B4-0845, 0846, 0847, 0848, 0849 and 0870/95

Resolution on relations with South Africa

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its opinion of 30 November 1994 on the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Co-operation Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of South Africa,

-having regard to Council Decision 94/822/EC of 19 December 1994 establishing an interim agreement between the European Union and South Africa,

-having regard to the resolution on Southern Africa adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly meeting in Dakar (Senegal) from 30 January to 3 February 1995 (ACP-EU 1466/95/fin.),

A.whereas the Union has committed itself to upgrading its political and trade relations with South Africa following the establishment of a non-racial democracy,

B.whereas the existing Cooperation Agreement will be followed by further contractual links, under the Lomé Convention and/or a bilateral Treaty yet to be negotiated,

C.whereas Parliament has to be associated with this negotiating process from an early stage, both under the terms of the TEU and on the basis of the existing Code of Conduct,

D.whereas the Commission has forwarded to the Council its proposals for a negotiating mandate,

1.Regrets that, at present, Parliament has in practice been excluded from the dialogue now going on between the Council and the Commission with regard to future relations with South Africa, the Commission acting in an inequitable manner by supplying information to the Council without making parallel information available to Parliament;

2.Regrets that this does not honour the spirit of the declaration made on behalf of the Commission in the Code of Conduct;

3.Wishes to continue to play an active part in the shaping of future political and trade relations with South Africa and reminds the Commission that any future trade and cooperation agreement requires the ratification of Parliament;

4.Calls upon the Commission to rectify this shortcoming by advising Parliament of the content of the negotiating mandate it proposed, the proposed legal basis and the planned timetable for these negotiations;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.