The MEPs in the Committee on Development cannot accept that the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly - which the European Parliament has called for to be strengthened - disappear in the post-2020 partnership negotiations between the EU and the ACP countries in favour of regional assemblies.
They said so on Tuesday 8 October and intend to address the European Commission and the EU Council with oral questions and a draft resolution prepared by Tomas Tobé (EPP, Sweden), in consultation with the former rapporteur, Norbert Neuser (S&D, Germany).
The aim is to find out how the Commission and the EU Council have taken into account the two resolutions adopted by Parliament - in October 2016, before the Commission's communication on the future of the ACP-EU partnership, and in June 2018, before the adoption of the negotiating mandate.
Tomas Tobé had warned the future Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, that Parliament would return to the subject (see EUROPE 12339/2)
"Of course, we recognise the usefulness of parliamentary meetings at regional level, but we also need them at the level of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly [JPA]", he summarised at the end of the debate with a representative of the Commission who advocated efficiency to justify the choice of the regional level. The S&D group considered that it was "not wise to weaken our position in the direct dialogue. Because the ACP countries have a strong voice in the United Nations: yes to more presence in the regional debate, but without weakening the central level of the dialogue."
There is a broad consensus on the draft resolution. It stresses the importance of strengthening the parliamentary dimension and the JPA so that it has a real consultative and review power. "The inclusion of a JPA in the institutional architecture is a red line", said Mr Tobé.
The text also insists on: - the need for accountability at all levels; - the strengthening of certain essential elements of the Cotonou Agreement (human rights, good governance, Rule of law); - a more systematic political dialogue and an increased role for civil society; - explicit wording on the fight against discrimination, in particular on the grounds of sexual orientation; - stronger language on access and rights to reproductive health; - a mechanism to monitor the effective implementation of the SDGs, with a peer review mechanism involving ACP and civil society.
The Greens noted the absence of two very important issues that are currently blocking the negotiations and that should absolutely be addressed: migration and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). In their view, ACP concerns regarding the impact of EPAs on regional integration should be taken seriously, development assistance should not be conditional on restrictive migration policy, and the importance of legal migration channels should be stressed.
The deadline for tabling amendments is 10 October. The vote in committee is scheduled for 6 November. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)