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RESOLUTIONSOF THE 71th SESSION OF THE ACP COUNCIL OF MINISTERSHELD FROM 20 TO 21 JUNE 2000IN COTONOU, BENIN |
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SUMMARY
RESOLUTIONS
IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLES 25 AND 26 OF PROTOCOL N°1 OF THE 4th LOME CONVENTION
DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CO-OPERATION
RESOLUTIONS
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| WTO WAIVER |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its LXXI Session at Cotonou, Benin from 19 to 23 June 2000
A RECALLING the ACP-EU request for a WTO waiver for the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement;
B. NOTING that the Partnership Agreement is an innovative approach to combat poverty, promote sustainable development and work towards gradual integration of ACP countries into the multilateral trading system and the world economy;
C. COGNIZANTof the fact that the Partnership Agreement covers 70 ACP countries 55 of which are members of WTO and the others are in the accession process;
D. RECOGNIZING that the existing non-reciprocal trade preferences would apply for a period of eight years during which time new WTO compatible trade arrangements between the ACP countries and the EU would be concluded;
E. RECALLING that the parties to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO agreed that there was need for positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, to secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development;
F. RECALLING also the support of the first G77 South Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial meeting and the EU-Africa Ministerial and US-SADC Forum for the request of the Waiver;
G. RECALLING also that the Fourth ACP-EU Convention was granted a waiver in the WTO to allow the EU to honour its development commitment to the ACP;
H. EMPHASIZINGthat the waiver application fully conforms to the legal requirements under the WTO;
I. AWARE that the waiver request, in terms of Art. IX:3 of the WTO Agreement, has to be acted on within a 90-day time period following its submission and decision made on the basis of a consensus or by a three-fourths' majority vote;
J. NOTING WITH CONCERN that consideration of the waiver is being unduly delayed by issues extraneous to the waiver application;
K. NOTES that the Partnership Agreement specifies clearly the full extent of tariff benefit which may be granted to the ACP;
L. WHEREAS WTO complainants agains the EU Banana Regime have even threatened to block the ACP-EU request for a Waiver for the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement if it includes bananas.
M. NOTING with concern that the exclusion of any element will unbalance the negotiated package denying the ACP a concession already obtained from the EU;
HEREBY
1. REAFFIRMS that the granting of the WTO waiver request would contribute significantly to the confidence building measures being pursued by the WTO Member States to reinstate the credibility and confidence of the multilateral trading system and the WTO institution;
2. URGESthe European Commission and its Member States to take a more proactive role to ensure that the waiver request would be granted without further undue delay;
3. CALLS UPON the ACP member states to intensify their lobbying activities aimed at achieving a consensus decision on the waiver application;
4. URGES the Council of the European Union to strongly resist the any attempt to hold hostage the request for the WTO Waiver for the new Partnership Agreement;
5. URGES the WTO to proceed expeditiously to consider and approve the request for the waiver for the partnership agreement in its entirety;
6. REQUESTSthe President of the Council to circulate this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers; the European Parliament; and to the Director General of the WTO.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| SUGAR |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. RECALLING the resolution on sugar adopted at 69th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels (Belgium) from 26 to 28 July 1999;
B. REAFFIRMING its resolution adopted by the 29th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly held in Nassau Bahamas from 11 to 14 October 1999;
C. RECALLING the Marrakesh agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, in particular the preamble in which the parties to the agreement recognized, inter alia, that their relations in the field of trade and economic endeavour should be conducted with a view to raising standards of living in accordance with the objective of sustainable development while seeking to protect and preserve the environment ;
D. 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;
E. CONSIDERING that the ACP Sugar Protocol is an integral part of the EU sugar Regime and that the Protocol quantities are bound in the EU's WTO commitments;
F. NOTING that the ACP Sugar Supplying States 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;
G. NOTING also that ACP countries have been utilising the earnings from exports to the EU in their rationalization programmes to improve efficiency, increase productivity, optimise the use of by-products and generally enhance their level of competitiveness;
H. RECOGNIZING 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;
I. CONSIDERING that the EU Sugar Regime is currently being reviewed and that the ACP has already submitted its views on the review;
J. CONSIDERING also that the Special Preferential Sugar Agreement (SPS) is due for renewal in 2001 and that the ACP Signatory States have been reliable suppliers of sugar under that agreement; and the binding of the SPS quantities in the EU WTO schedule will grant added security to the agreement.
