ACP General Secretariat
Press release
Brussels, 26 September 2002
Priority of the ACP Council of
Ministers ahead of the launching of the negotiations of the ACP-EU Economic
Partnership Agreement : maintaining and strengthening ACP unity and solidarity
The ACP Council of Ministers has
held an extraordinary session in Brussels on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26
September 2002 with a view to preparing for the launching of the EPA
negotiations on September 27th. The meeting was chaired by the President of the
ACP Council of Minister, Mr Jaya
Krishna CUTTAREE, Minister of Industry and International Trade of Mauritius.
This Special session was preceded by meetings of the ACP and ACP-EU Ministerial
Trade Committee (23-24 September), which have contributed to the preparation of
the Council Session. Both of these meetings were chaired by the President of
the ACP Trade Ministerial Committee, Mr Hans Joachim Keil (Samoa), Minister for
Trade.
Among the decisions and resolutions
adopted by the Council, are the following :
Decision on the “Structure for the
negotiation of the EPAs for the All-ACP phase”.
Council reaffirmed the importance of
maintaining and strengthening ACP unity and solidarity throughout the
negotiations as underscored in the “
ACP Guidelines for the negotiations of the EPAs adopted by the 3rd ACP Summit
of the Heads of States and Government (Fiji, July 2002). In this regard, it
stressed on the necessity of a two-tier approach for the negotiations : an All-ACP phase and a Regional/national phase. Council has agreed on a structure
for the negotiations of EPAs for the All-ACP phase. Moreover, an agreement has
been reached on the allocation of the negotiating groups among the 6 regions of
the ACP.
Measures
to enhance preparedness for the negotiations and capacities to cope with the
effects of EPAs.
The Council decides to have
sustainability national impact assessment studies, funded under the capacity
building programme put in place by the EU for strengthening the ACP negotiating
capacities. It calls for a mechanism to
ensure rapid disbursement of the resources available and urges the European
Union to hasten the ratification of the Cotonou Agreement to order to enable
ACP States to draw on the resources provided. It adopted an action plan outlining
measures to be taken for the period September 2002 to December 2003.
Negotiations
under the WTO Doha Development agenda
The Council has taken measures to
create cohesive mechanism between the ACP members of the WTO, among which, the
decision to put in place a mechanism of consultation and coordination between
the Geneva-based and Brussels-based ACP ambassadors. It called for the setting
up of a Joint Steering Committee at ambassadorial level in line with the
proposal of the European Commissionner for Trade at the recent meeting of the
ACP-EU Trade Ministerial Committee (Brussels, 23 September 2002).
Council also expressed concern at
the lack of progress in the WTO
negotiations on issues of interest to ACP States such as special and
differential treatment, rules on regional trade agreement, implementation
issues and small economies. It mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to develop
a strategic approach for effective participation of the ACP Group at the 5th
WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Cancun (Mexico) next September.
Resolution adopted on behalf of the
Summit
Cuba. As mandated by the 3rd Summit of
ACP Heads of State and Government, Council also adopted on its behalf a number
of resolutions. One of them concerns the accession of Cuba to the Cotonou
Agreement. Council urges the European Union to substantially review its
common position on Cuba in order to facilitate Cuba’s accession to the Cotonou
Agreement without any additional conditions. Moreover, Council expressed regret
that EU has not agreed to allow Cuba to participate as an observer in these
negotiations.
The two others are
- on the resumption of development
cooperation between the EU and certain ACP member States; and
- on the situation on Equatorial
Guinea;
Other issues
Great Lakes. Council noted with
satisfaction progress achieved in consolidating peace in the Great Lakes region
and reaffirmed its support for the pursuit of the peace process. A declaration
will be issued on the matter.
Côte d’Ivoire. Council decided to
issue a declaration for a return of the
rule of law in Côte d’Ivoire.
Resolution on bananas. In the wake
of hurricane Lili that hit the Windward Islands recently, Council called on the
European Union to provide urgent assistance and support to those islands for
recovery and reconstruction.
African parliamentarians on NEPAD.
Council took note of an intervention by the ACP Co-President of the Joint
Parliamentary Assembly, Mr Adrien Houngbedji, on the forthcoming meeting of
African parliamentarians on NEPAD scheduled to take place in Cotonou, Benin on
8th and 9th October and welcomed this initiative.
contact :
Hegel Goutier
Head Press-Communication
phone +32 2 743 06 04
fax
+ 32 2 743 06 58
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