A3-0038/94

Resolution on the results of the deliberations of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly in 1993

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the resolutions adopted by the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly in Gaborone (Botswana) in particular its resolution on democracy, human rights and development in the ACP countries, and in Brussels,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A3-0038/94),

A.whereas the democratic nature of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly gives it a particularly significant role to play in future relations between the European Union and its partners under the Lomé Convention,

B.whereas a number of proposals put forward in the Joint Assembly are intended to promote and extend ACP-EC cooperation, particularly in the context of the review of certain provisions of the Fourth ACP-EEC Convention,

C.whereas, at the meetings of the Joint Assembly in Gaborone and Brussels, members of parliament made up 87% and 63% respectively of the ACP delegations, reflecting the importance attached by the ACP states themselves to the democratic nature of this institution (in Brussels, the number of delegations headed by an ambassador was greater because of the presence there of the ACP diplomatic missions),

D.whereas the ACP countries have started down the road to democracy; whereas this process has created a new situation in these countries, in particular as regards the composition of parliaments,

E.whereas serious incidents occurred at the Joint Assembly in Brussels in October 1993 with regard to the accreditation of ACP delegates (from Togo and Zaire); whereas this type of conflict is likely to occur more often in the future,

F.whereas the Joint Assembly's current Rules of Procedure no longer reflect the new situation in the ACP countries; whereas they should be revised to take account of new circumstances and to bring them into line with the rules governing democracy,

G.whereas the European Parliament attaches the greatest importance to its development and cooperation policy and to measures to promote human rights and human dignity throughout the world,

H.having regard also to its proposals for the budgetization of the European Development Fund,

I.having regard to the need for large-scale participation of ACP and European representatives in the work of the Joint Assembly and its organs and in view of the financial difficulties facing numerous ACP countries, making it harder for them to send elected representatives to the meetings,

J.having regard to the new responsibilities of the European Union towards the developing countries,

K.whereas the human development of the individual must be placed at the centre of all development policies, and whereas only suitable education and training can create a ruling class capable of promoting and supporting economic and social development in the Third World on a sustainable basis,

L.having regard to the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly's contribution to greater understanding between peoples and to the cause of peace,

M.whereas the ACP-EEC partnership must not be limited to trade or to purely economic considerations, but should give rise to a genuine human partnership of a cultural and social nature between Community and ACP citizens, as the true subjects of international law and of any cooperation agreement,

N.having regard to the efforts made by both the ACP countries and Europe to give the Assembly the role of a political forum where proposals are made concerning the implementation of the Lomé Convention and North-South relations in general,

1.Calls on the ACP-EEC Council of Ministers to respect the integrity of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly and, in the context of the mid-term review of the Fourth ACP-EEC Convention, to recognize its right to take initiatives and submit proposals with regard to the implementation of the Convention;

2.Calls on the ACP-EEC Council of Ministers also to respect the present structures of the Joint Assembly and the frequency of its meetings;

3.Welcomes the fact that, under the Danish and Belgian Presidencies, the Council participated to an increasing extent in the work of the Joint Assembly, particularly at Question Time; considers that the ACP-EEC Council of Ministers should also be required to answer questions by members of the Joint Assembly;

4.Calls for recognition of the institutional autonomy of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly and hence its total financial autonomy, with administrative responsibilities being allocated to the bodies referred to in its Rules of Procedure within the scope of the Union's budgetary resources;

5.Notes with satisfaction the growing parliamentary representation in ACP delegations at the last few meetings and requests that in the medium-term review of the Fourth Convention this criterion should become binding for ACP representatives;

6.Notes with interest the Joint Assembly's contribution as regards relations between the European Union and South Africa and welcomes the results of the hearing on this matter in Gaborone and the results obtained by the visit by a delegation to South Africa; stresses the capital importance of proposals by Mr Nelson Mandela in his statement to the Joint Assembly in Brussels on 7 October 1993;

7.Calls on the Joint Assembly to continue its policy of upholding the electoral process in South Africa, taking account of the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament which support the political, economic and social development of the country and the new structures and institutions set up under the interim constitution;

8.Stresses that the Joint Assembly's efforts to support Jean-Bertrand Aristide, President of Haiti, must lead to the restoration of a democratic government in Haiti and calls on the Council to make diplomatic moves to that end;

9.Remains concerned at the human rights situation in certain ACP countries, supports the Bureau of the Joint Assembly, in view of its responsibilities in this delicate sector, and calls on it to review 'human rights' procedures in consultation with its ACP partners to make them more effective and more suited to current needs, given the urgency of certain questions; notes favourable developments in Malawi, Niger and certain other countries;

10.Regrets the fact that no solution has been found to the serious problems in Angola despite the work of the Joint Assembly, the endeavours of the Angolan Government to achieve peace and the UN condemnation of UNITA activities;

11.Considers that the presence of Joint Assembly delegations to observe elections in certain ACP countries can help to reinforce the legitimacy of the electoral process, but reiterates its reservations concerning the elections held in Togo, Cameroon, Gabon and Congo;

12.Supports the Joint Assembly's policy of seeking to improve the international community's response to crisis in certain ACP countries, particularly in respect of humanitarian aid, and notes the results of the relevant hearing held in Brussels;

13.Urges the Joint Assembly to continue in this direction and proposes the creation as soon as possible of a working party on 'the implementation of European Union humanitarian aid in ACP countries';

14.Remains concerned at the economic crisis facing the ACP countries and stresses the importance of the recovery programme decided by the European Union and entered in its budget with appropriations earmarked for Mozambique, Angola, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea;

15.Calls on the Commission to ensure respect for Article 151 of Lomé IV, concerning education and training, at all the stages of preparation and adoption of the national indicative programmes and regional cooperation programmes of the ACP countries;

16.Supports the fisheries proposals from the Joint Assembly following the report by the working party;

17.Remains concerned at the slowness of negotiations seeking to re-establish organization of the markets in commodities such as coffee, cocoa and sugar and stresses the importance for the ACP, in particular the Caribbean countries, of finding a solution to the problems affecting the banana sector;

18.Considers that public health questions in ACP countries, in particular epidemics such as measles, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever and AIDS, are a major cause for concern and reminds the Commission of its undertakings concerning the rapid implementation of health care programmes and the provision of rural hospitals as part of national health programmes of ACP countries;

19.Welcomes the creation of a new working party on industrial policy in ACP countries and awaits with interest the proposals in preparation;

20.Notes the success of meetings of the economic and social partners from Community and ACP States and their contribution to the work of the Joint Assembly;

21.Emphasises, again, the unique contribution which the Joint Assembly is able to make to bring together elected representatives of the North and the South, in the interests of the promotion of peace and the respect for humn integrity;

22.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the ACP-EEC Council of Ministers, the parliaments of the Member States of the European Union, the secretariat of the ACP states and the Commission.