiers, and to take active steps against the use of anti-personnel mines and to promote
the elimination of existing mines in the ACP countries;

20. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission and the
United Nations Secretary-General.

C 271/46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on child soldiers**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,

— having regard to the 1996 United Nations report by Mrs Graca Machel (A/5/306) and the appointment of
Mr Olara Otunnu as United Nations Special Representative for the impact of armed conflict on children,

A. deploring the fact that worldwide more than 300 000 children under 18 are currently participating in
hostilities,

B. regretting the fact that several countries, including African countries, are particularly affected by the
phenomenon of children participating in armed combat,

C. whereas children suffer disproportionately from the hardships of military life, at both a physical and an
emotional level,

D. whereas to the number of children killed in combat or mutilated by anti-personnel mines must be added
those whose physical, mental and psychological needs have been neglected in societies engaged in
long-lasting wars,

E. whereas since 1993 a United Nations working party has been examining an optional protocol to the
International Convention on the Rights of the Child aimed at setting the minimum age for recruitment into
the armed forces at 18,

F. whereas the statutes of the International Criminal Tribunal, adopted in Rome in July 1998, stipulate for the
first time that the recruitment and use in combat of children under 15 constitutes a war crime,

G. welcoming the new United Nations policy concerning a minimum age for taking part in operations by UN
peace-keeping forces, military observers and civil police forces,

H. stressing that one of the primary objectives of the future ACP-EU Convention should be to promote, by
means of a serious, sustained effort by all signatories, the prevention of use of children in armed conflicts,
as well as their protection and rehabilitation in society,

1. Condemns the use in combat of child soldiers, whether by regular government forces or armed rebel
groups;

2. Calls on the ACP countries and the EU to ban any participation by children in armed conflicts and to
raise public awareness of the international instruments and national laws on the rights, protection and welfare
of children;

3. Calls on the Commission and the ACP countries to take prevention, protection and reintegration
measures and, in particular, to put in place programmes aimed at allocating resources to demobilising and
reintegrating into society children who have taken part in armed combat in the ACP countries;

4. Regards as an urgent need the adoption of an additional protocol to the International Convention on the
Rights of the Child forbidding the recruitment and use in armed combat of children under 18, and calls on the
ACP countries and the EU to support all international initiatives to this end and to introduce identical
provisions into their own legislation;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/47

5. Calls on the United Nations working party to complete as a matter of urgency a protocol to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, and calls on the Council to adopt a joint action promoting the adoption
of this protocol, while making the fight against the use of child soldiers a policy of the ACP-EU partnership;

6. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the United
Nations Special Representative for the impact of armed conflict on children and the United Nations Commission
on Human Rights.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in the Great Lakes and the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in the Great Lakes Region and in the Democratic Republic
of Congo in particular,

— recalling the EU Presidency Declaration of 17 February 1999,

A. deeply concerned at the persistent instability in the Great Lakes Region and at the grave situation in the
Democratic Republic of Congo in particular, where an eight-month war is causing further death and
destruction, is generating a new exodus of refugees and is threatening to develop into a full-scale regional
conflict,

B. noting with concern the involvement of foreign forces in the RDC conflict,

C. concerned by the serious destabilisation caused in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the presence on
its territory of many rebel groups — in particular those that were defeated in the Rwandan civil war and
were guilty of the genocide — which use this country as a base for their offensives both within the RDC
and against the neighbouring countries,

D. concerned by the fact that these rebel groups use the civilian population as hostages and enrol even children
in their forces; concerned also by the many civilian casualties which result from these activities, as recently
brought to international attention by the brutal massacre of eight foreign tourists and four Ugandan park
guards and guides at Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Sanctuary by Hutu rebels operating in the region,

E. whereas the continuing presence of refugees in the Great Lakes Region, owing to the persistent ethnic
violence and gross human rights violations that have characterised the recent history of Rwanda, Burundi
and Democratic Republic of Congo, has resulted in a tremendous humanitarian crisis, which requires the
urgent attention of the international community, as well as full and unconditional access to be granted to
humanitarian agencies and personnel,

F. deploring that EU and ACP countries do not always provide full support to the Arusha tribunal despite the
crucial role that it is playing in terms of both avoiding impunity for the Rwanda genocide and preventing
further violence in the region,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

G. encouraging the reconciliation efforts and the peace initiatives promoted by the governments of South
Africa and Zambia,

1. Condemns all the human rights violations, summary executions, torture, harassment, ethnically motivated
arrests of civilians, enrolment of children as soldiers as well as ethnic propaganda and incitement to ethnic
violence which have been openly committed in the RDC conflict;

2. Reaffirms the principle of the inviolability of the borders inherited from the colonial period, in accordance
with the spirit and letter of the relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter and the OAU Charter;

3. Condemns all violations of the DRC’s territorial integrity;

4. Calls for an immediate ceasefire, respect for international humanitarian law and the opening of
negotiations among all parties involved, with a view to finding a political solution to the conflict that will
guarantee the territorial integrity of the RDC, address the security problems of its neighbours and bring about
the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the RDC and the release of all prisoners arbitrarily detained;

5. Welcomes in this context the recent acceptance by President Kabila of the principle of entering into
negotiations with all parties to the conflict, including the rebel movement;

6. Insists that any negotiated settlement in the Democratic Republic of Congo must be based on a process
of national reconciliation which fully respects the equality and the harmonious coexistence of all ethnic groups,
allows for the return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons, and leads to the holding of early free
and fair democratic elections;

7. Calls on the RDC authorities to restart the process of democratising the country, not failing to implement
the unconditional legalisation of political parties, the abolition of censorship of the press and the release of
political prisoners;

8. Calls for the various regional peace initiatives sponsored by SADC, the OAU, President Chiluba, and the
EU Special Envoy, Mr Ajello, to be better coordinated in order to provide a single framework of mediation
efforts;

9. Encourages the governments of South Africa and Zambia not to weaken in their conciliation efforts and
to continue their efforts in pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict;

10. Calls on the EU Council to sponsor a unitary peace initiative for the RDC, under the relevant sections of
the CFSP, that would go beyond the customary declarations and match the EU’s significant humanitarian
commitment;

11. Welcomes the activity of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, despite the very difficult circumstances
in which it has to carry out its mandate, it being an essential element for securing the region, preventing further
violence and avoiding impunity through respect for the law;

12. Calls on all parties to the conflict to grant relief agencies full and unconditional access to the populations
in need; calls on the Commission to step up its humanitarian aid to the region to cope with the renewed
exodus of refugees;

13. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission and the
UN, OAU and SADC Secretaries-General.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/49

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on support for the peace process in Burundi**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

A. having regard to the progress which has already been made in the peace process between Burundians, both
through the Arusha negotiations and by means of the internal debate which is taking shape within Burundi,

B. whereas moral, political and economic support should be offered to the Burundian people, who must make
an all-out effort to achieve a lasting peace and genuine national reconciliation,

C. whereas all Burundians without exception must be involved in the Arusha negotiations being held under
the auspices of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, so that such a lasting peace can be achieved,

1. Firmly supports the peace process between Burundians in both its internal and external aspects and calls
for all the parties involved in the conflict to attend the Arusha negotiations under the auspices of the mediator,
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere;

2. Urges the countries of the subregion to continue to assist the peace process in Burundi by ensuring that
no activities are carried on within their territory which are likely to disturb or thwart the efforts being made by
the Burundian people to secure a permanent reconciliation;

3. Calls on the European Union and the international organisations to resume cooperation in all its forms
in order to encourage the Burundian people to achieve success in their peace process, which will certainly have
a positive impact in the subregion from the point of view of stability in Africa;

4. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in Congo-Brazzaville**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to its earlier resolutions,

A. expressing deep concern at the extremely tense situation which has arisen in Congo following several
months of relative calm and which is reflected in frequent and violent clashes between government forces
and private militias,

B. drawing attention to the fact that the ruthless fighting between militias and the regular army backed up by
Angolan forces, which is taking place mainly around the capital and in the south of the country, has already
claimed several thousand victims among the civilian population,

C. denouncing the acts of violence perpetrated mainly by the militia, the arbitrary arrests and summary
executions, and the rising number of human rights violations,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

D. concerned in particular about the plight of the Congolese population which the new outbreak of fighting
has forced to flee to inland areas or to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and alarmed by the fact that
several hundred people have died during the course of this exodus,

E. expressing concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Congo and drawing attention in particular
to the great difficulties experienced in bringing in supplies of foodstuffs and medicines and the fact that the
capital is frequently deprived of water and electricity,

F. pointing out that the security breakdown in Congo is making the work of humanitarian organisations
extremely difficult and that looting is becoming increasingly common,

G. expressing concern at the dissemination of weapons throughout the country, which is exacerbating the
prevailing climate of insecurity, and noting the efforts being made by the Congolese authorities to disarm
the population,

H. dismayed by the passivity bordering on indifference which the international community has shown with
regard to the dramatic situation in Congo and deploring in particular the lack of initiative shown by the EU
and its failure to intervene in this conflict despite the major risk of the situation escalating and the whole
of Central Africa being caught up in the violence,

I. aware of the urgent need to break the spiral of violence in Congo and finally begin the task of reconstructing
that country — something which cannot be done until a climate of national reconciliation has been
established,

1. Condemns the acts of violence being committed in Congo and urges both militias and government forces
to call a halt to the violence;