CALLS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION TO:
1. ensure that the guiding principles of the current Sugar Regime and the guarantees enshrined in the ACP/EU Protocol on Sugar are maintained;
2. ensure that every effort is made to defend and maintain the preferential trading agreements and hence honour the commitments given to the ACP under the Sugar Protocol;
3. acknowledge the contribution of ACP sugar industry to the EU refining industry and recognize the mutual benefit to the parties derived from the preferential trading arrangements under the Protocol and Special Preferential Sugar Agreement;
4. consider the reliable role played by ACP Signatory States in supplying sugar under the SPS Agreement and include the quantities in the EU WTO schedules to give the agreement added security;
5. recognize the efforts made by the ACP at rationalization as highlighted in the annual memorandum on economic factors and ensure that the price offered for ACP sugar takes into account all relevant factors;
6. acknowledge the multi-functional nature of ACP sugar industries and the significant contribution that earnings derived from sugar exports make to the economic development as well as environmental protection and rural development in ACP supplying States;
K. INSTRUCTS its Co-President
to forward this Resolution to the attention ACP-EU Council and the Commission.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| BANANAS |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. REAFFIRMING its resolution adopted in this regard during the 68th Session of the ACP Council held in Brussels (Belgium) from 28 September to 2 October 1999;
B. RECALLING the resolution on bananas adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly during its 30th Session held in Abuja (Nigeria) from 20 to 23 March 2000;
C. CONSIDERING that ACP banana producing States are net food importing, developing least-developed, landlocked or island States with peculiar economic and social difficulties which rely on revenue from banana exports for their socio-economic development;
D. RECALLING the EU's commitment in the ACP-EU Convention to safeguard access for the ACP banana producers on EU market and to improve the conditions under which ACP fruit are produced and marketed; and in this regard a special banana regime was established under the common organization of the market;
E. RECALLING that the parties to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO agreed that there was need for positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, to secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development;
F. RECALLING also that the ACP-EU Convention was granted a waiver in the WTO to allow the EU to honour its development commitment to the ACP;
G. NOTING the WTO Panel ruling on certain aspects of the EU Banana Regime;
H. NOTING further the ACP position already communicated to the Commission on the retention of the TRQ system for a period of at least ten years and the establishment of a tariff of 275 Euros for the quota set aside for the ACP countries.
I. WHEREAS the EU has made every effort to bring the regime into conformity with WTO rules but has experienced great difficulty from US and some Latin American producers;
J. CONCERNED about the recent fraudulent import of bananas into the EU and the adverse effects this has been having on the current market access arrangements and the consequent negative impact on the revenue of ACP banana exporting countries;
K. CONCERNED that
the ACP has not yet benefited from the financial and technical assistance
provided for in Reg (EC) N° 856/99 of 22 April 1999 in the 1999 restructuring
of the banana regime;
CALLS ON THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO:
1. ensure that its commitment to the ACP is honoured by guaranteeing that the advantages in, and access to EU market for ACP bananas are maintained and extended into the new Partnership Agreement and adequate time provided for the States concerned to restructure their economies and adapt to the changing circumstances;
2. ensure that the ACP is involved in the consultations on the ongoing reform of the EU banana regime;
3. urge the parties to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO to honour their commitment and ensure that developing countries like the ACP are granted a share of global trade;
4. ensure that adequate resources are provided on a timely basis under technical and financial assistance programme to facilitate the restructuring of ACP industries;
5. accede to the ACP request for the retention of the award of licences on the basis of historical performances so as to ensure the continue to access for ACP bananas;
L. URGES the competent Commission authorities to take all appropriate measures to stem out these fraudulent imports of bananas.
