Brussels, 13/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - There is a prolific agenda for the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Luxembourg on 16 and 17 October, extended to discuss trade and development issues. Different groups of ministers will meet to discuss different issues.
Discussions will be chaired by Erkki Tuomioja, Finland's foreign minister, and will kick off with an informal dinner in the evening of 15 October for trade ministers to discuss the EU's trade policy and the Doha trade round (based on the recent Commission report 'Global Europe', see EUROPE 9278). An informal dinner for development ministers will look at the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) currently being negotiated with six ACP regions (of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific states) and funding for the Trade Aid initiative. On Monday 16 October, a joint meeting of trade and development ministers will be followed by a meeting of development ministers alone. Two ministerial troika meetings (one with Turkey and one with Serbia) will also take place on Monday on the fringes of the Council. On Tuesday, the day will start with a joint meeting of foreign ministers and development ministers, followed by a meeting of foreign ministers alone. The Commission will be represented by EU Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. The agenda in detail:
Trade Aid: Ministers will hold a policy debate and adopt conclusions on the Trade Aid initiative to help all developing countries boost their trading capacity in areas covered by multilateral trade agreements and help them implement the Economic Partnership Agreements currently being negotiated between the EU and six ACP regions. The discussions will aim to decide on the concrete details of the EU's offer, made at the Hong Kong WTO summit, to increase its contribution to EUR 2 billion by 2010 (the European Commission has almost reached EUR 1 billion and a further EUR 1 billion is expected from Member States which have been slow to put their hands in their pockets). The conclusions will invite the Member States and the Commission to prepare a common trade aid strategy in 2007.
Development ministers' meeting
Effective development aid: Ministers will hold a policy debate on how Commission and Member States' aid mixes and matches and the best division of labour (applying know-how most effectively) to boost the effectiveness of EU aid and cut transaction costs in developing countries. The Council conclusions will guide the Commission in preparing a report on this topic, expected to be published in February of next year.
Joint meeting of foreign ministers and development ministers
Coherent and effective external aid: Ministers will have a public debate on how to integrate development concerns into the EU's decision-making process and how to boost the efficiency, coherence and visibility of EU foreign relations. They will adopt conclusions on the European Commission's 2006 annual report on development policy and the implementation of external aid in 2005.
EU's Strategy for Africa: Ahead of the progress report to be made at December's European Council, the ministers will discuss with EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and Commissioner Louis Michel progress to date since the Africa Strategy was adopted in December 2005 (see EUROPE 9047).
Cooperation for Development Instrument: Ministers will approve without debate the provisional agreement reached with the Parliament in second reading on 20 September on the Cooperation for Development Instrument establishing a simplified framework for funding aid in developing countries. It will have a budget of EUR 17 billion for the period ending 2013 (see EUROPE 9271).
South Africa: Ministers will adopt conclusions confirming the EU's commitment to establish a long-term partnership with South Africa, as suggested by the European Commission in June (see EUROPE 9221)
Meeting of foreign ministers
Sudan: Ministers will adopt conclusions repeating their huge concerns about lack of security, human rights violations and the humanitarian situation in Darfur, urging all parties which have not yet done so to sign the peace agreement and stressing that the deployment of a United Nations peace-keeping force is the only realistic option for finally putting an end to this crisis.
Zimbabwe: Ministers will discuss the situation in this country to which sanctions are applied under CFSP and the Cotonou Agreement.
Middle East: Ministers will take stock of the situation in the region and adopt conclusions on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and on Lebanon.
Western Balkans: The Council will adopt conclusions on Bosnia-Herzegovina (after the elections) as well as on Serbia and Kosovo.
Georgia/Russia: Ministers will adopt conclusions expressing the EU's grave concern about the recent escalation in tension between these two neighbouring countries. The Council is also expected to condemn sanctions taken by Moscow against Georgia.
North Korea: The Council will update on the situation in North Korea almost one week after its first nuclear test. It will above all express its deep concern not only about the situation in the Asia Pacific region but also about the risk of nuclear proliferation.
Iran: The Council conclusions will support Mr Solana's efforts and recall that the offer of technological cooperation from the “Six” remains valid. At Tehran's refusal to suspend its enrichment activities, the Council is expected to say in its conclusions that the Union has no other choice than to support consultation to define measures against Iran at the UN. (an, hb, eh)