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SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 57TH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS(Brussels, 23rd NOVEMBER AND 25th NOVEMBER 1993)(As approved by the 58th sessionof the ACP Council of Ministersheld on 16th and 17th May 1994 in Mbabane, Swaziland)Ref:ACP/25/003/94 Rev.1 [Final]AMS/sac Brussels, 21 April 1994 |
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OPENING CEREMONY
The opening ceremony of the 57th session of the ACP Council of Ministers was presided over by Dr Kwesi BOTCHWEY, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of Ghana and President-in-Office of the ACP Council of Ministers.
Having welcomed delegates to the 57th session of Council, the President conveyed his sincere and profound apologies for his inability to attend and address the Joint Assembly at its 17th session held in Brussels from 4 - 8 October 1993. The circumstances which prevented him from attending that meeting were entirely beyond his control.
On behalf of Council, the President extended a special warm welcome to the delegation of ERITREA, the 70th member of the ACP group and he conveyed the ACP Group's collective congratulations on that country's accession to nationhood.
Referring to the situation in a number of ACP countries, the President expressed the Council's sympathy for and solidarity with the victims of political violence. He expressed hope that Council would devote some time in the course of the session to discussing an appropriate framework for the ACP Group's collective response when such gratuitous political violence is perpetrated in any of the ACP member countries by forces opposed to elected and accountable government.
On the subject of ACP-EU cooperation, the President said that the preparations for the Mid-Term Review should provide Ministers with the occasion for a sober and thorough reflection on the state of ACP relations with the European Union, on the dynamics shaping those relations and on their future developments.
Regarding the financial situation of the Secretariat, the President observed that the institution was under constant threat of paralysis because assessed contributions were not being paid on time. He underscored the importance of the Secretariat to the ACP Group and the need to ensure that it is effective and manageable.
Finally, the President shared with Council his satisfaction at the way the political situation in South Africa had evolved. He added that it was with a great sense of expectation that Council looked forward to the fulfilment of the long-awaited objective of the establishment of a free, democratic and non-racial State of South Africa.
The President's opening remarks were followed by an intervention by the Head of Delegation of Eritrea who thanked the ACP Group for supporting his country's request for accession to the Lomé Convention and the Georgetown Agreement. The Eritrean delegate noted that his newly independent State faced challenges which had been aggravated by many years of war. Eritrea would therefore continue to require ACP support as well as assistance from the international community, particularly from the European Union.
Council's proceedings
1. Adoption of the agenda [ACP/25/007/93 Rev.4]
Council considered and adopted the draft agenda as contained in document ACP/25/001/93 Rev.4.
2. Appointment of the Rapporteur and Friends of the Rapporteur.
In accordance with the rules guiding the choice of a Rapporteur when a Council session is held at headquarters, the responsible region, in this case the Caribbean, was required to nominate a Rapporteur. Consequently the BAHAMAS, the region's nominee, was appointed Rapporteur of the 57th session of Council.
Council agreed to the appointment of the countries listed below as "Friends of the Rapporteur".
Central Africa: RWANDA
East Africa: DJIBOUTI
Southern Africa: ANGOLA
West Africa : SENEGAL
Pacific: SOLOMON ISLANDS
3. Approval of the draft summary record of the 56th session held on 14 and 15 May 1993 in Brussels [ACP/25/008/93 Rev.1]
H.E. Mr Falilou KANE, Ambassador of Senegal, the Rapporteur of the 56th session of Council, presented the draft summary record item by item, drawing to Council's attention outstanding issues which required further ministerial discussion and direction.
On behalf of his delegation, Ambassador KANE thanked the Friends of the Rapporteur for assisting in the finalization of the first draft submitted by the Secretariat. He also thanked the latter for preparing a first draft which was helpful in finalizing the minutes of the meeting.
Having made those remarks, H.E. Ambassador KANE of Senegal commended the draft summary record for approval by Council.
Council considered and adopted the draft summary record of its 56th session held in Brussels on 14 and 15 May 1993.
4. Communication from the President.
In his communication, the President informed Council that at the international conference on Africa held in Tokyo, Japan, he had approached the UK Minister on the issue of the Stabex transfers for 1992 and put across the ACP Group's case for an increase in the European Union's offer. His contacts were inconclusive, however, the UK Minister promised to react at a later date. The President cautioned that the UK was having difficulty with the concept of a compensatory mechanism.