2. Considers that national reconciliation is the only way of restoring peace and stability to the country; in
this connection, asks the Congolese authorities to show a willingness to foster reconciliation and relieve
political tensions by allowing the country’s former leaders to return to Congo, so as to enable a dialogue to be
established with all the country’s political and social movements and the democratic process to be put back on
the rails;

3. Calls furthermore on the Congolese authorities to open discussions leading to the re-establishment of the
rule of law and democratic institutions in Congo by means of the drafting of a new constitution and the
holding of free and democratic elections;

4. Deplores the fact that the European Union, which has a major responsibility to its African partners, is
not more closely involved in the settlement of the conflicts proliferating on that continent; calls in particular
on the Council and the Commission to foster national reconciliation in Congo;

5. Hopes, in this connection, that foreign intervention of all kinds, including military intervention, will
rapidly be brought to an end;

6. Calls on the Commission to step up the provision of humanitarian aid to the Congolese population;

7. Calls on all the parties to the Congolese crisis to ensure the safety of the staff of humanitarian
organisations and to facilitate the forwarding of aid to the country’s population;

8. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the UN
and OAU Secretaries-General, and the Congo-Brazzaville authorities.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/51

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the resumption of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia,

A. highly concerned at the resumption of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea after seven months of relative
calm, and recalling that the war first broke out in May 1998,

B. whereas this conflict has caused tens of thousands of people to become refugees or to be evacuated and
has inflicted terrible suffering on the civilian populations of both countries,

C. regretting the fact that the efforts made by the international community in general and by the OAU in
particular with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the disputes between the two countries have not yet
proved successful,

D. whereas the OAU has proposed a framework agreement designed to bring the conflict to an end, an
agreement which has been accepted by the Ethiopian Government and was recently signed by the Eritrean
Government,

E. firmly believing that maximum commitment from the entire international community is needed in order
to help re-establish a peace process between the two countries,

F. concerned that, in the absence of a peaceful solution, the conflict could destabilise the entire region and
lead to an even more serious human tragedy,

G. aware of the fact that, above and beyond the settlement of the border issue, only a clear definition of the
rules governing the political and economic relations between the two countries can bring about a lasting
peace on the basis of respect for the legitimate interests of both countries,

1. Firmly condemns the resumption and continuation of hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia;

2. Calls on Ethiopia and Eritrea to commit themselves to the peaceful resolution of the border conflict, by
agreeing to an immediate cessation of hostilities, in accordance with the rapid implementation of the OAU
framework agreement (new article);

3. Deeply regrets the extensive loss of human life since the start of the hostilities between the two countries;

4. Calls on the Council and the EU Member States to be ready to play a part in implementing the OAU’s
proposal, including the dispatch of a neutral international monitoring force which should be deployed along
the border between the two countries;

5. Calls on all the political forces and all the components of civil society in Ethiopia and Eritrea to do all
they can to put pressure on their respective governments with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the
conflict;

6. Deplores the fact that the current conflict has caused tens of thousands of people to become refugees or
to be evacuated and calls for them to be able to return to their place of origin as soon as possible;

7. Calls on the Commission to increase the amount of humanitarian and emergency assistance provided to
refugees, deportees and evacuees in the region;

8. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the
governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea and the OAU.

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in Nigeria**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in Nigeria,

— recalling the EU Presidency’s declaration of 3 March 1999,

A. whereas Presidential elections took place in Nigeria on 27 February 1999,

B. whereas these elections were clearly won by General Obasanjo, a former head of state and the only military
leader who had previously handed over power to a democratically-elected civilian government,

C. whereas the hand-over of power to the democratically elected president on 29 May 1999 will end fifteen
years of military dictatorship that disregarded the most basic human rights of the Nigerian people, stifled
the country’s economic and social life, enriched the military junta, spread the practice of corruption and
brought the country to the brink of financial collapse,

D. whereas the elections were held peacefully, on the basis of a multi-party system and democratic principles,
and are regarded by international observers as generally reflecting the wishes of the Nigerian people, despite
some irregularities that need to be investigated,

E. whereas Nigeria has great political, economic and demographic importance in Africa, and whereas sustained
democratic development in this country could have very positive repercussions — both in political and in
economic terms — on the immediate sub-region and, indeed, the whole continent,

1. Expresses its satisfaction at the holding of the presidential elections in Nigeria and congratulates the
President-elect, General Obasanjo, and all the Nigerian people for an election held in a spirit of openness and
which proceeded peacefully;

2. Observes that there was an outbreak of violence in some parts of the country after the elections and
appeals to all parties concerned to eschew bitterness and in particular to the defeated candidate, former
Minister Falae, to accept and honour the results and to contribute to the appeasement of the country and the
welfare of the Nigerian people;

3. Nevertheless draws attention to some irregularities that were encountered in the running of the election
and that need to be urgently investigated;

4. Hopes that the new president will be successful in appeasing regional tensions within the country and in
maintaining national unity with the consensus of the Nigerian people;

5. Calls on the new Government to attach the highest priority to the development of a democratic culture
in Nigerian society — in particular within the military establishment — and to strengthening the rule of law,
respect for human rights and good governance;

6. Calls on the Commission to propose without delay a package of measures to promote and accompany
the necessary political and economic reforms that now represent the biggest challenge for the newly elected
president;

7. In the light of the above, calls on the EU Council to review its common position on Nigeria at the earliest
opportunity;

8. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission and the
OAU.

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/53

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in Sierra Leone**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to its earlier resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone,

— having regard to the European Union’s declaration of 12 January 1999 on Sierra Leone,

A. deploring the resurgence of violence in Sierra Leone in early 1999,

B. whereas the clashes which took place in Freetown claimed thousands of victims, particularly among
civilians, and sparked off a major humanitarian crisis which has led to a fresh exodus to neighbouring
countries,

C. expressing horror at the campaign of terror and intimidation conducted by the rebels over recent months
against the civilian population, particularly the atrocities committed on women and children,

D. shocked at the widespread use of child soldiers in the conflict, especially by the rebels, and at the high
number of casualties and the suffering of children subjected to the hardships of military life,

E. pointing out that, since the elected president Ahmed Tejan Kabbah was returned to power in March 1998
and the junta was removed from power several months after its military takeover, fighting has continued
unabated in Sierra Leone and is continuing to cause much suffering to the population of that country,

F. aware that control of the country’s diamond-producing areas is one of the main stakes in the conflict,

G. whereas the humanitarian situation remains extremely delicate in the capital, owing to the fact that the
clashes make it extremely difficult to bring in provisions, most of which come from the interior of the
country,

H. condemning the execution on 19 October 1998 of 20 or so members of the military junta who had been
sentenced to death by a court martial with no possibility of appeal, and expressing the conviction that
those executions did nothing to further the peace and national reconciliation process,

I. drawing attention to the efforts being made at regional level by the Economic Community of West African
States to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Sierra Leone,

J. whereas the statement by President Kabbah on 7 February 1999 to the effect that he intended to continue
his efforts to establish a dialogue with the rebels, the call for a ceasefire which the rebel leader, Foday
Sankoh, made from his cell and the promise that a meeting would be organised between the latter and his
military commanders prior to the opening of peace negotiations, all indicate that relations are becoming
less strained,

1. Condemns the new attempt to seize power made by Sierra Leonean rebels in January 1999;

2. Condemns the atrocities committed by the rebels on Sierra Leonean civilians and enjoins the rebels to
put an immediate end to such barbarous acts and to stop creating a climate of terror in the country;

3. Urges the government and, in particular, the rebels, to bring hostilities to a lasting end in all parts of the
country;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

4. Notes the desire for appeasement shown by President Kabbah and the rebel leader, Foday Sankoh, and
hopes that the meeting to be organised on neutral ground between the leader of the RUF and his military
commanders will lead to a firmer commitment on their part to resume a constructive dialogue with a view to
revitalising the process of national reconciliation and drawing up a framework for lasting peace;

5. Reminds the Sierra Leonean Government of the need to abide by the international human rights
commitments it has entered into, with particular reference to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights; asks it in particular to show scrupulous respect for every individual’s right to a fair trial and to introduce
appeal procedures for trials by court martial;

6. Restates its support for the mediation efforts being made by ECOWAS member states with a view to
restoring peace in Sierra Leone, and calls inter alia on the European Union to provide financial and logistical
support to the ECOMOG forces deployed in the country;

7. Calls on the European Union to make a greater commitment to settling the crisis in Sierra Leone by
helping to formulate a negotiated settlement between the parties to the conflict;

8. Condemns the use of child soldiers in the conflict and urges both the rebels and the government troops
to refrain from involving any children in the fighting;

9. Calls on the European Union and the United Nations to provide ad hoc programmes for the physical,
mental and psychological rehabilitation of children who have participated in armed combat;

10. Calls on the international community, and the European Union in particular, to step up the provision
of humanitarian aid to the Sierra Leonean population, which has been sorely afflicted by the conflict;

11. Urges the parties to the conflict to cooperate fully with the various providers of humanitarian assistance,
with a view to enabling aid to be brought in and distributed in Freetown and throughout the country, and to
ensure the safety of the staff of humanitarian organisations;

12. Calls on the European Union to provide assistance to neighbouring countries, which are having to cope
with an increasingly large influx of refugees from Sierra Leone;

13. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the
government of Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS member states.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in Guinea-Bissau**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the recommendations of the Council of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers of the
countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), meeting on 3 July 1998 in
Abidjan,

