Brussels, 18/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - One year, day for day, of the date scheduled for the launch of trade negotiations between the ACP countries (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) and the European Union, Jean Robert Goulangana, ACP Secretary General, spoke to the press, making a positive assessment of ACP preparations in anticipation of that deadline and in the more global context of multilateral trade.
According to him, "significant progress" has been made in talks relating to the definition of the geographical entities of the ACP group which will serve as basis for negotiating regional economic partnership agreements (REPAs) between ACP regional integration areas and the European Union. Regional seminars organised in July, August and September in the four African sub-regions of the ACP group (those for which the identification of the most adequate geographical configuration raises most problems due, notably, to same countries belonging different regional integration areas) enabled them to "identify leads and begin reflection" on the basis of a Commission document which sets out its own approach to future agreements. The need to rationalise the regional integration areas and to convince countries to operate their regrouping in the concern of geographical coherence and maximum efficiency has largely been recognised by the ACPs, said Mr. Goulangana. But, he added, any final decision depends on the conclusions of impact assessment studies that will be undertaken to measure the potential repercussions of the different options for the ACP countries. Likewise, the most precise definition of the future agreements also requires knowledge of developments on the international stage, on which the launch of the new trade negotiations round in the WTO depend.
Turning to the ACP negotiating strategy, Jean-Robert Goulanga referred to a consensus emerging on the need for comprehensive co-ordination "to avoid any risk of a weakening of the ACP group". Negotiations with the Union will therefore be at group level for all transversal issues (agricultural issues, market access, rules of origin, etc.). The more specific questions, for their part, will be the subject of negotiations separated by regions. A high-level multidisciplinary group of experts will soon be set up (six experts for the main negotiating group and six deputies representing the different ACP regions, with two per region), the Secretary General announced. The negotiating strategy will be examined later, at the third meeting of the ACP Trade Ministerial Committee meeting, scheduled for 1 October in Nairobi. The recommendations made will then be submitted to the ACP Council of Ministers, early-December. A summit of ACP Heads of State is being envisaged for June or July of next year, to ratify the negotiating mandate at the highest level.
Discussing the WTO, Jean-Robert Goulanga welcomed the fact that the Commission should finally have signed the Financing Convention for a genuine ACP representation office in Geneva (1.8 million euro, 1.450 Meuro funded by the Community and 350,000 euro by the ACP). "Its opening is imminent. Recruitment for the head of the office is underway. These financial resources will enable us to be operational", said Goulangana.
The meeting of ACP trade ministers aimed at preparing the WTO ministerial conference (Doha, Qatar, in November) will be deferred, as "WTO preparations are not advanced enough", the Secretary General explained, stipulating that the date would only be set once the draft agenda and the declaration are known. Asked about whether this conference should be held in Doha, in the context of the attacks on the United States, Mr. Goulangana considered that it was up to the authorities in Qatar, in co-operation with the members of the WTO, "to evaluate the risks for security and the capacities for facing up to them". As for the economic situation, "it is too soon to say. We shall see in October if we have the heart to negotiate," he added. Concerning the European agenda for Doha, Mr. Goulangana welcomed the fact that the Union placed emphasis on a round of negotiations based on development and was prepared to examine the concerns of developing countries. "But developing countries do not all have the same stance. Some regard the new round as premature, others consider that a new round does not necessarily have to be launched but, in Doha, agreement has to be reached on a timetable, and yet others want, before any new round, to secure a firm commitment by developed countries not to repeat the post-Marrakech situation. But to agree, we have to know the state of preparations in the WTO. We have to be able to discuss on concrete elements," declared Mr. Goulangana.
EUROPE recalls that the ACP group vigorously condemned the attacks on the United States, condemnation that the Secretary General reiterated at the beginning of the press conference.