Following the announcement that Mr Jacques DIOUF of Senegal had been elected to the post of Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Council agreed to send a message of congratulations to the authorities of Senegal and another message of congratulations and support to the new Director of the FAO.
Council took note of the President's communication.
5. Consideration of reports of the Committee of Ambassadors to the 57th session of the ACP Council :
Following the presentation of the activity report by the Chairman-in-Office of the Committee of Ambassadors, H.E. Mr Mamadou Bobo CAMARA, Ambassador of Guinea, Council considered it subject by subject, having agreed to discuss administrative matters under item 7 and issues covered by Ministerial Committees under item 6 of the agenda. Below is a summary of Council's deliberations on the activity report.
PART I: ACP-EU COOPERATION
A. TRADE COOPERATION:
Uruguay Round: Council expressed concern with the lack of information and consultation regarding the European Union's (EU) offer on tropical and agricultural products, and its offer to reduce by more than 50% customs duties applied on canned tuna imported into the EU in spite of
assurances that fisheries products, and in particular canned tuna, would not be part of the Union's offer under the GATT negotiations.
In view of the action undertaken by the European Union, Council called on the Union and the Commission to :
- adhere to the obligations under the Lomé Convention to safeguard in full the interests of the ACP States;
- communicate to the ACP States its offer on canned tuna made in the GATT and to enter into immediate consultations with them, with a view to withdrawing the offer;
- expedite the implementation of the mandate of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers both with regard to the evaluation of the EU's offer under the Uruguay Round and on ACP competitiveness in the context of Annex XXX of the Lomé IV Convention;
- review the EU's decision on ACP requests for derogations from the rules of origin so as to enable them to export the required quantities;
- to increase the quantity to 10,000 tonnes annually available under automatic derogation procedures as recommended by the Joint Assembly in its resolution on cooperation in the fisheries sector adopted by its session held in Brussels from 4 to 8 October 1993.
Finally, Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to urgently complete the study under way on the effects of the Uruguay Round.
Beef and Veal : Council acknowledged that the export subsidies granted by the EU for certain agricultural products benefitted a number of ACP countries which are net importers of foodstuffs.
However, the continued existence of the EU's export subsidy policies as currently laid down, would eventually lead to the decline of stock farming in West African countries, and even stifle the Union's efforts to help those countries to attain self-sufficiency in food.
In view of the importance of the stock-breeding sector in the economies of West African countries and the need to improve activity in that field in such a manner as to fulfil the needs of that sub-region's consumers, Council :
- called on the EU, and in particular the Commission to urgently look into appropriate measures to be taken in order to reduce the level of subsidies in the beef and veal sector and eventually eliminate them;
- requested the EU to step up its financial and technical support to ACP producer States in order to encourage the development of local production of beef and veal.
Stabex : Having taken note of the developments as reflected in the Committee's activity report, that is, a total coverage of 43.2% of eligible requests, and the inconclusive outcome of the President's contacts with the UK Minister which aimed at persuading that country to agree to an increase of the EU's offer, Council requested the Committee to pursue its efforts to obtain a higher coverage percentage to the eligible transfer requests for the 1992 year of application. Council requested the Committee to conclude its negotiations with the EU side by the end of November 1993.
PART IV: INTRA-ACP, REGIONAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL COOPERATION
The CHARLES KATUNGI Training Project: Council noted that in spite of its appeal to ACP States to provide information on their universities and institutions of higher learning and proposals to be implemented within the scope of the project, only six (6) ACP States had responded.
Having reviewed the situation regarding the information to be sought and given the need to use the resources provided if the credibility of the project is to be safeguarded, Council agreed that the Project should be launched with the six ACP States. Other interested countries could participate as and when they provide the required information.
Intra-ACP Trade Catalogue : Council was assured that the Intra-ACP Trade Catalogue had been included in the Trade Development Project (Annex XX of Lomé IV).
ACP Students in the Commonwealth of Independent States and in the Eastern European countries : Council took note of the action taken on this matter as reported in the activity report and it urged the Committee of Ambassadors to pursue its action with a view to resolving the problem of the ACP students stranded in the countries quoted under reference. The Committee was advised to explore the possibility of obtaining assistance for the students to either complete their studies (those at the final stage) or to be sent elsewhere to continue their education.