— having regard to the Praia declarations adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the community
of countries which have Portuguese as their official language (CPLP), meeting in Cape Verde from 13 to
17 July 1998,

— having regard to the Abuja (Nigeria) peace agreement which has been signed by the President of Guinea
Bissau, General Joa˜o Bernardo Vieira, and General Ansumane Mané on behalf of the military junta and
which has enabled ministerial portfolios to be distributed and a government of national unity to be formed,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/55

A. concerned at the devastating consequences of the military operations which have been conducted in
Guinea-Bissau (destruction of infrastructure installations and massive exoduses, particularly of the country’s
managers),

B. concerned at the situation of refugees who are living in difficult circumstances,

C. having regard to the Lomé (Togo) peace agreement which supplemented the Abuja agreement and enabled
ministerial portfolios to be finally allocated and a government of national unity to be formed under the
auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in December 1998,

D. whereas the peace agreement concluded in Abuja (Nigeria) provides for an immediate cessation of
hostilities, the formation of a government of national unity and the holding of general elections,

E. concerned at the continuing involvement of foreign troops, some of whom have been accused by
international human rights organisations of human rights abuses against civilians,

F. welcoming the decision by the European Commission to release emergency humanitarian aid,

1. Calls on the conflicting parties to observe and fully implement the Abuja (Nigeria) agreement which was
signed on 1 November 1998 by President Joa˜o Bernardo Vieira and by General Ansumane Mané;

2. Calls on the conflicting parties not to interrupt the peace negotiations, so that a peaceful, lasting solution
can be found to the crisis and so as to allow the rule of law to be re-established and to enable the country’s
institutions to function;

3. Supports the combined mediation efforts made by the CPLP contact group and the countries in the
sub-region under the auspices of the ECOWAS with a view to encouraging a dialogue between the conflicting
parties and to bringing about a peaceful solution;

4. Stresses that any lasting peaceful solution will require a process of national reconciliation leading to
guaranteed respect for Guinea-Bissau’s independence and territorial integrity;

5. Denounces the destabilising role of all foreign troops in the conflict and calls for their withdrawal, with
the exception of the ones agreed by both parties within ECOMOG, as a prior condition for the implementation
of the peace accord and the installation of the new government;

6. Urges the two parties to the conflict to observe the principles of international humanitarian law and to
refrain from using children in the pursuit of war or for the setting up of private militias;

7. Calls on the neighbouring countries to do all they can to help consolidate peace and national
reconciliation which, in particular, will enable the free movement of persons and goods to be reestablished;

8. Calls on its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the
Secretaries-General of the UN, the OAU, the ECOWAS and the CPLP and to the Guinea-Bissau People’s
National Assembly.

C 271/56 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the situation in Angola**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on Angola,

— having regard to the EU Declaration of 28 December 1998,

— having regard to the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions on Angola,

A. deploring the resumption, since December 1998, of major fighting in Angola by Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA
forces that poses a serious threat to peace and national reconciliation in that country,

B. whereas Mr Savimbi and his forces bear the main responsibility for this grave setback in the peace process,
through its failure to demilitarise its forces and to facilitate the extension of state administration, and
through its defiance of the pressing demands of the Security Council and the international community,

C. whereas the only hope for a lasting peace in Angola resides in a political solution through the full and
unconditional implementation of the Lusaka protocol and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,

D. strongly endorsing the demand by the UN Security Council that UNITA comply immediately and without
conditions with its obligations, and supporting the full and immediate implementation of the measures
against UNITA contained in UN Security Council resolutions 864 of 15 September 1993, 1127 of
28 August 1997, 1173 of 12 June 1998 and 1229 of 26 February 1999, particularly with regard to arms
and diamonds,

E. perturbed at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Angola resulting from the growing number of
refugees who run away from the fighting areas,

F. regretting the shooting down on 26 December 1998 and on 2 January 1999 of two UN transport planes
near the city of Huambo, besieged by Savimbi’s UNITA,

G. regretting the recent MONUA withdrawal from Angola,

H. whereas the Angolan population lives in abject poverty despite the plentiful natural resources of the
country, which are used to finance the conflict,

1. Condemns firmly the resumption of the war which constitutes a serious setback to the peace process and
calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities since there can be no military solution to the conflict;

2. In the meantime, calls on the UN and the EU to maintain strong international pressure on Mr Savimbi,
particularly through improved implementation and tightening of existing UN sanctions;

3. Calls for a thorough and urgent investigation by the Commission into the conduct of the diamond trade
with a view to eliminating smuggling by Mr Savimbi to fund his war effort;

4. Calls on the Government of Angola and in particular on Mr Savimbi and his forces to respect human
rights and to cooperate fully with the humanitarian organisations in the delivery of emergency relief assistance;

5. Calls on the Commission to provide the necessary resources to cope with the humanitarian crisis
generated by the new exodus of refugees and displaced persons;

6. Condemns the shooting down of UN aircraft while transporting humanitarian aid supplies;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/57

7. Reaffirms its view that a continued UN presence in Angola can contribute greatly to national
reconciliation;

8. Condemns the use of anti-personnel mines and urges all the parties to refrain immediately from using
any kind of these particularly inhuman weapons;

9. Asks the EU, furthermore, to undertake a special initiative in the field of mine clearance in order to
eliminate one of the major obstacles to building a peace economy;

10. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the UN
Security Council, the OAU and UNITA.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on ACP-EU cooperation and involvement in electoral processes in ACP countries and the role of the**
**Joint Assembly**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the Lomé IV Convention as amended by the agreement signed in Mauritius on 4 November
1997,

— having regard to the guidelines for the negotiation of a new EU-ACP agreement, adopted by the EU Council
of Ministers on 30 June 1998,

— having regard to the ACP negotiating mandate adopted on 30 September 1998,

— having regard to the progress made so far in the negotiations leading to a new partnership agreement, and
in particular to the conclusions of the ACP-EU Ministerial Conference held in Dakar on 8 and 9 February
1999,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in individual countries and on human rights and
democracy,

— having regard to the Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament on
‘Democratisation, the rule of law, respect for human rights and good governance: the challenges of the
partnership between the European Union and the ACP States’ (COM(1998)146),

— having regard to the report of the ACP delegation sent to observe the presidential elections in Togo on
21 June 1998,

— having regard to the report on the mission of 23 February to 3 March 1998 to Papua New Guinea,
including Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands,

— having regard to the European Parliament’s resolution of 9 March 1999 on the outcome of the 1998
ACP-EU Joint Assembly (A4-65/99),

— having regard to Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

— having regard to the European Council’s resolution of 1991 on human rights and development,

A. whereas the European Union has repeatedly affirmed that respect for human rights, democratic principles
and the rule of law constitute the cornerstone of the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
and of development cooperation,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/58 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

B. whereas the negotiations on the future agreement focus unequivocally on the political dimension of the
ACP-EU partnership, and whereas democracy, human rights, the rule of law and responsible governance
should constitute the basis of the future agreement,

C. whereas democracy at the political level implies far more than the mere act of periodically casting a vote,
and covers the entire process of participation by citizens in the decision-making process,

D. whereas the right for citizens to take part in the conduct of public affairs may be achieved through a wide
range of democratic political systems,

E. whereas political pluralism, freedom of expression, equal access to the media during the campaign, secret
ballots and respect for the basic rights of candidates are essential elements of democratic, free and fair
elections,

F. whereas elections in some ACP countries have regularly given cause for concern as to their proper conduct,
with manipulation and irregularities taking place in their preparation, conduct and in the vote-counting
procedure, and competing or opposition parties and candidates being denied an equal opportunity to
campaign for votes,

G. whereas only permanent monitoring of the electoral procedure and the process of democratisation can
guarantee a realistic assessment of the problems and a successful outcome,

H. whereas evenly constituted ACP-EU election observation delegations and missions can at the same time
make an important contribution to easing critical situations in the countries in question,

I. whereas the Joint Assembly, representing as it does the peoples of the ACP-EU States, is a key component
in ACP-EU relations and can make an essential contribution to deepening the political dimension of future
ACP-EU cooperation,

J. regretting that in the past the European Parliament has quite frequently declined official invitations from
the relevant countries to send election observation delegations,

K. considering that despite the expressed need for a common EU approach to election assistance and
observation, there is no common strategy on election observation tasks aimed at ensuring coordination of
efforts,

1. Calls on the ACP Governments to observe the principle of the alternation of power between political
parties by holding free, properly organised elections in a context of political pluralism, democracy and the rule
of law;

2. Stresses the importance to a non-repressive society of freedom of information, the press and opinion, as
well as freedom of political opposition, including fair access for competing political parties to the mass media;

3. Believes that it is up to the ACP countries to set up their own democratic institutions capable of ensuring
respect for all human rights;

4. Believes, in this context, that it is essential to guarantee political pluralism and democratic institutions,
based on a set of rules accepted by the majority of the population and observed both by the government and
the opposition;

5. Calls for closer cooperation between the Commission, the European Parliament and the ACP Group in
the field of election observation, election assistance and post-electoral institutional capacity building;

6. Is convinced that it is necessary to have a joint structure at ACP-EU level in order to assess the fairness of
any election;

7. Calls for a set of common ACP-EU criteria for election observation missions and the training of observers
in order to ensure consistency;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/59