M. INSTRUCTS the President
of the ACP Council of Ministers to bring this Resolution to the attention
of the ACP-EU Council.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLES 25 AND 26 OF PROTOCOL N°1 OF THE 4TH LOME CONVENTION |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. HAVING REGARD to the Fourth ACP-EU Lomé Convention, in particular Articles 25 and 26 of Protocol N°1;
B. WHEREAS the ACP States must communicate to the Commission the specimens of the stamps used, together with the address of the customs authorities competent to issue movement certificates EUR 1 and carry out the subsequent verification of said certificates;
C. WHEREAS the outcome of the subsequent verification must be brought to the notice of the customs authorities of the importing State within a period of at least six months;
D. NOTING that a number of ACP States have not been fulfilling the obligations enshrined in the above Articles despite the numerous reminders sent them;
E. WHEREAS the ACP Countries' non-compliance constitutes a serious risk for ACP exporters and creates an atmosphere of suspicion which makes the customs authorities of the Member States of the European Union resort more and more to requests for subsequent verification;
F. RECALLING the resolution adopted in that regard by the 63rd ACP Council session held at APIA, Samoa, from 24 to 26 June 1996;
G. NOTING with concern the Commission's decision to ask the customs authorities of the Member States concerned to recover, as from 1 May 2000, the duties paid on products in respect of which the requests for subsequent verification were not met within the deadline;
H. ACKNOWLEDGING the grounds for the Commission's decision;
I. CONSIDERING the fact that some requests for post-verification of EUR1 certificates date back to nearly ten years and some other requests already met keep reappearing in the dossiers which the Commission has forwarded to the ACP States concerned;
J. CONSIDERING that, under such circumstances, the ACP countries concerned need additional time to clarify the situation;
1. Hereby calls upon the ACP States to ensure that the customs authorities of their countries abide by Articles 25 and 26 of Protocol No. 1 of the 4th Lomé Convention by scrupulously implementing Resolution No. 1/LXXIII/96 of the 63rd Session of the ACP Council of Ministers.
2. Appealsto the Commission and the Council of the European Union to grant the ACP countries concerned an additional period of 6 months to enable them clarify the situation and take the relevant measures to resolve the problem;
3.
Instructsthe
President of ACP Council to bring this Resolution to the attention of all
Ministers of Finance and Trade, the ACP-EU Council, and the Commission.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| FISH IMPORTS INTO THE EU |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. HAVING REGARD to the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.
B. AWAREof the inadequate infrastructure in the ACP countries to ensure compliance with health and veterinary regulations in importing countries, including the European Community.
C. CONCERNED with the higher levels of SPS Regulations applicable within the EC which most often amount to non-tariff measures.
D. DEEPLY CONCERNED that the long drawn suspension of imports of fishery products from the three East African countries has seriously jeopardised not only their export earnings but also efforts at export diversification of these countries, highlighting the conflict between the EU development and trade policies.
E. REGRET the long delays and burdensome procedures put in place by the European Commission in establishing the harmonized list of third countries allowed to export fish and fishery products into the EU.
F. CALLS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION :
1) to treat the suspension of imports from the three East African Countries as a regional issue, a solution for one country should apply to all, and in this regard, the EU should consider lifting the suspension of fish imports from the other two countries in the region;
2) to expedite provision of the necessary technical assistance to all ACP exporters and their competent authorities to strengthen their implementation capacities on veterinary and sanitary matters;
3) to provide the necessary assistance to those ACP countries which would like to be placed on the harmonized list of third country exporters of fishery products into the EU;
G.REQUESTSthe
President of Council to bring to the attention of his European Counterpart,
the European Commission, the European Parliament, the contents of this
resolution.