Council took note of the Committee of Ambassadors' activity report.
5b. Recommendations on the Mid-Term Review [ACP/27/019/93 Rev.1]
Having heard and taken note of the report on the Mid-Term Review presented by Hon. Oduya OPRONG, M.P. Assistant Minister, Office of the Vice-President and Ministry of Planning and National Development of Kenya and Chairman of Development Finance Cooperation Committee, Council held a full exchange of views on the overall proposals submitted both by the aforementioned Committee and the Committee of Ambassadors, with a view to making comments and observations for the improvement of the text. At the close of the exchange of views, Council endorsed the proposals tabled by its Bureau for the pursuit of the preparatory work for the Mid-Term review, namely :
i) The current and in-coming Bureaux of the ACP Council should convene in mid-January 1994 with the mandate from Council to consider and approve the Committee of Ambassadors' final recommendations and discuss the strategy for the negotiations;
ii) At the end of February 1994, the ACP final position on the Mid-Term Review, as approved by the Enlarged Ministerial Bureau, should be submitted to the EU Commission;
iii) At the 58th ACP Ministerial session in Swaziland from 16-18 May 1994, in preparation for the 19th ACP-EU Council of Ministers and for the negotiations, a report should be submitted to Council on the implementation of the above mandate, it being understood that the memorandum submitted to the EU Commission would no longer be subject for amendments.
Finally, Council agreed to revive the ACP Ministerial Troika (past, current and in-coming Presidents of Council) to steer the negotiations. Specifically, the Troika
could, as soon as the negotiating mandate was adopted, undertake lobbying missions in carefully selected European capitals.
6. Consideration of reports from the Ministerial Committees
Council heard reports from the Ministerial Committees listed hereunder :
a) Commodities
The report on Commodities was presented by
Hon. Mr ABBEY KAFUMBE MUKASA, Deputy Minister of Finance of Uganda and Chairman-in-Office of the Ministerial Committee on Commodities. After giving an account of his term of office which should end at the close of the 57th session of Council, the Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Commodities covered the subjects itemized below in his report :
i) Renegotiation of the International Cocoa Agreement: The Ministerial Committee on Commodities expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of the 5th International Cocoa Agreement with economic clauses based on a production management scheme, a policy on consumption and the promotion of consumption. It recommended that Council urge the EU and the 24 other ACP producer countries that had not signed the Agreement to do so and ratify it before 28 February 1994. Such an act would expedite the entry into force of the Agreement.
ii) Use of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter in the manufacture of chocolate : Recently, the EU had reviewed efforts aimed at generalizing the use of up to 5% of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter in the manufacture of chocolates in all the EU Member States. The ACP, for its part, continued to press for the maintenance of the status quo regarding the EU Directive
73/241/EEC which provides that "only cocoa products may be used in the manufacture of Articles sold as chocolates".
The Ministerial Committee took note that President DELORS and Vice-President MARIN of the EU Commission had given an assurance that the Directive would not be changed in respect of the 31 ACP producer countries.
Nonetheless, considering the vital importance of the issue, the Ministerial Committee recommended that Council request Heads of State/Government of the various ACP States concerned to write to the President and Vice-President of the Commission, requesting them to ensure that the use of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter in the manufacture of chocolate is not generalized throughout all the Member States of the EU.
iii) Negotiation of the International Coffee Agreement : Following several inconclusive consultations between producer and consumer countries aimed at reactivating the negotiations for the International Coffee Agreement, the producer countries adopted an Agreement establishing an Association of Coffee Producers in the margins of the International Coffee Council. The aim of the Association is to draw up and implement a 20% export retention scheme to help raise the price of coffee.
The Commodities Committee recommended that Council urge the EU and its Member States to recognize the Association and to reactivate the negotiations with a view to concluding a new International Coffee Agreement with economic clauses.
The Commodities Committee appealed to the ACP coffee producing members of the Association to abide by the decisions taken during meetings in Kampala and Brazilia in order to strengthen the Association's credibility.
In addition, the Chairman of the Ministerial Committee indicated that he would write to the Commission and all the ACP member States on the possible developments of the forthcoming IACO Ministerial meeting to be held in Abidjan from 29 November to 3 December 1993.
