Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-01-17-Speech-3-239"
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"en.20070117.13.3-239"2
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".
Madam President, firstly, I wish to congratulate you on your election. Ladies and gentlemen, almost 800 million people are now covered by the Cotonou Agreement, which, following on from the Lomé establishing agreement, has guided relations between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries since 2000. I sincerely hope that these relations will be increasingly close and mutually beneficial. The assent contained in my report, which I call on the Chamber to support, concerns the first five-yearly revision of the agreement, pursuant to Article 95 thereof.
Despite the fact that the amendments put forward are deliberately limited – after all, the stability of agreements of this type and size should be maintained – they are generally to be welcomed. They are aimed at improving the effectiveness of compliance with the Lomé/Cotonou
which is based primarily on equality between the parties and on respect for human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, we were able to include references to human rights and subsequently, in 2000, to provide for a stronger political dimension to our relations and to give priority to fighting poverty and improving our economic and financial partnership. The 2005 revision, on the other hand, strengthened the aspect of political dialogue, which became more systematic, structured and formalised, with a view to helping prevent and resolve crises.
Other aspects that should be brought into the body of the agreement include combating terrorism, given its pressing, topical nature, and reference to the Millennium Goals, which bind the EU-ACP joint commitment to reducing poverty and improving levels of education and health, without which there cannot be genuine development. Other issues that form part of this revision are decentralised local authorities, prevention of mercenary activities, promotion of traditional knowledge, prevention of HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and encouragement of student and youth exchanges, all of which demonstrates the signatories’ greater awareness of the specific problems and aspirations of the people of ACP countries.
I must also highlight, and welcome, the fact that, for the first time, express reference is made to national parliaments as aid recipients. The development of parliamentary capacity is key to ensuring good governance and to ensuring that there is full public debate on the development policy choices and priorities of each of the recipient countries.
Many of the countries to which the Union sends substantial aid as part of the Cotonou framework integrate these funds into their budgets. Nevertheless, there have been many complaints that the funds sent have not always made an effective contribution, in terms of what is necessary and desirable, to promoting and firmly establishing these values. There have also been frequent criticisms that the countries concerned often distribute European funds in a way that is discriminatory and arbitrary and that public administration is not always objective and impartial. This type of situation flies in the face of the core principles that underpin the award of EU funds. The Community institutions must therefore bring in tighter conditions as regards involving all of the political forces and the civil society of the recipient countries in discussing and defining the priorities for using the aid awarded.
As I proposed at the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which adopted this suggestion in November 2005 at the Edinburgh summit, this process of inculcating a sense of responsibility and of raising awareness at national level could take the form of an annual parliamentary debate in each national parliament of the recipient countries specifically focusing on external aid. This should take place ideally some time before each country’s annual debate on the national budget and would have the benefit of strengthening democratic institutions and of encouraging the people to exercise their rights as citizens.
Thus, as part of the agreement and the main body set up by the agreement, a spirit conducive to the crucial involvement of parliaments in programming and monitoring cooperation and in assessing the impact of such cooperation in the countries concerned would be created. It is our duty to persevere with, promote and support this effort. Notwithstanding the amendments, the most important of which I have highlighted, the Cape Verde Foreign Minster, speaking on behalf of the ACP countries, felt that the simplification of the administrative procedures applicable to access to the European Development Fund could have gone much further. I share this concern and feel it is right to echo it here and ask the Council and the Commission to take it into account in future revisions.
To conclude, I invite the Members of this House to give their assent and urge Parliament, the Council and the Commission to do all they can to maintain and, where possible, to increase targeted, responsible aid to the ACP countries in the future."@en1
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