Press release
(Brussels 28 November 2003)
- Main decisions and resolutions of the ACP Council of Ministers
(27-28 November 2003)
- Recommendations of the Meeting of ACP Trade Ministers (25 November 2003)
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Meeting in Brussels from 27th to 28th of November 2003 under the chairmanship of its President, Lt. Gen. Mompathi MERAFHE, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Botswana, the ACP Council of Minister adopted the following decisions and resolutions.
It also endorsed recommendations on the post-Cancun situation presented by ACP Trade Ministers who met on 26 November 2003 under the chairmanship of Jacob NKATE, Minister of Trade and Industry of Botswana.
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Among the main decisions and resolutions adopted by the Council of Ministers
are the following:
Georgetown agreement. The Council adopted the amendments to the Georgetown Agreement and decided that the Agreement, as amended, should come into force immediately.
Cotton. The Council decided to set up a Ministerial Follow-up Committee on the cotton dossier and mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to prepare an EDF-financed project aimed at strengthening the cotton network.
Review of the Cotonou Agreement. The Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to identify the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement to be amended.
ACP-EU Agreement on Information Society for Development. The Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to finalize the ACP-EU Agreement on Information Society for Development, in collaboration with the European party, for the World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003.
ACP Administration. The Council examined and adopted amendments to the Staff Regulations, the Financial Regulations, as well as the budget of the ACP Secretariat.
Bananas. The Council called on the European Union to: immediately introduce measures to halt and reverse the continued deterioration of prices, and ensure that access of ACP bananas to the European market, at lucrative prices, is preserved; engage in consultations with ACP States on the potential impact of the EU enlargement on the banana import regime; and use unallocated 8th EDF resources to set up a mechanism to provide technical and financial assistance to banana-producing countries.
Sugar. The Council of Ministers called on the European Union to respect its legal obligation and political commitment regarding the Sugar Protocol and to recognize that the “review” provided for in the Cotonou Agreement does not in any way imply a “renegotiation” of this Protocol since the provision aims to ensure the WTO-compatibility of the Sugar Protocol. The Council further called on the European Commission and the EU Member States to take, in conjunction with ACP Group of States, all necessary measures to defend the Sugar Regime and the terms and conditions of ACP preferential access against challenges from third countries.
Rice. The Ministers called on the European Council to take
full account of the adverse effects on the ACP rice industry caused by changes
to the Common Market Organization for rice and to consider remedial and compensatory
actions to alleviate the negative impact on ACP rice exporters. The Council
also requested that the European Commission facilitate the speedy implementation
of the existing rice industry support programme and expand its coverage so
as to enhance the competitiveness of the Caribbean rice industry.
Peace-support mechanism for Africa. The Council mandated
the Committee of Ambassadors to set out, with the European Commission, the
procedures for setting up the peace-support mechanism for Africa.
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Post-Cancun. The Council of Ministers adopted the following recommendations from ACP Trade Ministers.
General principles :
The ACP Group reaffirmed the importance of establishing a more balanced and equitable multilateral system characterized by transparency and a decision-making mechanism open to all.
- « The ACP Declaration on the 5th WTO Ministerial Conference» remains relevant and valid and should be used as the basis for ACP participation in the negotiations.
- The ACP Group must continue to participate actively and constructively in the post-Cancun process with a view to ensuring the successful conclusion of the negotiations under the Doha Work Programme.
- The ACP Group must commit to relaunching the negotiations under the Doha
Work Programme on the condition that the needs and interests of developing
countries are duly acknowledged and taken into consideration.
- The ACP called on the WTO General Council to resume, as a matter of priority,
negotiations on key issues of interest to developing countries, such as special
and differential treatment, implementation, special situation of LDCs, the
work programme for small economies, and the rules governing regional trade
agreements.
- The ACP Group must continue to engage in the Tripartite Alliance (ACP, LDC and African Union) established in Cancun. The Group should also build coalitions with other relevant groups with a view to obtaining support for its positions.
- The ACP called on WTO Members to fully implement the LDC Guidelines for Accession adopted in December 2002, without demanding excessive and disproportionate commitments from these countries or denying them the rights currently enjoyed by founding LDC Members of the WTO.
- The ACP called on the WTO to urgently grant permanent observer status in the WTO to the ACP Group of States and ACP Inter-governmental and Regional Organizations.
Agriculture. A framework outlining the modalities for further commitments in the agriculture negotiations could be established as a priority while the task of devising procedures could be left for a later stage.
Cotton. This issue should be treated as a stand-alone issue and not as part of the general agriculture negotiations in the WTO, and should also be included as an item on the General Council agenda given that it continues to be a critical issue for the countries concerned and requires a speedy solution.
Non-agricultural market access. The ACP Group expressed concern at the possible erosion of preferences due to further tariff reductions.
Singapore issues. Contrary to views expressed in various
fora, the Singapore issues are not the key to unlock the logjam in the negotiations.
Untangling these issues appears irreversible.
Any detailed analysis of these issues must take account of the need for an
agreement on modalities, arrived at through explicit consensus (formal agreement
by all parties); provision of technical assistance, capacity building and
clarification of the implications of adopting multilateral frameworks for
these issues; the eventual outcome of any negotiations on those issues should
not lead to binding commitments subject to WTO dispute settlement procedures.
Consideration of any of these issues should be linked to progress achieved
on development issues under the Doha Work Programme.
WTO Reform. The Ministers mandated the ACP Group in Geneva to examine the preparatory process for ministerial conferences and the WTO decision-making process with a view to making proposals for redressing the situation.
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Contact : Hegel Goutier +32 2 743 06 04/93 fax +32 2 743 06 58 goutier@acp.int