Finally, the Ministerial Committee noted that there would be a need to undertake lobbying missions in the various EU capitals and to lobby interest groups including non-governmental organizations, on the urgent need for the ratification of the Cocoa Agreement and the conclusion of the new Coffee Agreement.
iv) Appointment of the new Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Commodities : The Commodities Committee unanimously appointed the Honourable Minister from Côte D'Ivoire, Mr Alan GAUZE, Minister in charge of Commodities.
b) Bananas
Hon. Paul ROBERTSON, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica and Chairman of the Ministerial Consultations Group on Bananas, reported on the outcome of the deliberations of that Group, which deliberations covered the following items :
i) EU Banana regimes and GATT : The Ministerial Spokesman informed Council that the new and current banana regimes had come under attack in GATT where attempts were made to discredit the banana regimes in the context of GATT rules.
Serious challenges from Latin American banana exporting countries, European operators, multinational firms with vested interests in bananas and from certain EU Member States, had been launched. They complained that the two banana regimes and Regulation No. 404/93/ for the administration and management of the banana market were incompatible with GATT rules.
Two panels were set up to examine the two regimes. The findings of the first panel, which examined the old banana regime, had not been adopted, and therefore had no legal validity.
The second panel was still in the process of examining the current banana regime. Mindful of the consequences of that exercise, the banana Ministers instructed the Working Group on Bananas to maintain the strict surveillance of that examination in order to pre-empt any attempt at linking the results that might emerge therefrom to the findings of the first panel.
The Ministers responsible for bananas advised the Working Group on Bananas to study urgently the report upon its publication so as to make appropriate recommendations to ACP States to ensure
their participation at the GATT Council in order to head off recommendations inimical to ACP interests.
ii) EU's Management Committee : The Ministers responsible for bananas discussed the need for an ACP input into the deliberations of the EU's Management Committee, noting that the Commission's proposal for an Ad Hoc Committee on which two ACP representatives would sit had not materialized.
The Ministers requested the Banana Working Group to press the Commission to reopen discussions on ACP representation on the Ad Hoc Committee. It was recognized that through such an institutionalized structure, ACP banana interests could inform and be informed about market matters of vital concern to them.
iii) Transferability of quotas : The Ministers agreed that the EU's acceptance of this principle and the early creation of a mechanism to implement such a measure was an effective means of preventing further erosion of ACP market shares and of ensuring that the totality of the ACP global traditional quota reaches the EU market each year. It would also enable non-traditional ACP suppliers to make up any supply deficits that might rise from shortfalls in traditional supplies.
In the exchange of views that ensued, Council requested the Community :
- to approve without further delay, the Commission's proposal for the special system of technical and financial support for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas;
- to persuade all its Member States to honour their collective commitment to ensure that no ACP traditional supplying State shall be placed, as regards access to the Community market and its advantages and benefits on that market, in a less favourable situation than in the past or at present and,
- to support the effective functioning of the new regime;
In order to ensure that the total ACP share on the Community market is maintained, Council called on the Commission :
- to immediately activate the Ad Hoc Committee envisaged in Reg.404/93 and to hold urgent consultations with the ACP States concerned to consider ways and means of accommodating their request for greater representation thereon;
- to put into immediate effect a suitable mechanism to give priority access to non-traditional quantities from ACP traditional suppliers and other ACP suppliers in the event of any undelivered quotas.
c) Development Finance Cooperation :
The report by the Development Finance Committee was presented in the context of the Mid-Term Review by its Chairman, Hon. ODUYA OPRONG, M.P, Assistant Minister, Office of the Vice-President and Ministry of Planning and National Development of Kenya.
d) Sugar
In the absence of the substantive Ministerial Spokesman on Sugar, the report on the ministerial consultations on Sugar was presented by Hon. M. MBEKEANI, Minister for Trade and Industry of Malawi. The report covered the following matters :
i) Guaranteed Price for 1993 - 1994 delivery period : The spokesman recalled that when the ACP accepted the European Union's offer for 1992/93, it was pointed out to the EU Commission that that price represented a freeze at the level of the preceding year's price without accompanying measures. At that time, the ACP expressed the view that it would be difficult to accept in future price which did not take into account the relevant economic and social factors in ACP States.