8. Believes that democratic system building is an efficient form of conflict prevention;

9. Welcomes the fact that the ACP Governments are increasingly inviting the Joint Assembly to send
delegations to observe the preparation and conduct of elections and the vote-counting process;

10. Considers it necessary to accept invitations from ACP countries to observe presidential and parliamentary
elections and, in addition, to take part with evenly constituted ACP-EU delegations in all election observation
missions undertaken by the Commission in ACP countries;

11. Calls on the European Parliament to review its criteria governing the sending of electoral observation
missions to the ACP countries, in order to ensure that such missions are always authorized in the case of
controversial elections;

12. Affirms that it is in the interest of the EU and its ACP partners to project a visible identity in election
observation and assistance and in post-electoral institutional capacity building;

13. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP rum**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

A. recalling the Marrakesh agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, in particular the preamble
in which the parties to the agreement recognised, inter alia, that their relations in the field of trade and
economic endeavour should be conducted with a view to raising standards of living etc. in accordance with
the objective of sustainable development, while seeking to protect and preserve the environment,

B. recalling also that the parties agreed that there was need for positive efforts designed to ensure that
developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secure a share in growth in
international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development,

C. concerned that under the forthcoming review it is likely that there will be amendments to various WTO
Agreements which could have an impact on preferential trading,

D. reaffirming its resolution on rum adopted during the 26 [th] Session held in Port Louis (Mauritius) from the
20 to 23 April 1998,

E. recalling the resolution on rum adopted by 68th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels
(Belgium) from 28 to 29 September 1998,

F. recalling the trade objective of the Lome IV Convention of promoting trade between the ACP and the
Community and considering the provisions of Protocol No 6 for the duty free entry of ACP rum to the EU
market was designed to ensure that developing ACP countries secure a share of the rum market
commensurate with the needs of their economic development,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/60 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

G. considering the importance of the rum trade with the EU to the economies of the ACP rum producing
States and the contribution of the rum industry to foreign exchange earnings, employment and hence to
the socio-economic development and political stability of the States concerned,

H. considering that the white spirits agreement initiated during the first WTO Ministerial Conference and the
subsequent EU/US Memorandum of Understanding of March 1997 for the elimination of duties on certain
spiritous beverages eroded the ACP preferences in rum trade and exposed them to competition from third
country suppliers, over 80 % of which are subsidised,

I. noting however the EU Declaration of 24 March 1997 to the effect that the EU/US Memorandum of
Understanding will not change in anyway the terms of access enjoyed by ACP rum exports to the
Community market in the framework of the Lomé Convention, and do not prejudge the future of the
regime after the Convention expires in 2000,

J. noting that the ACP have intensified their promotion campaign to develop a market for the higher quality
branded rums and would require the continuation of the current Lomé IV preferences for an extended
period, so as to enable them to compete in a tariff free market with rums from other regions,

K. considering that as a result of the March 1997 EU/US Memorandum of Understanding which exposed ACP
rums to increased competition from subsidised brands on their traditional markets, it is imperative that
corrective action be taken prior to February 2000 if ACP rum industries are to survive,

1. Calls on the Community and its Member States to:

(i) fully honour their commitments under Protocol 6 on Rum in the Fourth Lomé Convention, including the
commitment under the mid-term review, and extend the preferences beyond 2000 to permit the ACP to
develop their traditional trade flows with the EU to its full potential;

(ii) ensure that the interest of ACP rum producers are fully defended in the forthcoming review of the WTO
Agreements;

(iii) ensure that, as stated in the Declaration of 24 March 1997 given in the context of the EU/US Memorandum
of Understanding, the terms of access for ACP rum exports are not adversely affected and their competitive
position in the market is maintained;

(iv) index for inflation the pricing mechanism of the EU/US Memorandum of Understanding retaining the
tariffs on low-priced rum and EU duties on non-ACP rum, thereby safeguarding the ACP against
competition from third country suppliers of subsidised brands;

(v) ensure that appropriate arrangements are made prior to the expiry of the Lomé IV Convention to ensure
that ACP rums maintain their share of the EU market and their preferences are not further eroded;

(vi) ensure that the GATT compatible pricing mechanism, which retains tariffs on low-priced rum from non
ACP countries, is maintained and not traded away in any future GATT/WTO rounds of tariff reductions;

(vii) maintain strict enforcement, without derogations, of EU rules limiting commercial use of the term ‘rum’
as described in Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1576/89;

2. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/61

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP sugar**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

A. recalling the Marrakesh agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, in particular the preamble
in which the parties to the agreement recognised, _inter alia_, that their relations in the field of trade and
economic endeavour should be conducted with a view to raising standards of living etc. in accordance with
the objective of sustainable development while seeking to protect and preserve the environment,

B. recalling also that the parties agreed that there was need for positive efforts designed to ensure that
developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secure a share in growth in
international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development,

C. considering that under the forthcoming review it is likely that there will be amendments to the Agreement
on Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures which could have an impact
on the preferential trading sugar,

D. reaffirming its resolution on sugar adopted during the 26th Session held in Port Louis (Mauritius) from 20
to 23 April 1998,

E. recalling the resolution on sugar adopted at 68th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels
(Belgium) from 28 to 29 September 1998,

F. considering that the ACP Sugar Protocol is an integral part of the EU regime and the ACP quantities are
bound in the EU’s WTO commitments,

G. noting that the ACP sugar producing States, with few exceptions, are net food importing, developing,
least-developed, land-locked or island states with peculiar economic and social difficulties which rely on
sugar revenue for their socio-economic development,

H. noting also that ACP countries have been using the earnings from exports to the EU in their rationalisation
programmes to improve efficiency, increase productivity, optimise the use of by-products and generally
enhance their level of competitiveness,

I. recognising the multi-functional nature of the sugar industry to ACP supplying States, its role as a foreign
exchange earner and major employer and its contribution to environmental protection and rural
development,

J. reaffirming that the ACP supplying States are committed to the rationalisation of their industries to become
globally competitive, but recognise that there is a need to ensure that the peculiar situation of developing
countries is taken fully into account in the globalisation process,

1. Calls on the European Union to:

(i) to ensure that the guarantees enshrined in the ACP/EU Protocol on Sugar are not adversely affected by the
millennium round of negotiations;

(ii) ensure that the WTO commitment to secure a share in the growth of international trade for developing
countries commensurate with the needs of their economic development is fully honoured, and that the
guarantees of the Sugar Protocol are not eroded by unbridled trade liberalisation;

(iii) ensure that every effort is made to defend and maintain the preferential trading agreement and hence
honour the commitment given to the ACP under the Sugar Protocol;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/62 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

(iv) acknowledge the role of ACP sugar industry in the EU refining industry and recognise the mutual benefit
to all parties concerned derived from the preferential trading under the Protocol and Special Preferential
Sugar Agreement;

(v) recognise the efforts made by the ACP at rationalisation, as highlighted in the annual memorandum on
economic factors, and ensure that the price offered for ACP sugar takes fully into account all relevant
factors, and that it contributes positively to the viability of ACP industries;

(vi) acknowledge the multi-functional nature of ACP sugar industries, in particular their contribution to
environmental protection, rural development, employment, foreign exchange earnings and the general
socio-economic development in ACP supplying States;

2. Instructs its Co-President to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the WTO millennium round of negotiations**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the Marrakech agreements,

— having regard to the European Parliament’s various resolutions on the functioning of the WTO,

— having regard to the European Parliament’s various resolutions on the trade disputes concerning the COM
in bananas,

A. bearing in mind that the benefits and costs of multi-lateral trade liberalisation under the Uruguay Round
have been unevenly spread between industrialised and developing countries and that this imbalance needs
to be redressed in favour of developing countries,

B. recognising, in this connection, the special situation of small States, which by virtue of their small size, face
severe constraints such as undue exposure to external factors and risks beyond their control, high volatility
of terms of trade because of a narrow base of export products and limited possibilities for diversification,

C. whereas the main aim of the World Trade Organisation must be to organise world trade in a balanced way
which enables all parts of the world to develop harmoniously,

D. considering this as an area for concern in the current EU/ACP negotiations on proposals for establishment
of REPAs with the ACP countries,

E. whereas the EU and the ACP countries have a shared conception of balanced development which respects
the environment and certain social standards and objectives,

F. whereas a new round of multilateral negotiations is set to begin in the forthcoming months,

G. recognising that increased industrialisation in developing countries on the basis of the processing of
agricultural products is hampered by the less efficient but well protected outputs from Europe,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/63

H. whereas there has been an increase in the number of trade disputes, particularly those relating to the trade
preferences granted by the European Union to produce imported from ACP countries, between the
European Union and the United States of America,

1. Formally requests the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States of the EU and
the governments of the ACP states to make every effort to ensure that the ‘millennium round’ negotiations lead
to the recognition by the WTO of the preferential agreements as development aid instruments;

2. Emphasises the need for special and differential treatment for small States, both in terms of access to
concessionary finance and trade preferences, with due regard to their vulnerability and limited capacity to
withstand external risks and threats;

3. Expresses its support — backed by most developing countries including the majority of the ACP States
belonging to the WTO — for the preservation, strengthening and implementation of the WTO’s existing S & D
provisions, many of which have lacked enforcement due to their non-binding nature;

4. Calls for the extension of S & D provisions to allow for positive discrimination in favour of vulnerable
single commodity-dependent economies through the establishment of an index to allow for the inclusion of
small island states;