RESOLUTION OF THE 71st SESSION
OF THE ACP COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| STABEX
1999 YEAR OF APPLICATION, SUSPENDED TRANSFERS TO BURUNDI AND SUDAN. AND BALANCES REMAINING |
The Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. HAVING REGARD to the objectives of the Stabex system as set out in Article186 of Lomé IV Convention;
B. NOTING the Transitional Measures for the extension of the provisions of Stabex until 31 December 2000;
C. RECALLING RESOLUTION N° 4 of the 69th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels from 26 to 28 July 1999, urging the EU Commission to transfer suspended amounts of 135.9 MEUROS to a joint account in accordance with Article 211 and invoke the good offices procedures in accordance with Article 352 if these amounts were not paid to Sudan before the expiry of Lomé IV;
D. RECALLING RESOLUTION N° 5 of the 69th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels from 26 to 28 July 1999 urging the EU Commission to pay suspended transfers to Burundi, without further delay;
E. CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT that there are outstanding claims owed to 42 ACP States amounting to 2.2 billion EUROS for 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 years of application;
F. WHERAS the remaining balances under the 2nd Financial Protocol amount to 1.2 billion EUROS;
G. URGES the EU Commission to:
1. Observe the deadlines stipulated in Article 207 of Lomé IV in processing Stabex transfers for 1999 year of application;
2. Pay before the end of the transitional period, Stabex entitlements to Burundi and Sudan, or invoke the provisions of good offices procedures in accordance with Article 352 of Lomé IV until a satisfactory solution is reached;
3.
Involve the ACP at the appropriate level in the clarification of the implementation
procedures concerning the new mechanism replacing Stabex and Sysmin;
CALLSON THE ACP-EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO:
i. decide to use the remaining balances under Stabex and to find additional resources for the full payment of outstanding claims for 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 years of application, in accordance with Article 195(b) of Lomé IV Convention;
ii. delegate to the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors the necessary powers to evolve the necessary modalities to deal with this matter;
H.
REQUEST
the
President of the Council of ACP Ministers to forward this resolution to
the EU Commission and the ACP-EU Council of Ministers.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD
ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
| PESTICIDES |
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. RECALLING the provision of Article 6(a) of the Lome IV Convention on the fundamental importance of trade in energising the development process.
B. FURTHER RECALLINGthe provisions of Articles 12 and 181 of the Convention and SPS Agreement on the need to inform and consult in order to ensure the effective implementation of the Convention in the field of trade and customs cooperation.
C. CONCERNED that the stringent EU Rules on Pesticide Control have serious implications for diversification of ACP economies into horticultural products.
D. AWARE that at the present time there is lack of suitable Codex Maximum Residue levels, even EU MRLs or national MRLS for tropical and subtropical commodities of export interest to all ACP countries.
E. FURTHER CONCERNED that
the harmonization of the Maximum Residue levels within the EU has further
complicated the problems for ACP exporting countries as only a few MRLs
are currently being supported.
