Brussels, 10/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly devoted its morning session to examining the report by Mr. Abednego Seisa Nqojane (Lesotho) on the ACP-EU partnership and the challenges of globalisation. This report, to be submitted to the Assembly's vote Wednesday evening, states, notably, that the "failure of the Seattle Conference is a strong signal inciting an end to negotiations relating to the liberalisation of trade and to embark on an in-depth reform of WTO rules, in order to ensure greater equity between unequal partners and take account of the potential effects on vulnerable groups". The report "rejects any attempt to ignore public galvanization and return to the usual course of things".
Presenting his report, Mr. Nqojane emphasised the unbalanced nature of the globalisation process which, although does in some cases offer the possibility of catching-up certain delays thanks to rapid development in the use of new information technologies, also risks more often further increasing the sidelining of developing countries. In this context, he, notably, stressed the existence of a sort of technological apartheid by which developed countries take for themselves technological know-how and scientific knowledge. He pleaded in favour of a reduction in global differences by closer international solidarity and local alliances.
Swedish Conservative Anders Wijkman rejected any such over-simplification. Even though he could acknowledge that there may be problems, especially regarding the transfer of technologies, he considered that globalisation offered many possibilities. He spoke out in favour of market liberalisation and closer cooperation between States. The deputy for the Republic of the Congo, Jacques Bombete, expressed his scepticism at the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement and the answer it may provide to the challenges of globalisation. Claiming that "sub-regional cooperation is slowed-down by the attitude of certain Northern countries who spark conflicts, arm and finance rebellions", he called on the EU to support the regional integration of ACP countries and direct its aid to development especially to backing infrastructures, the development of scientific and technological capabilities, as well as towards the setting up of a stable macroeconomic framework.. British Labour MEP, Glenys Kinnock said that "liberalisation cannot be an end in itself", and that "globalisation has to be based on social justice" and "not exclude half of humanity". Stressing that an American farmer receives $20,000 in subsidies a year, whereas the African farmer has to live off an income not exceeding $200 a year, she hoped for modifications to the WTO agreement to allow for aid to the agricultural sectors of the ACP countries. She also placed emphasis on measures being taken to guarantee them better access to medicines. The deputy from Ghana, Emmanuel Baah-Danquah placed emphasis on the great difficulties of most ACP States in gaining access to advanced technologies. Dutch Liberal Bob van den Bos pleaded in favour of an easing of the debt, the liberalisation of the agricultural market and the abolition of Community subsidies for farm exports, as well as better involvement of developing countries in the running of the WTO. South African member Mr. Davies said that Mr. Nqojane's report was one of the best he had been given to read. Stressing that the Island of Manhattan had more telephone lines than the African continent as a whole, he placed emphasis on the need to rapidly increase the transfers of technologies and capital if one did not want to see globalisation further increase the gap between the richest and the poorest. British Conservative, Bashir Khanbhai said that without the transfer of technologies and without foreign direct investments in the processing industry, the ACP countries had no chance of developing their exports. Recalling the measures taken in its time for the accession of Spain and Portugal and currently to prepare the new applicant countries, he hoped that the EU would adopt an identical strategy for the ACP States in order to enable them to really on day be part of the world market. the deputy from Madagascar, Auguste Paraina said that if globalisation was to transform the planet into a village, it should also guarantee the free movement of persons. Yet the rich countries do not want to open their doors to human beings. "If they are so reluctant, it is because they do not themselves believe in the happiness of all that they claim globalisation will secure", he said, recalling that it was foremost the gap that separated the poor countries from the rich that led to immigration.
'I share some of your concerns, but not the conclusions" in your report, said Commissioner Lamy, before pleading in favour globalisation and the resumption of negotiations within the WTO, including on new subjects linked to the environment, health and social regulation, even though there remain "misunderstandings". Turning to a "beneficial liberalisation", he said that developing countries had to open up their markets. …/..
The customs duties are firstly a tax weighing on the consumer; furthermore, a "very high tax created by fraud and corruption". In his opinion an aid to the international financial institutions must be able to be considered to compensate for a possible loss of budgetary receipts cause by the reduction of customs duties. Mr Lamy recalled that the Commission has proposed free access to the Community market for all products from the 48 less developed countries hoping that this initiative would be followed by other developed countries. He recognised the need to introduce a certain amount of flexibility, in terms of intellectual property, to favour access for the developing countries to medication. He recalled that the Commission is presently considering an initiative ("e-development") enabling to reduce "the digital break" and avoid a new marginalisation of the poorest countries. Mr Lamy also recognised the need to direct part of the Community aid to bring technical assistance to exports. "Regional economic integration is indispensable" to ensure the future of markets with around 100 million consumers, announced Mr Lamy, while feeling that the EU could favour integration in this region with a systems of rules of origin. The Commission also defended the new Commission proposal concerning the imports system for bananas, based on the rule of "first come first served" and the replacement in 2006 of the quotas with a purely tariff based system. He welcomed the fact that the Council has favourable welcomed this proposal and given a mandate to the Commission for the tariff negotiations (see other story on page 8). He felt that the new protection of EUR 300 offered to ACP bananas, guarantees access to the Community market for bananas from the Caribbean, despite their higher price compared to those from Latin America.