On Thursday 21 June, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly – the political forum of the partnership between the EU and the countries of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) group of states that are linked to the EU by the Cotonou Agreement – spoke out to call for the strengthening of the parliamentary dimension of the future partnership that is to be negotiated between the EU and the ACP countries for when the partnership agreement for development, that was concluded for 20 years back in 2000, expires.
The resolutions, adopted by 78 MEPs and the same number of ACP parliamentarians at the end of their session that was co-chaired by Louis Michel and Joseph Owona Kono, call for strengthened global counter-terrorism at the end of the hostilities in South Sudan (see other article), and better account being taken of the environment in the ACP countries – bearing witness to the extent and vibrancy of this partnership.
The debate, without resolution, on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration enabled the partner parliamentarians to express their support for the negotiation of this future UN compact that tackles migration in all its dimensions.
The Joint Parliamentary Assembly was also informed by European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica about the budget proposal for the EU's neighbourhood, development and cooperation in the EU's post-2020 external action budget (see EUROPE 12041).
In an emergency resolution, the Joint Parliamentary Assembly calls on the EU and ACP countries to be equipped with a comprehensive strategy aiming to tackle the deep-rooted causes of terrorism, through an effective and independent judicial system, and appropriate policies. The MEPs and ACP parliamentarians believe that the radicalisation and recruitment of individuals by terrorist networks is a global phenomenon. They call on the ACP countries and the EU to strengthen their work on fighting radicalisation, especially by education and regional integration.
The resolution, adopted by a show of hands, on post-Cotonou ACP-EU relations states that the strengthening of the parliamentary dimension of the relationship between the EU and ACP group, and the promotion of its role in the decision-making process, should be key elements in the new ACP-EU partnership. This new partnership will have to be legally binding, based on the 2030 universal agenda for sustainable development. European and ACP parliamentarians consider that the Joint Parliamentary Assembly has the merit of creating a framework of broad scale cross-border parliamentary debate, which, while not perfect, nevertheless constitutes a valuable asset in a world that is increasingly interdependent. The assembly argues for the 'financing' section of the new partnership to be addressed and negotiated as a priority, especially the issue of integrating the European Development Fund in the EU's post-2020 budget. The resolution advocates a balance of men and women in the delegations of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the integration of delegates of less than 40 years, and the representation of opposition parties and civil society.
A resolution adopted on the social and environmental consequences of urbanisation states that priority must be given to strategies to reduce the production of waste. The Joint Parliamentary Assembly calls on the EU to have binding rules so that its companies are effective partners for the ACP as regards environmental management, and it calls on the EU to invest responsibly and sustainably in the ACP states. The text states that 62% of the sub-Saharan urban population lives in dilapidated suburbs without access to water, sanitation, energy, transport or waste management plants – factors that contribute to early death linked to pollution.
In a resolution on the impact on ACP country economies of phytosanitary products, seeds and other agricultural inputs (PPIS), the Joint Parliamentary Assembly calls for a clear strategy to fight the illegal trade of these products. An effective fight involves technical and financial assistance, strengthening customs cooperation, and the EU member states' fighting against the export of counterfeit goods, the parliamentarians say. They also advocate an in-depth review of the PPIS authorisation criteria, and recommend the creation of a joint ACP-EU fund for public research, which should be independent from industry. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)