Brussels, 04/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The joint EU-Africa strategy which is due to be adopted at the second EU-Africa summit (Lisbon, 8-9 December) should include a stronger parliamentary dimension, the European Parliament's development committee, chaired by Josep Borrell (PES, Spain), believes.
Unanimously adopting the initiative report by Maria Martens (EPP-ED, Netherlands), the members of the development committee on 3 October in Brussels expressed a wish for decisive involvement not only of the European Parliament but also of the pan-African Parliament, to give a voice to parliamentarians from the two continents in what should be the first joint strategy for Europe and Africa, marking a qualitative leap in the Euro-African partnership.
“The 2005 EU strategy for Africa was adopted without in-depth consultation with the African Union (AU) institutions and African governments and parliaments” said the Parliamentary committee, which wants to see increased cooperation between the EP, the pan-African Parliament and the African regional parliaments.
It is in this spirit that a delegation from the development committee, composed of 25 members, will meet a delegation from the pan-African Parliament on 7 December in Lisbon, on the eve of the EU-Africa summit. Hans-Gert Pöttering, the president of the European Parliament, and Gertrude Mongella, the president of the pan-African Parliament will speak before the European and African heads of state and government on 8 December.
Better control of the arms trade
On the subject of governance, the Martens report demands that the commitments made to control the arms trade be respected and that the European code of conducts on the export of arms, which is voluntary, should be transformed into a legally binding joint position as part of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP).
Promote circular migration to stem the brain drain
On migration, the development committee is of the opinion that the joint EU-Africa strategy should attack the root causes of this phenomenon. Particular attention should be paid to rights and integration of African immigrants and the issue of the brain drain, which can be detrimental to African countries, particularly in the health sector: practical solutions for successful “circular migration” should be proposed.
Strengthen African courts to fight impunity
The Parliamentary committee also thinks that the joint strategy should contain provisions to combat impunity. It recommends strengthening the legal and judicial systems of African countries so that crimes against humanity can be heard in Africa.
EPAs which truly favour development
Mentioning the ongoing economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations between the EU and six regional ACP (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) sub-groups to institute a new trade scheme which is compatible with the WTO rules on 1 January 2008, the members of the Parliamentary committee think that the EPAs can “become an important tool for African trade and regional integration, but only on condition that their substance fully accords with development policy objectives”. They demand in particular that exemptions and long transition periods be laid down towards the liberalisation of trade in order to allow producers and local industries to adapt to new market situations and regional integration to progress at its own pace.
The Martens report will be submitted to the vote in the October plenary session (22-25 October in Strasbourg). (an)