CALLS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION :
- not to set Maximum Residue Levels at a very high limits of Determination (LOD) in view of the insufficient data available on tropical crops;
- to extend the deadline for the harmonization of the MRLs within the EU to allow sufficient time for the competent authorities in the ACP country to introduce good agricultural practices (GAP) with a view to generating relevant data;
- to avoid recourse to the WTO SPS Committee, the EU and Codex should assist the ACP countries with the establishment of pesticide/commodity combinations to enable them meet requirements of importing countries;
F. REQUESTS the
President of Council to transmit this Resolution to his EU Counterparts,
the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Codex Alimentarius
Commission and the WTO.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71st COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS
HELD ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
DEVELOPMENT
FINANCE CO-OPERATION
THE ACP COUNCIL OF MINISTERS,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
HAVING REGARD to the Fourth ACP-EC Convention signed on 15th December 1989, hereinafter designated "the Convention," particularly Article 327(3) thereof;
MINDFUL OF the previous resolutions relating to the implementation of financial and technical co-operation hereinafter referred to as "previous resolutions", which were adopted by the Council in 1983, and more recently in Luxemburg in 1997; at Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1998; and in Brussels in 1999;
COGNISANT OF the resolution on the work of Development Finance Co-operation Committee adopted at its 69th Session held in Brussels in July, 1999;
BEARING IN MIND the ACP-EC Council Decision No. 6/95 of 20th December, 1995 relating to transitional measures for the implementation of certain provisions of the Agreement amending the Fourth ACP-EC Convention, applicable as from 1st January, 1996;
NOTING THAT, in Conformity with the provisions of Article 327 of the Convention, the Committee has submitted reports to the Council on various aspects of the implementation of development finance co-operation;
HAVING REGARD to the Declaration adopted by the ACP Development Finance Co-operation Ministerial Committee and the Commission in Accra, Ghana, on 13th November, 1999;
1. HEREBY TAKES NOTE of reports, studies, activities and recommendations relating to the implementation of development finance co-operation presented by the DFC Committee comprising, inter alia, the following:
2. WELCOMES, with interest, the organisation of National and Regional Authorising Officers' meetings at ACP and regional levels with respect to the ACP-EU Negotiations before the end of 2000; NOTES, with appreciation, the convention of a Special ACP DFC Ministerial Conference on the improvement of the workings of the DFC Committee in Accra, Ghana, in November, 1999; APPRECIATES the focus of the DFC Committee's work programme on the implementation of the current Lomé IV Convention and the ACP-EU Negotiations and the requisite follow up action, including the 1999 Annual Report on the implementation of the Convention, the 1999 Accra DFC Committee meeting, the ACP Ministers of Finance meeting envisaged for September/December, 2000 and co-operation with multilateral institutions, e.g. the World Bank, IMF, UNDP and UNCTAD; WELCOMES the finalisation of the ACP-EU Negotiations for the new Partnership Agreement and the necessary follow up, notably the preparation and organisation, with the EC, of regional seminars in ACP States for NAOs and RAOs, the private sector, the civil society, Heads of EU Delegations and their Advisers in June - September 2000; the meeting of Inter-Governmental Regional Integration Institutions of the ACP Group in September/October, 2000; and the development and preparation, with the EC, of operational guidelines for the implementation of the new Partnership Agreement on development finance co-operation, especially on programming, competition and preferences and the Investment Facility;
B. IMPLEMENTATION REPORT 1999
3. OBSERVES, with interest, that since the ACP-EC Council's last session on 29th July, 1999 in Brussels it has discussed the 1999 Progress Report, the Joint Evaluation and Work Programme for 2000 and a Resolution by the ACP-EC Council on Development Finance Co-operation. NOTES the general trends on the implementation of the ACP-EC Co-operation for development in 1999 regarding the 6th, 7th and 8th EDFs in terms of commitments and payments. The 1999 commitment progression (2692 MEURO) exceeded that of 1998 (2296 MEURO)by 17%. In contrast, the level of payments actually attained in 1999 (1275 MEURO) considerably fell short of the projected volume of the 9th EDF resources (1985 MEURO). URGES the parties to raise both the rates of commitments and in particular payments on EDF-financed projects and programmes for the 9th EDF, with emphasis on payments.
C. DEBT AND THE HIPC INITIATIVE
4. WELCOMES the decision
by the ACP-EC Council on 8th December, 1999 to allocate the
sum of 1 billion EURO from programmable resources not allocated under the
8th and previous EDFS, debt-servicing to cover the debt and
debt service obligations to the Community by the first ACP countries which
qualified under the initiative in the amount of 320 MEURO, and to contribute
a maximum of 680 MEURO to the overall financing of the Trust Fund linked
to the HIPC Initiative managed by the World Bank so as to cover the needs
of the ACP countries due to become eligible for the Initiative before 2001.