The Sugar Ministers considered that pressure should be maintained on the Commission and the EU to consider accompanying measures to compensate loss of export earnings in ECU terms due to the agrimonetary changes in the European Monetary System and also to the decrease in real terms resulting from the freeze in prices prior to 1989/90 and the subsequent price reductions.
Ministers were of the view that there was no urgent need to conclude the current negotiations on the basis of the EU's offer.
ii) The Joint Contact Group and the Report on the Study on Transport Costs of ACP Sugar Industries : In view of the difficulty of breaking the deadlock in ACP-EU discussions on Special measures, the Sugar Ministers considered linking the issue of the reactivation of the Joint Contact Group and that of the implementation of recommendations emerging from the study on Transport Costs of ACP Sugar industries,
Having deemed that tactic inappropriate, the Sugar Ministers decided that the ACP strategy should include high level political representations to the EU and the Commission.
iii) European Union (EU) Sugar Regime : In examining the latest developments in the EU's sugar regime, the Ministers expressed concern about the link which the Commission made between that matter, the Portuguese market and the Uruguay Round of GATT.
The Ministerial Consultations Group on Sugar agreed on the wisdom of obtaining a reassurance from the Portuguese authorities on their desire to obtain ACP supplies for their raw cane sugar deficit. To that end, a letter should be despatched to the Portuguese Minister of Agriculture, and a mission should be envisaged to Lisbon and other EU Member States.
iv) GATT Uruguay Round : The Sugar Ministers agreed to request the President-in-Office of the ACP Council of Ministers to write to Commissioner STEICHEN recalling the assurances given to the ACP during the special Joint Ministerial Consultations on Sugar in May 1991. These assurances were that the reform of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and commitments in the GATT Uruguay Round would not have an adverse impact on ACP sugar.
Meanwhile, the Sugar Subcommittee was mandated to proceed with a detailed examination of the impact that the EU commitments would have on ACP guaranteed prices in the future.
v) Zambia's request for accession to the Protocol on Sugar : Ministers took note of the developments on this issue and in particular the Zambian authorities' invitation to the Commission to revisit that country in 1994 to obtain a first-hand appreciation of progress in the rehabilitation of the sugar industries.
vi) "Aide Memoir" on ACP Sugar : The Ministerial Consultations Group on Sugar endorsed the Subcommittee's initiative in preparing an "aide memoir" to be used by the ACP Group in its lobbying activities. It would be used to supplement the more technical and detailed annual memorandum on the factors of relevance to ACP economies.
Following the above report, Council held an exchange of views at the close of which it called on the European Union and the Commission to :
- review its guaranteed price offer to the ACP for the 1993/94 delivery period in the light of the ACP's memorandum on the factors of relevance in fixing that price so as to ensure an adequate level of earnings;
- consider putting into place transitional arrangements for meeting the EU's deficit of raw cane sugar taking due account of the concerns of the traditional ACP suppliers to Portugal as well as the aspirations of the other ACP supplying States in this regard;
- seriously consider the ACP's request for the EU - in the context of the ongoing Uruguay Round of GATT Negotiations - to review its offer on sugar and commit itself to reducing its tariff equivalents by 15%; to reinforce its safeguard clause at appropriate reference levels and refrain from making any commitments which would adversely affect the future implementation of the Protocol;
- reactivate the Contact Group on special measures in light of the continuing difficulties being faced by ACP sugar industries and the need to assist them to achieve an acceptable level of competitiveness on the EU sugar market;
- ensure that the recommendations arising from the sugar transport costs study are be put into effect in such a manner that relief from the burden of high ocean freight and other transportation costs to ACP supplying States would be effective and permanent;
- accept the invitation to visit Zambia at the earliest opportunity with a view to reassessing the country's sugar industry and its capacity to sustain annual export obligations under the sugar Protocol.