5. Recalls the commitment of the EU and the ACP states to the agreements entered into in the framework
of the various Lomé Conventions;

6. Stresses that the agreements entered into by the EU in the framework of the WTO have no legal
precedence over those it has entered into in the framework of the Lomé Convention;

7. Calls on the Commission and the Council to strengthen the aid and technical advice arrangements for
the ACP states in order to enable them to participate fully in the forthcoming negotiations;

8. Requests a review of WTO mechanisms in order to enable the interests of developing countries and, in
particular, the objective of combating poverty, to be taken into greater consideration;

9. Calls on all WTO Members to ensure that the agenda for new multilateral negotiations to be agreed at
the Third WTO Ministerial meeting (end of 1999) clearly reflects the ultimate objective of the negotiations:
sustainable development to the benefit of all;

10. Supports proposals to convert special and differentiated treatment provisions into obligations with a
legally binding nature, which will help to ensure that panel rulings take better account of social and economic
repercussions in developing countries;

11. Calls for the precise and unique circumstances of each protocol sector to be taken into account and that
the protocols be tailored, on a case-by-case basis, to the requirements of each sector, with regard to the review
of the Lomé Convention’s protocols;

12. Recalls also that the process which has led to the current level of development in many European
countries involved periods of relative protection and that the countries which are currently developing must
be able to benefit, where necessary, from special treatment;

13. Calls on the future ACP and European negotiators to draw up a common strategy in order to promote
the recognition by the WTO of the legitimacy of the health, environmental and social norms which it tends to
regard as obstacles to world trade;

14. Deplores the unilateral approach currently being taken by the United States of America in the
management of trade disputes and calls on the WTO to strengthen the sanction mechanisms that apply to
countries which make use of such measures;

15. Deplores, in particular, the American attitude in the dispute over the COM in bananas;

16. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the Commission, the ACP-EU Council of
Ministers and the Director-General of the WTO.

C 271/64 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the WTO millennium round of negotiations with special reference to ACP bananas**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— recalling its previous resolutions on bananas, particularly the resolution adopted at the 26th Session, held
in Port Louis (Mauritius) from 20 to 23 April 1998,

— recalling the resolution on bananas adopted at the 68th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers, held in
Brussels (Belgium) from 28 to 29 September 1998,

A. recalling the Marrakesh agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, in particular the preamble
in which the parties to the agreement recognised, _inter alia,_ that their relations in the field of trade and
economic endeavour should be conducted with a view to raising standards of living etc. in accordance with
the objective of sustainable development, while seeking to protect and preserve the environment,

B. recalling also that the parties agreed that there was a need for positive efforts designed to ensure that
developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secured a share in growth in
international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development,

C. whereas under the forthcoming review it is likely that there will be amendments to the Agreement on
Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures which could have an impact on
preferential trading in bananas,

D. whereas the Lomé Convention was granted a waiver in the WTO and that the Banana Protocol is a legal
agreement under that international convention,

E. noting that the ACP banana-producing States are net food importing, developing, least-developed,
landlocked or island states with particular economic and social difficulties, which rely on revenue from
banana exports for their socio-economic development,

F. noting also that the parties to the WTO agreement, including the US, while committing themselves to trade
liberalisation, have also agreed to address the special needs of developing countries, and, in this regard,
subscribed to the principle of special and differential treatment,

G. recalling the EU’s commitment under the Lomé IV Convention to safeguarding access for the ACP banana
producers their traditional markets and to improving the conditions under which ACP fruit is produced
and marketed,

H. whereas the EU banana regime enacted by Regulation (EC) No 404/93 was intended to ensure that the EU’s
commitment to the ACP banana-producing States and EU banana-producing regions was honoured under
the Common Organisation of the Market (COM) in bananas and to facilitate restructuring of the industries
to increase efficiency,

I. whereas, following a decision by the WTO, the European Union amended its COM in the banana sector in
order to comply with the recommendations made by the dispute settlement body, which declared certain
aspects of the Community import regime to be incompatible with the rules of international trade,

J. whereas, immediately following the announcement of the new Community regime (which came into force
on 1 January 1999), the USA argued that the regime did not comply with WTO rules and declared its
intention to impose sanctions on the European Union unilaterally,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/65

K. whereas the USA is not itself a banana producer and whereas its only interests are through the
multinationals which dominate the sector (Chiquita, Dole and Del Monte),

L. whereas a WTO panel is responsible for ruling on the validity of the new European banana import regime
and on the legality of the sanctions announced by the US Government,

M. strongly condemning the US decision to impose, without waiting for the verdict of the panel, unilateral
sanctions on the European Union which are unlawful, economically unjustified and politically unacceptable,

N. whereas the pursuit of the unilateralist approach adopted by the USA would weaken the international
trading system and seriously jeopardise the prospects for the next round of trade negotiations (the
Millennium Round), which is due to begin next November in Seattle,

1. Expresses the greatest concern regarding the situation of ACP and European banana producers and, more
generally, regarding the future of the sector;

2. Calls on the Council of the European Union to:

i. continue, whatever the outcome of the WTO panel, to honour its commitment to the ACP and the
European producers by guaranteeing that the advantages in, and access to, EU market for ACP and
European bananas are maintained;

ii. extend this commitment beyond the current regime to provide adequate time for the States and regions
concerned to restructure their economies and adapt to changing circumstances;

iii. ensure that the preferences granted to the ACP countries under the Lomé Convention are not further
eroded by any review of the multilateral trading agreements;

iv. strongly resist at the highest level the illegal action being taken by the US to force the dismantling of the
banana regime and ensure that the international community is fully aware of the implications of such
action;

v. not to withdraw its complaint, irrespective of the outcome of the current dispute, so that it can be formally
established that US law does not comply with the rules of the international trade system to which the USA
has subscribed and, retrospectively, that the sanctions adopted on the basis of that law are illegal;

vi. urge the US to honour its commitment in the WTO and return to the established multilateral procedures
for resolving the dispute;

vii. ensure that adequate resources are provided under a technical and financial assistance programme to
facilitate the restructuring of ACP industries;

3. Urges the Commission and the Council to approach the Millennium Round with the firm intention of
securing recognition for the Union’s right to honour the commitments which it has made in connection with
Community preference and ACP preference;

4. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the WTO
Director-General, the US Congress and the US Government.

C 271/66 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the WTO millennium round of negotiations**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

A. having regard to its resolution on biotechnology (ACP-EU 2613/98/fin.) of May 1998,

B. having regard to the GATT agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIP), the ongoing
negotiations for revising Article 27.3b and the proposals for a new ‘Millennium’ comprehensive round of
trade negotiations,

C. having regard to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which recognises in Article 15 the sovereign
rights of States over their own natural resources, stipulates in Article 15.5 that access to genetic resources
must be subject to prior informed consent of the party providing the resources, and requires in Article 15.7
fair and equitable participation in the benefits derived from the utilisation of the genetic resources,

D. having regard to the EU Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions (98/44/EC), and
the legal challenges posed by the government of The Netherlands,

E. having regard to Article 130v of the Treaty of the European Union on coherence of policies, which states
that the Community shall take account of the development objectives in the policies that it implements
which are likely to affect developing countries,

F. having regard to the Lomé IVa Convention and its general policy objectives in terms of poverty eradication
and sustainable development in general, and rural and agricultural development and food security in
particular,

1. Recalls its ethical and development objections against patenting of plants and animals; and stresses its
fear for long term negative impact on agricultural development and food security; deplores the development of
sterile varieties by genetic manipulation (‘terminator technology’);

2. Considers that the integration of developing countries in world trade should be coupled with empowering
them to participate in WTO decision-making procedures and to take advantage of dispute settlement
mechanisms; calls therefore on European and ACP partners to work together on the creation of a legal aid
centre independent of WTO and tailored to supporting developing countries in WTO procedures and
mechanisms;

3. Therefore confirms that states should be free to make an exception for life forms in patent law;

4. Therefore also confirms sovereignty of the ACP states concerning access to, and utilisation of genetic

resources;

5. Reconfirms the need for the new Lomé Convention to include provisions relating to the principles of
Article 8(j) of the CBD concerning the preservation of knowledge, innovation and the practices of indigenous
and local communities and their intellectual and cultural property rights, including approval, involvement and
the equitable sharing of benefits of any use of such resources;

6. Calls on the EU and ACP states to stand firm in maintaining sui generis options which allow countries to
develop alternative legislation to regulate biotechnology, intellectual property rights and related issues, to
counterbalance biopiracy, and to strengthen the rights of local communities;

7. Calls on the European Commission and the EU Member States in particular to defend the sui generis
options in article 27 3.b of the TRIPS agreement;

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/67

8. Calls on the EU and its Member States to support ACP states to develop legislation tailored to their own
situation and interests;

9. Calls on the EU and ACP states to initiate a political dialogue and capacity building mechanism on the
negotiations over the TRIPs Agreement in the WTO to ensure that the food security concerns of the developing
world are taken into account fully in international trade rules;

10. Requests the European Commission to inform the Assembly in its next meeting on the state of affairs
in the negotiations on the TRIPs Agreement and the steps taken to support ACP states to participate in those
negotiations and to develop appropriate legislation on intellectual property rights;

11. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission and to
the secretariat of the CBD.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the participation of civil society in the development process**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the negotiating guidelines for a new ACP-EU Convention adopted by the Council of the
European Union on 30 June 1998,