URGES
the Development Finance Co-operation Committee to identify the modalities
of how, in the long-term, resources over and above the EDF could be mobilised
to support the HIPC Initiative, and measures to reduce the ACP debt burden
further.
D. STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT SUPPORT
5. NOTES the satisfactory
performance of this instrument for rapid disbursement given the large sums
involved and the many ACP States that benefited, hence confirming their
involvement and participation in the reform process. SUPPORTS the
ACP-EC Council decision of 8th December, 1999 to allocate an
additional amount of 250 MEURO to the 8th EDF allocation from
the unallocated programmable resources under the 8th and previous
EDFs to assist ACP States in their reform process. WELCOMESthe additional
41 MEURO in the form of structural adjustment resources to be allocated
as bonuses to those ACP States engaged in regional co-operation and integration
process. CALLS UPON the Committee to consider the
role counterpart funds could play in supporting the reform efforts undertaken
by ACP States with a view to inter alia achieving sustainable growth and
development, poverty alleviation and reduction of internal debt burden.
E.SUPPORT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR
6. WELCOMES, with satisfaction, the renewed support in the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement for the promotion of the development of the private sector and ACP businesses through financing, guarantee facilities and appropriate technical support; undertaking the necessary reforms of the Centre for Industry (CDI) and transforming it into a Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) so that it could play a more active role in supporting the private sector and the establishment of an Investment Facility for financing activities envisaged in the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. NOTES, with interest, the Committee's view of the possibility of using, for risk capital operations in ACP States, a maximum of 300 MEURO from unallocated programmable resources from the 8th and previous EDFs as well as unused funds for interest subsidies and risk-capital operations from the 6th and 8th EDFs. URGES the parties involved to follow-up the above -mentioned positive gestures of the Committee to further support the development of the private sector in ACP States.
F.CAPACITY BUILDING FOR EDF-FINANCED CONTRACTS
7. NOTES, with concern, that despite the long-standing efforts to increase the participation of ACP firms in the selection process and eventual award of EDF-financed contracts, ACP consultants lag behind their counterparts from the EU Member States. The major constraints observed are the rather complex and cumbersome tendering and procurement procedures and requirements attendant to the implementation of EDF-financed contracts. URGES both parties to simplify the protracted and cumbersome tendering procedures to ensure full participation of ACP tenderers and consultants in EDF-financed contracts; build up local human and institutional capacity in ACP States to enable full participation of ACP consultants in EDF-financed operations.
G. ACP REGISTER OF CONSULTANTS
8. TAKES NOTE, with interest, of the approval by the Development finance Co-operation Committee of the project proposal made by the Sub-Committee on this matter. CALLS UPON the Committee to seek the necessary funding from the EU using resources available under the Regional and Intra-ACP co-operation. to promptly develop and implement this project and report progress to the Council at its next session.
H. WORKINGS OF THE DFC COMMITTEE
9. OBSERVES, with concern, a number of factors that somewhat constrained the Committee's otherwise effective and efficient operations, notably infrequent Ministerial meetings and limited participation in these meetings. REQUESTS both parties to take necessary action to resolve the underutilisation of EDF resources and to expedite project execution. CALLS UPON the Committee to inter alia transform itself from its current status to a more dynamic and management-oriented position with a view to being more proactive to developments in the implementation of the ACP-EC Co-operation; increase the frequency of its meetings to three (3) times a year; and ensure that authorised representatives of the Committee remain the NAOs proper or their Deputies or, in exceptional cases, Brussels Ambassadors.
I.REGIONAL SEMINARS FOR NAOs and RAOs
10. WELCOMES, with interest, the fact that the ACP General Secretariat has scheduled a series of regional meetings for the NAOs and RAOs of the ACP Group and other ACP development actors to sensitise them on the objectives and principles, scope, instruments and implementation procedures of the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. The meetings will also be attended by the EC Heads of Delegations and their Advisers. REQUESTS the Development Finace Co-operation Committee to ensure that such meetings are really held in all the six (6) regions and fully attended by all interested parties, including the private sector and the civil society.