7. Consideration and adoption of the Secretariat's draft budget for 1994 [ACP/45/038/93 Rev.2]
Accompanying documents :
- Audit report [ACP/45/040/93]
- Secretary General's report on the implementation of the 1993 budget [ACP/45/039/93 and ACP/45/037/93]
- Financial situation of the Secretariat [ACP/041/93 Rev.1]
- Situation of the Reserve Fund [ACP/45/046/93]
Having heard the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors' presentation of the Secretariat's draft budget for 1994 and having recalled that it had agreed to discuss administrative matters under item 7, Council considered and took decisions on the subjects itemized below :
a) The Secretariat's budget for 1994 : Council adopted the ACP General Secretariat's 1994 draft budget (ACP/45/038/93 Rev.2) as recommended by the Committee of Ambassadors, namely a total allocation of
BF 227 914 000 financed as follows :
- Member States' contribution BF 122 326 000
- EDF contributions BF 105 434 000
- Hiring out of ACP House BF 154 000
Council further approved the recommendation by the Committee of Ambassadors that a 5.2% salary increase corresponding to the rise in the consumer price index between 1 August 1991 and 31 July 1993 be granted to the staff with effect from 1 August 1993.
Council directed that the financial Controller's annual report and the Secretariat's comments thereon should form part of the accompanying documents to the budget. The Secretariat was requested to take steps to implement such recommendations by the Financial Controller as are approved by the Committee of Ambassadors, for the purposes of improving its financial administration.
b) External Auditor's report for 1992 : Having noted that the Secretariat's accounting records complied, in all material respects, with the Financial Regulations of the ACP Group, Council :
- approved the auditor's report on the Secretariat's accounts for 1992
- adopted the auditor's recommendations contained in his Management letter
- directed that international Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) be implemented by the Secretariat's accounting services as from 1 January 1994
- accorded a valid discharge to the Authorizing Officer for 1992.
Finally, Council decided that the firm KPMG Peat Marwick be appointed to undertake the audit of the 1993 Secretariat's accounts.
c) Entitlements accruing from the former termination benefits scheme : Council decided that these benefits should be updated on the basis of the last month's salary of the departing beneficiary. The 20% payment already made should be converted into weeks and deducted from the number of weeks earned by each member of staff under the former scheme.
d) Conditions of service of temporary staff : Given the Secretariat's quasi-permanent recourse to temporary staff for its needs, and the considerable difference between the emoluments of temporary staff and those of the permanent staff of the same grade, Council :
- granted a job risk allowance equal to 45% of the basic salary for the staff members employed on a temporary basis in established posts, with effect from December 1, 1993
- decided that this measure should not be applicable to those called upon from time to time to replace permanent staff for a period not exceeding one month.
8. Consideration of ACP Secretariat's financial matters
a) Financial situation [ACP/45/041/93 Rev.1 and ACP/45/043/93]
Having taken cognizance of the difficult financial situation of the Secretariat as reflected in the huge arrears of contributions, Council, in its search for lasting solutions to the problem, focused its exchange of views on the following matters :
i) Arrears of contributions and strengthening of sanctions against defaulting States
Council observed that in spite of efforts by the President of Council, the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors and the Secretary General, to ensure prompt and regular payment of contribution, many States with arrears of contribution did not fulfil their financial obligation to the Secretariat's budget.
In view of the severe cash flow problems and the fact that recourse has had to be made to bank overdraft, Council decided as follows:
- the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors should continue to apply strictly the regime of sanctions as amended by decision No.6/LVI/93;
- those countries under sanctions would not be permitted after the second year of default to speak on matters concerning financial contribution to the Secretariat
- the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors should monitor the evolution of the situation and submit a detailed report at the next Council session.
Mindful of the prevailing situation in Haiti, Liberia and Somalia, Council :
- renewed the mandate of the Committee of Ambassadors to make the relevant assessment and report to the next Council session;
- froze all arrears of contribution of these States inclusive of interest at 30 April 1993, and exempted them from the application of sanctions as provided under the Financial Regulations.
c) Interim report on the Review of the Scale of contributions : Recalling the long-standing mandate handed down to the Committee to review the scale of contribution of ACP States to the General Secretariat's budget, Council noted that the circumstances which determined the current categorization of ACP States had changed to a great degree over the years. In view of that change, the time had come to review the scale in order to take into account the current economic situation of ACP countries. Consequently, Council decided :
- A group of experts, external to the Secretariat representing the regions of the ACP Group, be appointed at no costs to the Secretariat's budget to fully examine the issue taking into account
all relevant factors including benefits accruing to Member States
- Regions should notify the Secretariat of the names of their experts by 31 December 1993 to enable them to complete their report by 31 March 1994 at the latest
- The Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors should report on the findings of the group of experts and the recommendations of the Committee to the Council of Ministers at its next session in May 1994.
a) ii) Assessment of the staff position of the ACP General Secretariat : Council recalled that in its efforts to render the Secretariat more effective and efficient via rationalising costs and streamlining operations, it had, in the past, commissioned many studies on the Secretariat. In that context it accepted Senegal's offer to put at the disposal of the ACP Group the services of its Organization and Methods Bureau to assess the staff position of the Secretariat.