— having regard to the ACP negotiating mandate adopted on 30 September 1998,

— having regard to the results of the negotiations so far with a view to concluding a new partnership
agreement, and particularly the conclusions of the ACP-EU ministerial conference in Dakar on 8 and
9 February 1999,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1658/98 of 17 July 1998 on co-financing operations with
European non-governmental development organisations (NGOs) in fields of interest to the developing
countries,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 of 17 July 1998 on decentralised cooperation,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on integrating gender issues
in development cooperation,

— having regard to the report on the Commission communication on the guidelines for the negotiation of
new cooperation agreements with the ACP countries (‘Rocard report’),

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
(COM(98)667) on a European Community strategy for private sector development in ACP countries,

— having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the Green Paper on the relations
between the EU and ACP countries,

A. whereas it is important that the participation of civil society should be boosted, especially looking ahead to
the next Lomé Convention,

B. whereas the participation of civil society in the dialogue on political guidelines and in cooperation projects
is essential to the stability and prosperity of any country and constitutes a guarantee for the success and
sustainability of such projects,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/68 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

C. whereas in civil society, population groups form private, non-profit-making organisations, nongovernmental organisations, foundations, associations or trade unions, which define themselves by their
guiding principles and objectives, which are concerned with socio-economic issues, the public good or the
community,

D. whereas local authorities and NGOs are important as players in decentralised cooperation,

E. whereas, in this connection, representatives of economic and social partners have a key role to play,

F. whereas civil society draws its strength from communication and interaction and from the ability to form
networks, and whereas an essential precondition for this is the establishment of democracy and the rule of
law, particularly including freedom of expression and association,

G. whereas, in order for development policy objectives to be attained, it is particularly important to build up
structures which give the various parties concerned, such as local authorities, associations, nongovernmental organisations, migrants’ associations, private patrons and indeed enterprises, training
establishments or non-governmental development organisations, the opportunity to make an effective
contribution through their commitment,

H. whereas women have taken on a role both in the development process and in organising the interests of
civil society,

I. whereas civil society must also be strengthened in big cities, where there are large-scale problems with
drugs and social exclusion,

J. whereas civil society may be the key to the organisation of labour and of the system of education and to
the strengthening of cultural identity and social equilibrium,

K. whereas there is a need for a coordinated strategy which is tailored to the needs of the societies and cultures
of the ACP States and enables more people to benefit from sharing economic, social and cultural resources,

L. drawing attention to the importance of disaster prevention and preparedness, as emphasised by the UN
international decade,

M. whereas, since the first Lomé Convention was concluded in 1975, there has been a spectacular increase in
the number of natural and man-made disasters, with five times as many people as before now being
affected by major crises,

N. whereas disaster prevention and preparedness are not specifically included among the objectives and
priorities laid down in the Lomé IV Convention,

1. Stresses that any development process must be based on full participation by civil society in the taking
of decisions and the management of cooperation;

2. Endorses the decision to make the political dimension of the ACP-EU partnership a priority in the
negotiations on the new ACP-EU partnership agreement, a dimension characterised by respect for human
rights and the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance;

3. Calls on the ACP-EU Council and the Commission to encourage civil society organisations and those
active in the social and economic spheres by strengthening socio-economic institutions, the freedom of the
press and the independence of the media;

4. Welcomes the activities of the European Union in the field of decentralised cooperation and stresses in
this context that decentralised cooperation should be assigned higher priority as one of the premises of
cooperation in the future ACP-EU agreement;

5. Considers that the specific and at the same time complementary roles of the State, decentralised public
administration, the private sector and all the numerous components of society and civil society are
indispensable to the development process and to the creation of a stable and politically democratic society;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/69

6. Welcomes and encourages the activities of the European Economic and Social Committee in organising
the dialogue between civil society organisations of the ACP and EU countries;

7. Calls for the future Lomé Convention to give an appropriate place to local authorities and NGOs as
bodies which play a leading role in civil society as regards implementation of decentralised cooperation;

8. Wishes to see an independent arbitration body set up, the task of which would be to enable any
beneficiary of a Lomé Convention development project which is experiencing difficulties or which considers
itself to have suffered as a result of the implementation of the programmes to have its case heard and to lodge
an appeal;

9. Considers it essential that parties involved in the economy, social affairs and civil society at national,
local or regional level organise themselves, and calls on the governments of the ACP countries, therefore, to
create the necessary regulatory conditions to promote private initiative and facilitate the establishment of a
wide variety of associations;

10. Takes the view that the Commission and the governments of the EU Member States and the ACP States
must do all they can to facilitate direct links between those active in civil society, North and South;

11. Notes that particular support must be provided for the purpose of creating links amongst associations
and NGOs in ACP States and developing forms of direct cooperation between them;

12. Calls on the ACP Governments, in accordance with the principles of democracy and the rule of law, to
create the preconditions to enable citizens to participate in all aspects of society, in order to be able to defend
their own interests, and to participate in general decision-making and the administration of public funds, and
in particular to facilitate and promote participation by women on an equal footing in all social processes;

13. Reaffirms that all sections of society, and particularly representatives of civil society, must have access
to free and independent media;

14. Considers that, in the context of urban development, priority must be given to grassroots urban
economic activity, aid for training and the marketing of products;

15. Recalls the importance of fair trade, which is genuine North-South cooperation between citizens, and
calls for measures to promote such trade to be included amongst the aims of the next Lomé Convention and
for the Commission to introduce a policy to support fair trade on the basis of the recommendations adopted
by the European Parliament;

16. Stresses that the ACP countries should assign priority to the development of human resources, which
are the basis for enhanced dialogue between the government, economic and social representatives and other
civil-society organisations, and draws attention, therefore, to the need to make it possible for all girls and boys
to receive primary schooling and the need to carry out adult literacy campaigns and in addition to reinforce
education programmes, particularly including citizenship elements;

17. Urges all the bodies involved in the negotiations on the renewal of the Lomé Convention to acknowledge
that disaster prevention and preparedness form an integral part of sustainable development;

18. Calls for the new Lomé Convention to make provision for disaster prevention and preparedness
strategies involving representatives of civil society and NGOs in the ACP regions most exposed to major risks;

19. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

C 271/70 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the significance of small and medium-sized enterprises for sustainable development in the ACP**
**countries**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on economic, social, industrial and sustainable development, the
significance of microloans, the role of women in the economy and the importance of the private sector,

— having regard to the Fourth Lomé Convention as amended on 4 November 1997 in Mauritius,

— having regard to the negotiating guidelines for a new ACP-EU Convention adopted by the Council of the
European Union on 30 June 1998 and to the ACP negotiating mandate adopted on 30 September 1998,

— having regard to the results to date of the negotiations on a new partnership agreement, particularly the
conclusions of the ACP-EU ministerial conference in Dakar on 8 and 9 February 1999,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
(COM(1998)667) on a ‘European Community strategy for private sector development in ACP countries’,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the ‘European Parliament
(COM(1998)527) on ‘microfinance and poverty reduction’,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1658/98 of 17 July 1998 on co-financing operations with
European non-governmental development organisation (NGOs) in fields of interest to the developing
countries,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on integrating gender issues
in development cooperation,

— having regard to the study of small and medium-sized enterprises, technology and development, a working
document for the STOA Panel of the European Parliament, PE 167.795 (Draft Final Study), February 1999,

A. whereas two of the main challenges to be taken up under the next ACP-EU Convention are the smooth
integration of the ACP countries into the world economy and the integration of poor people into the social
and economic life of their country,

B. whereas, in this connection, the private sector has a decisive role to play as a driving force behind growth,
social and economic development and the fight against poverty in the ACP countries,

C. whereas the creation of a stable political, institutional, economic and legal environment is a necessary
(though not a sufficient) condition for the development of SMEs and micro-enterprises, which are subject
to constraints of their own,

D. whereas, while using little capital, SMEs contribute substantially to job creation,

E. whereas SMEs are an important source of technological innovation and adaptation of technologies to the
local situation and play a particularly significant role in training staff,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/71

F. having regard to the objectives of development cooperation under the Fourth Lomé Convention, through
the numerous national and regional indicative programmes, as regards promoting the private sector:

— to create jobs by promoting SMEs,

— to combat poverty in the informal sector by supporting microenterprises and

— to increase exports by promoting trade,

G. whereas, in the ACP countries, the private sector is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) and micro-enterprises (merchants, traders, craftsmen, etc.),

H. whereas small-scale and micro-enterprises (often family-based) employ almost 80% of the labour force in
the ACP countries and represent, for the most disadvantaged sections of society and for women in
particular, a means of acquiring an income and social status,

I. whereas, in comparison with large enterprises, SMEs possess far greater potential for wider geographical
supply, facilitating more balanced economic and industrial development,

J. whereas small and micro enterprises have lower initial costs and hence lower administrative costs, which
makes it easier for people to set up enterprises who would otherwise be excluded from economic
development, such as women and those without property,

K. whereas securing access to credit from major commercial banks is one of the biggest obstacles to the
setting up and subsequent development of micro-enterprises in the informal sector and also (to a significant
extent) to the development of SMEs,

L. whereas the STOA Panel study of small and medium-sized enterprises, technology and development found
that support for SMEs is still defective, mainly because of excessively complicated administrative procedures,
difficulties with local intermediaries, lack of information, inadequate transparency and politicisation of
fund allocation, poor coordination between EU programmes and those of national and international
agencies promoting SMEs, inadequate utilisation of local expertise and inadequate coordination between
technical and economic development projects,