J.CONCLUSION
11. REQUESTS the Development Finance Co-operation Committee to execute this Resolution on the various issues covered in the framework of the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and report progress to the next session of the Council.
RESOLUTION
OF THE 71ST SESSION OF THE ACP COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
HELD ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000 AT COTONOU, BENIN
ON
THE PEACE CONFERENCE IN
The ACP Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) on 20 and 21 June 2000;
A. REAFFIRMING its firm position regarding the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia;
B. HAVING REGARD to the gravity of the war situation prevailing in Somalia since 1991 due to the absence of a central government;
C. CONSIDERING the laudable efforts undertaken, especially by IGAD, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League and the United Nations to resolve Somalia's internal conflict;
D. REAFFIRMING the essential role that must be played by IGAD in the resolution of the conflict and restoration of peace in the subregion;
E. DEPLORING the alarming situation of insecurity prevailing as a result of the illicit arms trade in Somalia despite the Security Council's Decision forbidding the export of arms to Somalia;
F.RECALLING the institutionalisation, by the 7th IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government held at Djibouti on 26 November 1999, of the initiative and proposals outlined in the address delivered by H.E. Mr. ISMAEL OMAR GUELLEH, President of the Republic of Djibouti, at the 54th session of the United Nations General Assembly held on Wednesday 22 September 1999;
G.RECALLING the relevant decisions of the 71st Ordinary Session of the OAU Council of Ministers and the 113th Ordinary Session of the League of Arab States in support of the peace plan of the Republic of Djibouti;
H. CONSIDERING the Peace Conference presently underway in Arta, Republic of Djibouti, in an effort to restore peace and security in Somalia;
HEREBY RESOLVES:
1. to lend its full support to the Peace Conference initiated by the President of the Republic of Djibouti, President-in-Office of IGAD, with a view to restoring peace in Somalia;
2. to ask the EU to support the institutions that will emerge from this conference; and
3. to request the EU to ensure that these new institutions benefit from all the provisions of the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement due to be signed in Cotonou, Benin, on 23 June 2000.
RESOLUTION OF THE 71st SESSION
OF THE ACP COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
HELD ON 20 AND 21 JUNE 2000
AT COTONOU, BENIN
| ON MINING DEVELOPMENT |
The Council of Ministers,
- meeting at its 71st Session in Cotonou (Benin) from 20 to 21 June 2000;
A. HAVING REGARD TO the Fourth ACP-EC Convention signed on 15th December 1989, hereinafter designated "the Convention", particularly Articles 99, 100, 101, 103 thereof;
B. HAVING REGARD TO the previous resolutions relating to the implementation of financial and technical co-operation, hereinafter referred to as "previous resolutions", which were adopted by the Council in 1983, and more recently in Luxembourg in 1997, at Bridgetown, Barbados in 1998, and in Brussels in 1999;
C. HAVING REGARD TO ACP-EC Council Decision N°6/95 of 20th December, 1995 relating to transitional measures for the implementation of certain provisions of the Agreement amending the Fourth ACP-EC Convention, applicable as from 1st January, 1996;
D. HAVING REGARD TO the Declaration of the ACP Ministers of mines adopted on 17 July 1999 in Brussels especially Article 16 thereof calling on the ACP Ministers of Mines to meet at least once every two years;
E. HAVING REGARD TO THE FACT THAT the new ACP-EC Partnership agreement has replaced the Sysmin instrument with a support mechanism to deal with any eventual fluctuation in the export earnings of the ACP Countries, and the need to inform the ACP Ministers of mines of the new provisions of the said Agreement, especially the implications of the new mechanism put in place;
F.
HEREBY
CALLS ON the Committee of Ambassadors and the ACP Secretary-General
to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the second meeting of
the ACP Ministers of Mines is held before the programming process of the
9th EDF begins;