In order to find a comprehensive solution to the financial problems of the Secretariat, Council, having reiterated its acceptance of the offer by Senegal :
- decided that, by 31 March 1994, the Committee of Ambassadors should have adopted a decision regarding the structure and staff position of the ACP General Secretariat, on the basis of studies already undertaken and on the assessment of the staff position to be carried out by the Organization and Methods Bureau of Senegal
- renewed its decision to freeze recruitment to permanent positions
- authorized the Secretary General to extend the contracts of the temporary staff and to recruit on temporary basis, for a period not exceeding 6 months and in conformity with established procedures:
- one Legal/Joint Assembly Expert
- one Expert/Debt and Structural Adjustment/Technical Cooperation
- one bilingual Secretary/DEVCO
- one assistant to help in the library
Council requested the Committee of Ambassadors to submit a report at next Council.
b) Angola's request for a waiver on interest on outstanding contributions [ACP/45/044/93] :
Council endorsed the Committee of Ambassadors' recommendation to grant a waiver on the interest on outstanding contributions by Angola to the budget of the Secretariat.
9. Joint Assembly matters :
The President informed Council that the ACP members of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly had, at their preparatory meeting for the 17th session of the Joint Assembly held in October 1993 in Brussels elected Mr CHAMBRIER RAHANDI of Gabon to succeed Mr Erskine SIMMONS of Barbados as Co-President of the Assembly. Council extended its congratulations to the new ACP Co-President.
The Head of Delegation of Gabon, H.E. Mr MAGWANGU, thanked the ACP group for the confidence shown to his country in electing the President of its National Assembly to the post of Co-President of the Joint Assembly. He said the Co-President would count on the support of the ACP group in the accomplishment of his task during his mandate.
a) Consideration of resolutions adopted by the Joint Assembly meeting and referred to Council
Having taken note of the resolutions adopted by the Joint Assembly, Council requested that the Committee of Ambassadors study the proposals for setting up an Aquatic Research Centre and forward the project to the Commission for support.
Council also discussed the increasingly important role of the European Parliament and it urged that the ACP group should pay more attention to that Parliament as it is, in general, favourably disposed towards the ACP cause.
b) Exchange of views on the advisability of setting up an ACP Assembly
Introducing the subject, the Minister from Jamaica, Hon. Paul ROBERTSON said that the current arrangements allowed little discussion among ACP Parliamentarians. An ACP Assembly would provide a political forum where ACP political representatives could share views on overall ACP issues in a global context. The European members of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly had such a forum and which gave them an added advantage over their ACP counterparts.
In the exchange of views that ensued, Council observed that although the importance of an ACP Assembly was self-evident, further consideration of the political and financial implication of setting-up that body was necessary before a decision could be taken on the proposal. To that end, it requested the Committee of Ambassadors to make a full study on the proposal and report its findings to next Council.
10. TRADE:
a) Progress report on the Trade Development Project
Council was given the assurances that a written report on the Trade Development Project would be submitted at its 58th session.
b) Proposals from the Joint Assembly regarding trade in the framework of Intra-ACP cooperation [ACP doc. AP/519].
Council took note of the Joint Assembly's proposals regarding trade in the framework of Intra-ACP cooperation and requested the Committee to study the document.
11. Consideration and adoption of the Committee of Ambassadors' proposal with regard to the financing of the PADIS project [ACP/87/023/93]
Having heard the report on the background to the PADIS project by the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors, Council considered and approved the project and requested the Committee of Ambassadors to forward it to the Commission of the EU for funding.