1. Emphasises the fact that SMEs and micro-enterprises represent the most substantial source of employment
in the economies of the ACP countries and that they make a decisive contribution to the poverty alleviation
strategies implemented in those countries;

2. Considers it essential, therefore, for appropriate conditions to be created in order to encourage private
initiative (including small-scale private initiative) and to promote the emergence of a dense, dynamic fabric of
active SMEs and micro-enterprises which generate jobs and income, including for the poorest people and for

women;

3. Welcomes therefore the fact that the negotiations on a new ACP-EU partnership agreement indicate that
the central role of the private sector and the significant role played by small and medium-sized enterprises in
the development process are now fully acknowledged;

4. Welcomes the Commission’s decision to draw up a comprehensive strategy for EU funding of measures
to develop the private sector in ACP countries, which is intended to apply not only to programmes relating
specifically to the private sector but to all EDF-financed measures which involve the private sector;

5. Stresses the need, by means of financial cooperation between the ACP and EU, to provide operators in
the informal economy and small and medium-sized enterprises with the requisite resources and, in so doing,
to assign priority to granting small and micro loans to the poor;

6. Calls in particular on the Union to introduce means of supporting the creation and development of
micro-financing institutions in the ACP countries in association with the formal banking sector in order to
provide a smooth transition when businesses’ financial requirements grow;

C 271/72 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

7. Calls on the Governments of the ACP countries, at political level, to create the right conditions for
democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law, in order to increase the
trustworthiness of State institutions, guarantee social stability and foster a climate favourable to investment;

8. Calls on the ACP countries to create a macroeconomic and regulatory framework which makes possible
competitive, open and integrated markets for goods, services, labour and capital and thereby promotes the
operations of SMEs and the confidence of foreign businesses in the stability of the local situation;

9. Considers that the European Union should provide greater support for the efforts made by the ACP
countries to create conditions which are favourable to investment and do not harm the environment or
infringe social rights, particularly as regards child labour and health and safety in the workplace;

10. Hopes that all the available instruments (in particular those of the EIB and the IDB), will be mobilised in
order to encourage investment and partnerships between European SMEs and SMEs established in the ACP
countries, including in the form of joint ventures;

11. Recognises, in this connection, the need to support the establishment and the strengthening of the
capacities of liaison bodies such as the ACP countries’ chambers of commerce or trade associations, so as to
enable projects to be identified and information to be disseminated among businesses;

12. Welcomes the creation of the Association of the ACP National Chambers of Commerce, Industry and
Other Economic Operators and considers it essential that this initiative should be supported in order to make
a meaningful contribution to ACP-EU development cooperation and accelerate the full participation of the
ACP private sector in the economic and social development of their countries;

13. Urges the Commission to allocate resources, as a matter of urgency, to the Association’s Network
Project, which includes the ’Business Initiative for Women’ training component, and to report on the progress
made in this endeavour at the next meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly;

14. Stresses that in order for enterprise to flourish, a reliable and effective infrastructure is needed, including
roads, telecommunications, electricity and water supplies;

15. Calls on the Governments of the ACP countries, by means of the education and training system and by
providing social services in the fields of public health and security, to generate the necessary human resources
which are the basic precondition for the supply of skilled labour and which are among the most important
considerations in business location decisions;

16. Stresses once again in this connection that special importance must be attached to the role of the State
in ensuring equal access to primary education for boys and girls and thus improving the status and
opportunities of women;

17. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the EIB,
the IDB, the Economic and Social Committee and the Association of National Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of the ACP countries.

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/73

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the cultural dimension in development cooperation, including matters relating to heritage and**
**tourism**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
(COM(1998)563) on a European Community strategy to support the development of sustainable tourism
in the developing countries,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
(COM(1998)667) on a European Community strategy for private sector development in ACP countries,

— having regard to Council Regulation No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on integrating gender issues in
development cooperation,

— having regard to the resolutions of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on education and training,

— having regard to the resolutions of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on rural and urban sustainable development,

— having regard to the resolutions of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on conflict prevention,

— having regard to the report ‘Our Creative Diversity’ of the World Commission of Culture and Development,
drawn up for the UN and UNESCO, published in November 1995 and forwarded to the UN in autumn
1996,

— having regard to the UNESCO Action Plan adopted at the Intergovernmental Conference on ‘Cultural policy
for development’ which was held in Stockholm from 30 March to 2 April 1998,

A. whereas cultural cooperation is one of the principal means of promoting mutual understanding amongst
the people of Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe and of promoting a better knowledge of the
civilisations of the various countries,

B. whereas cultural measures are of particular significance for sustainable local, regional and national
development and whereas, particularly in local development projects, culture and cultural projects promote
progressive socio-economic development,

C. whereas cultural goods must be preserved, as they are of enormous historical, artistic, educational, social
and economic value, which is normally closely associated with the reputation of a region for purposes of
tourism, because a well-preserved cultural heritage of high quality is attractive to visitors, tourists and
investors,

D. whereas respect for cultural identities and tolerance for cultural and other differences in a context of plural
democratic values are among the preconditions for lasting and just peace,

E. whereas the living cultivation of cultural traditions and activities can enhance the self-respect and
self-confidence of the people, and whereas active participation by the people in cultural activities can
contribute to conflict prevention,

F. whereas an increasing number of people are travelling to ACP destinations, which represents a major
opportunity for the cultural and economic enrichment of the peoples of Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific
and Europe,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/74 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

G. whereas the next ACP-EU Convention must facilitate cultural and tourist exchanges between the signatory
countries,

1. Considers that the cultural dimension should be assigned a significantly higher priority as one of the
main components of comprehensive and sustainable development cooperation in coordination with other
fields of ACP cooperation policy;

2. Calls on the Commission and Member States to support the ACP countries in their efforts to promote
environmentally and socially sustainable tourism and to preserve and cultivate the cultural heritage, which
may comprise both non-material and material assets, and to incorporate this aspiration into the future
convention with the ACP countries in an appropriate form and help minimise tampering with ACP artefacts;

3. Stresses the need to promote the creative potential of people by means of general regional and local
cultural policies and to use it for local initiatives which reflect cultural diversity and if appropriate to give
ethnic, religious or other minorities the necessary scope for their traditional cultural forms of expression and
customs;

4. Considers that special attention should be devoted to the link between culture and education, that the
development of artistic and creative talents should be assigned an appropriate place at all levels of education,
and that instruction in the arts and in crafts should form part even of the primary education of girls and boys;

5. Proposes that exchange programmes between ACP and EU universities should be made a priority within
the sphere of ACP-EU cooperation, in particular by means of twinning experiments between universities, in
order, inter alia, to facilitate the mobility of ACP and EU students;

6. Observes that it is essential to involve the local population and local-community decision-makers directly
in programmes to preserve the cultural heritage and promote tourism in order to achieve general acceptance
and a readiness to identify with the measures and their history, and observes that participation by women on
an equal footing ought in particular to be facilitated and promoted;

7. Considers that cooperation between governments, the private sector and civil-society organisations in
the field of culture is essential, to which end an appropriate legal framework should be created;

8. Considers that promoting small and medium-sized enterprises in fields directly or indirectly associated
with tourism, preserving the cultural heritage and organising cultural events, such as museums, memorials,
hotels, restaurants, the operation of nature parks, travel agencies, trade or small business operations have a key
role to play in creating jobs and generating economic activity;

9. Stresses the need to create opportunities to obtain training and instruction in the restoration and
rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage, including passing on traditional methods and use of
traditional materials;

10. Notes that preserving and reviving the ‘classical’ culture, such as singing, dance, painting, theatre and
music, requires tuition in the disciplines concerned, which means that appropriate support needs to be
provided for training in the performing arts;

11. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the ACP countries, in accordance with general
development objectives and priorities, to earmark an appropriate proportion of support funds for investment
in the cultural sector and to promote environmentally and socially sustainable tourism;

12. Stresses the importance of research, compilation of inventories, registration and cataloguing of the
cultural heritage, including oral traditions, and the need to protect buildings, cultural sites and landscapes as
part of urban and rural development planning;

13. Firmly believes tourism to be one of the most important ways of enabling the peoples of the countries
signatory to the ACP-EU Convention to get to know one another and hopes that, in the context of ACP-EU
cultural cooperation, emphasis will be placed on supporting responsible tourism which is sustainable from the
cultural and social points of view, particularly through the promotion of travel programmes designed to enable
people to learn more about the cultural dimension of the ACP-EU countries;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/75

14. Stresses that it is important to ensure that culture and the environment are not endangered by tourism,
and calls on the EU Member States, the ACP countries, the Commission and the EIB, particularly in countries
where tourism is a major factor, to ensure that policy on culture and tourism is geared to fostering balanced
and sustainable development by carrying out assessments, identifying fields of action and coordinating dialogue
between the principal participants;

15. Calls on the ACP countries, in the field of regional integration and cooperation, to ascertain the scope
for the participation of networks and for cofinancing of cultural initiatives and organisations;

16. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission and
UNESCO.

