Brussels, 18/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The difficulty in negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), soaring food prices and the funding and effectiveness of European aid focused the attention of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, which brought together the EU and the 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries of the Cotonou Agreement, in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) on 12-13 June. For the first time, Council discussions ended with the adoption of a joint policy resolution - an indication of the seriousness of challenges that are of concern to the EU and its ACP partners, and debate high on the UN agenda in 2008, a key year, halfway to 2015 in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in 2000.
EPAs - The resolution underlines the importance of regional integration and the smooth integration of ACP states into the world economy. While the Council noted the progress made in the Cariforum - the only one of the six ACP regions, which are negotiating, in a position to sign a full EPA on 23 July in Barbados - it underlined the considerable work that still had to be done in the other regions (since the end of 2007, the number of ACP countries initialling a full EPS or an interim agreement is still 35). It also reiterated the commitment to make every effort to ensure that all regions conclude WTO-compatible EPAs which pay due regard to ACP circumstances.
Both parties recognised the need for a flexible and pragmatic approach when moving from interim agreements (sometimes concluded with individual countries) to regional EPAs and encouraged the initiative for regional Aid for Trade packages, building on the regional programming of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF). This message, on the whole, was in line with the one produced by the EU Development Council in May (see EUROPE 9670). The ACP-EU Council goes further by stressing the link between EPAs, regional integration and the key issue of food security: “EPAs need to build upon, foster and support existing regional integration processes, and enhance their overall contribution to sustainable development, food security and poverty reduction,” the resolution said.
Food prices and food safety - Both parties expressed their serious concerns in the face of challenges posed by rising food and energy prices, and climate change. The resolution noted that ACP governments were committed to strengthening sustainable regional and national agriculture policies and giving them appropriate priority in their budget processes, and that the EU would provide financial and other support to these policies, in particular through an enhanced focus on agriculture under the 10th EDF.
Aid effectiveness and financing for development - The Joint Council said it was convinced that all MDGs could still be reached provided that concerted action was taken immediately and in a sustained way until 2015. The EU and the ACP countries acknowledged that achieving all the MDGs was a responsibility shared between donors and partners, and expressed their determination to join efforts to influence the outcome of the upcoming international conferences in Accra (2-4 September), New York (25 September) and Doha (29 November-2 December). (A.N./transl.rt)