12. Exchange of views on the situation in certain ACP countries
Council heard from the Heads of Delegation mentioned a full report on the situation in each of the countries listed below. The reports provided details of the political events and the economic situation as well as the efforts to put in place democratic processes which could lead to pluralist elections :
South and Southern Africa : Hon. Mr N.W. MBEKEANI, Minister of Trade and Industry of Malawi
Somalia : Hon. Dr.Abdulmejid HUSSEIN, Minister for External Economic Cooperation of Ethiopia
Liberia : H.E. Mr Sylvestre M. GRIGSBY, Ambassador of Liberia;
Haiti : H.E. Mr Hervé DENIS, Minister of Information, Culture and Coordination of Haiti
Burundi : H.E. Mr J. NGENDANGANYA, Ambassador of Burundi
Zaire : H.E. Mr BUKETI BUKAYI, Minister of Cooperation of Zaire
Central African Republic : H.E. Mr BOUNANDELE KOUMBA, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and International Cooperation of the Central African Republic
Togo : H.E. Mr Ouattara Fambaré NATCHABA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo.
The Director of the OAU Bureau in Brussels spoke on the OAU's involvement in the search for a solution to the political problems facing some of the OAU member States listed above.
Other speakers stressed the respective region's support for the efforts being made to find a solution.
Council took note of the various interventions and expressed its solidarity and support for those engaged in the search for solutions to the problems. In that regard it adopted a resolution on the situation in South and Southern Africa as well as one on South Africa to be finalized by the Committee of Ambassadors.
15. Outcome of the 57th ACP Ministerial session:
- adoption of the draft decisions and resolutions:
a) Decisions:
Council adopted the following decisions:
Decision No.1/LVII/93 : Multimedia programme in the service of the ACP-EU cooperation
Decision No.2/LVII/93 : Termination benefits
Decision No.3/LVII/93 : Assessment of the Staff position of the ACP General Secretariat
Decision No.4/LVII/93 : Re-classification of Linguistic staff
Decision No.5/LVII/93 : Conditions of service of temporary staff
Decision No.6/LVII/93 : The ACP General Secretariat's 1994 budget
Decision No.7/LVII/93 : Appointment of external auditors
Decision No.8/LVII/93 : External auditors' report for 1992
Decision No.9/LVII/93 : Arrears of contributions and Financial situation.
Decision No.10/LVII/93 : Situation of Haiti, Liberia and Somalia
Decision No.11/LVII/93 : Review of the categorization of ACP member States as regards their contribution to the ACP Secretariat's budget.
b) Resolutions:
Council adopted the following resolutions:
Resolution No.2/LVII/93 : Uruguay Round
Resolution No.4/LVII/93 : Bananas
Resolution No.8/LVII/93 : The Foundation for ACP-EU Cultural Cooperation
Resolutions referred to the Committee of Ambassadors for finalization and adoption on behalf of Council :
Resolution No.1/LVII/93 : Southern Africa
Resolution No.3/LVII/93 : Sugar
Resolution No.5/LVII/93 : Dumping of beef and veal in West Africa
Resolution No.6/LVII/93 : Coffee
Resolution No.7/LVII/93 : Cocoa
Resolution No.9/LVII/93 : Situation in South Africa
14. Designation of the members of the new Ministerial Bureau [Ref. doc. ACP/549/79 Rev.23]
The countries listed below were appointed to serve on the new Bureau which took office at the end of the 57th session of Council :
Central Africa : CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
East Africa : UGANDA
Southern Africa : MOZAMBIQUE
West Africa : GUINEA BISSAU
Caribbean : GRENADA (President)
Pacific : FIJI
15. Date and venue of the next meeting of :
a) The ACP Council of Ministers
The ACP Council session will be held from 16 - 18 May 1994, subject to confirmation by all parties concerned.
b) The ACP-EU Council of Ministers
The session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers will be held from 18 - 20 May 1994, subject to confirmation of the dates by the parties concerned.
The two Ministerial meetings will be held in Swaziland.
16. Any other business
At the close of the deliberations of Council, a representative from each of the six regions commended the President for the efficient and pragmatic manner in which he conducted the session of Council.
For his part, the President thanked the participants for their useful contributions to the deliberations of Council. He expressed gratitude to the members of the Council Bureau for their support and collaboration and to the Committee of Ambassadors for having prepared the session, thus facilitating the work of Council. He also praised the Secretariat for servicing the meetings with satisfaction.
Finally, the President wished delegates a safe return to their respective destinations.