**RESOLUTION** ( [1] )

**on the contribution of research and science — including information technologies — to sustainable**
**development**

_The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,_

— meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

— having regard to the Rocard report on guidelines for renegotiating the Lomé Agreement,

— having regard to the Commission Communication entitled ‘The Information Society and Development: the
Role of the European Union’,

A. whereas cooperation policy and ACP-EU relations in all their forms should promote sustainable
development in the ACP countries,

B. whereas the successor agreement to Lomé IV must make an effective contribution to increasing equity
within and between nations in order to reverse the growing marginalisation of the ACP countries,

C. whereas research and scientific and technological innovation are decisive factors in economic dynamism,
which is a precondition for the sustainable development of the developing countries, and whereas
strengthening them can help to narrow the gap between the developing and the industrialised countries by
optimising the human and material resources of the former in an appropriate manner,

D. whereas the modern world is divided into technologically rich entities and technologically poor ones;
whereas a number of ACP countries are virtually excluded from the major technological changes in the
world, are unable to use modern technology and have no access to the rules and regulations of that
technology,

E. noting that the developing countries’ lack of financial and human resources increases their dependence on
the industrialised countries and stressing that the ultimate aim of all cooperation in the area of research
should be to build up local research capacities able to work in liaison with the international scientific
community,

F. firmly believing that the promotion of research and technological development and access to technology
are essential both for economic progress and for the smooth integration of the ACP countries into the
world economy,

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

C 271/76 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

G. whereas research carried out in the developing countries — particularly in the ACP countries — should
take account first and foremost of the specific constraints and development needs of those countries, and
should be based in particular on the development of technologies directed towards the sustainable use of
local resources,

H. whereas it is essential to develop the use of first-line technologies based on the capacities and cultural
resources of the population as well as on outside technological assistance which is cheap and easily
disseminated,

I. whereas the sustainable development of developing countries must also be based on mobilising and
optimising human resources, and whereas education and training stimulate the development of research
capacities,

J. having regard to the immense possibilities for communication and knowledge offered by the information
society, as well as the opportunities it provides in terms of gaining economic independence and of
development, and conscious of the considerable benefits the ACP countries could derive from its
development,

K. whereas information technology determines a country’s opportunity and ability to generate wealth, power
and knowledge and its ability to compete internationally in either the manufacturing or the services sector,

L. whereas the European Union, in the framework of the future EU-ACP partnership agreement, must give
increased support to scientific research and technological development, and whereas this assistance should
consist, inter alia, of financial transfers aimed at independent research capacity building, transfer of
appropriate technology, exchanges and the linking of scientific and technological know-how and experience
to priority needs,

1. Stresses that it is strategically important for the ACP countries to be able to take part in, and have access
to, scientific and technical progress and calls on the EU to demonstrate greater solidarity vis-à-vis its ACP
partners in that area so that their social, economic and cultural development can be stimulated;

2. Takes the view that future cooperation with the European Union in the area of scientific and technological
research must take the form of helping to strengthen and to build endogenous research capacity which will
meet in a local and very concrete way the challenges encountered by the ACP countries and allow priorities to
be established which meet the real development needs of the societies in question;

3. Calls on the European Union to provide, under the next ACP-EU agreement, direct aid for technology
transfer so as to boost job creation, training and efficient government administration of the state, and to
provide technical assistance to the governments of the ACP countries in order to enable technology transfer
and skills training to be incorporated into contracts with international companies;

4. Takes the view that the EU must also help the ACP countries to define their information and
communications needs and on this basis to develop policies appropriate to their own development objectives,
which should always be guided by the wish to promote access to information for the greatest possible number
of people and equal opportunities for all citizens, and which should allow the benefits of the global information
society to be fairly distributed between North and South;

5. Calls on the European Union and the ACP countries to cooperate within the WTO in order to seek a
revision of trade-related property rights (TRPS) and to reduce the impact of increased technology costs by
means of an extensive protection of patents, particularly in the developing countries;

6. Stresses the need to optimise traditional knowledge and local resources, which are likely to provide very
practical solutions to specific local needs and to offer genuine sources of innovation for research worldwide;

7. Takes the view that stress must be laid on first-line technologies which enable countries to emerge from
poverty and to begin a cumulative process of sustainable wealth production and which include the areas of
health and hygiene, water, and waste processing and recycling;

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/77

8. Considers it necessary to set up a European foundation for the assistance and long-term support of
research laboratories in the developing countries with a view to improving knowledge of the environment,
resources and societies of these countries;

9. Takes the view that while the brain drain can be used to set up networks of expatriate scientists, assistance
should also be given to research scientists who wish to remain in, or return to, their countries of origin;

10. Stresses the importance and the urgency of working for the development of a universal information
society in which the developing countries would play a full part;

11. Calls for a strategy to be defined which takes the information society aspect into account in the analysis
of cooperation projects and programmes, so that cooperation instruments can be organised in a more
consistent and effective fashion;

12. Recalls that access to information sources, including international networks such as the Internet, is a
precondition for information exchange, and hence for the effectiveness of any strategy to promote research;

13. Considers that, in addition to technology improvement, efforts must be made to develop the ACP
countries’ human resources by promoting access to education and training, particularly in the fields of
telecommunications and data processing;

14. Recalls that serious efforts must be made to coordinate the various Community, national and
international instruments; calls on the Commission, in addition, to ensure that there is maximum flexibility of
financial instruments for cooperation with its ACP partners in the areas of scientific and technological research;

15. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

C 271/78 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

_ANNEX IV_

**AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE JOINT ASSEMBLY** ( [1] )

Article 7

The Bureau shall prepare the draft agenda of the The Bureau shall prepare the draft agenda of the
session. The Co-Presidents shall submit this draft to session. The Co-Presidents shall submit this draft to
the Assembly for its approval. the Assembly for its approval. The draft agenda of
each session shall include two categories of topics:

1. Urgent subjects relating to the situation in
different countries or regions.

2. Subjects and themes relating to development
cooperation between the EU and ACP countries

under the Lomé Convention.The subjects and themes contained in this list shall be debated and put to
the vote.

Article 7(2) (new)

2. A committee of coordinators may propose to
the Bureau a list of urgent subjects regarding the
situation in different countries or regions to be
included in the agenda in accordance with
Article 7(1).

Article 17(1)

**Assembly resolutions**

1. An ACP representative, a political group or 1. An ACP representative, a political group or
ten members may table a motion for a resolution. ten members may table a motion for a resolution.
Motions for resolutions must concern the Conven- Motions for resolutions must concern the Convention or matters covered by the Convention. Motions tion or matters covered by the Convention. Howfor resolution shall be tabled one week before the ever, motions for resolutions must be limited to the
opening of the session in which they are to be items which are included in the agenda for debate
considered and voted on. according to Article 7. Motions for resolutions may
not exceed two pages and shall be tabled one week
before the opening of the session in which they are
to be considered and voted on.

Article 17(3)

3. A committee of coordinators shall propose to Delete.
the Bureau the subjects of motions for resolution to
be considered and put to the vote. Other than
resolutions submitted by the General Rapporteur,
co-rapporteurs or working parties, these shall not
be on more than seven subjects.

( [1] ) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).

24.9.1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 271/79

Article 17(4)

4. The Bureau shall examine the motions for 4. The Bureau shall examine the motions for
resolutions and draw up a list of topics under which resolutions and draw up a list of topics under which
motions for resolutions on similar subjects shall be motions for resolutions on similar subjects shall be
grouped. The total number of topics shall be no grouped.
more than seven.

Article 20, new paragraph before existing first paragraph

**Questions for oral answer**

Question time to the Council and Commission shall
be held at each session at such times as may be
decided by the Bureau so as to ensure the presence
of both institutions at the highest level.

Article 20(1)

1. An ACP representative, a political group or 1. Each Member of the Assembly may put one
five members may put questions for oral answer to question for oral answer to the Council and one to
the Council or the Commission. the Commission.

Article 20(4)

4. The Co-Presidents of the Assembly shall decide 4. The Co-Presidents of the Assembly shall decide
as to the admissibility of oral questions. This as to the admissibility of oral questions. This
shall be governed by the scope and terms of the shall be governed by the scope and terms of the
Convention. Questions declared admissible shall be Convention. Questions that are related to subjects
forwarded to the Council or the Commission. which are already included in the agenda for
discussion shall be declared inadmissible. Questions
declared admissible shall be forwarded to the
Council or the Commission. The Co-Presidents shall
decide as to the order in which oral questions are
taken. The author shall be notified immediately of
their decision.

Article 20(6)

6. The Assembly shall set aside not more than 6. The Assembly shall set aside not more than
two hours during each session for dealing with two hours during each session for dealing with
questions for oral answer. questions for oral answer. Questions that remain
unanswered for lack of time shall be answered in
writing unless the author withdraws his question.

Article 20(6a) (new)

6a. A question may be answered only if its
author is present or has notified the Co-Presidents
in writing, before question time begins, of the name
of his substitute.

Article 20(6b) (new)

6b. If neither the author nor his substitute is
present, the question shall be answered in writing.

C 271/80 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24.9.1999

Article 25

**Fact-finding missions**

The Bureau may decide to undertake fact-finding The Bureau may decide to undertake fact-finding
missions to ACP or EU countries or to international missions to ACP or EU countries or to international
organisations, subject to budgetary constraints. organisations, subject to budgetary constraints. The
Bureau or the Joint Assembly may also decide to
send delegations for the observation of presidential
or parliamentary elections, at the invitation of the
country concerned, provided that there are no
concerns about security. Furthermore, in accordance
with the principle of close cooperation laid down in
Article 28, the Bureau may send delegations to
meetings of the Economic and Social Committee
and of the social partners, including those held
outside Brussels.