SP(2006)2095

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Thierry CORNILLET (ALDE, FR) on the work of the EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2005. (Please see the summary of 13/03/2005.) Parliament welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations that led to the amendment of the Cotonou Agreement, but regretted that the agreement reached at the Brussels summit of 15 and 16 December 2005 bringing the amount allocated to the 10th EDF (2008-2013) to EUR 22 682 million remains short of the initial proposals aimed at maintaining the same level of aid as under the 9th EDF. Parliament supported the request of the JPA, expressed at its 9th session in April 2005 that a suitable proportion of EDF appropriations should be used for the political education and training of parliamentarians and of political, economic and social leaders, in the interests of a lasting strengthening of good governance, and the interaction between government and opposition in pluralistic democracies based on free elections. These funds should be used for the establishment of public administration colleges and the political education of members of parliament, local administrators and people in positions of responsibility in political parties and associations.

Parliament called for greater transparency with regard to the progress and the substance of the negotiations on the economic partnership agreements as well as delivery of substantial assistance in line with the President of the Commission’s commitment to provide EUR 1 billion in ‘aid for trade’ in Gleneagles. It also called for greater involvement of the JPA in the negotiations, as well as of the European Parliament, national parliaments, local government and civil society.

The question of sugar reform gave rise to serious concerns at the Edinburgh summit. Parliament noted that the EU package of compensation and restructuring measures for the EU sugar industry exceeded EUR 7 billion and urged that the 18 ACP signatories to the Sugar Protocol, many of whose economies depend almost entirely on sugar, receive substantial financial support, which must be additional to existing commitments.

Parliament congratulated the UK Presidency and the Scottish authorities on their excellent contribution to the 10th session in Edinburgh, particularly to the workshops on the following subjects:

- meeting the MDGs on health through research and development;

- protecting the environment: ecotourism and sustainable energy;

- fishing and fish processing: EU policies and standards.

It called on the Austrian Presidency and the Bureau of the European Parliament to make the necessary arrangements for the organisation of the 11th session in Vienna (Austria), from 17 to 22 June 2006, and of the 12th session in Bridgetown (Barbados), from 18 to 24 November 2006. In addition, it called upon the members of the JPA and the European co-secretariat to do everything they could to strengthen the role and the position of the JPA within the European Parliament. All political groups were encouraged to avoid the use of votes by separate houses in order to foster the sense of solidarity and cohesiveness of the JPA.

Finally, Parliament called for close cooperation between European and African parliamentarians and an exchange programme between European Parliament officials and officials of the Pan‑African Parliament in order to build up their capacities.

T6-0140/2006

A6-0063/2006

A6-0063/2006

The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Thierry CORNILLET (ALDE, FR) on the work of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2005. It welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on amending the Cotonou Agreement, but regretted that the agreement reached at the Brussels summit of 15 and 16 December 2005 - bringing the amount allocated to the 10th European Development Fund (2008-2013) to EUR 22 682 million - remained short of the initial proposals aimed at maintaining the same level of aid as under the 9th EDF. MEPs supported the request of the ACP-EU JPA, expressed at its 9th session in April 2005 in Bamako (Mali), that a suitable proportion of EDF appropriations should be used for the political education and training of parliamentarians and of political, economic and social leaders, "in the interests of a lasting strengthening of good governance, the rule of law, democratic structures, and the interaction between government and opposition in pluralistic democracies based on free elections".

The committee called for greater transparency with regard to the progress and the substance of the negotiations on the economic partnership agreements as well as delivery of substantial assistance in line with the Commission President's commitment, in Gleneagles, to provide EUR 1 billion in 'aid for trade'. On sugar, the committee noted that the EU package of compensation and restructuring measures for the EU sugar industry exceeds EUR 7 billion and urged that the 18 ACP signatories to the Sugar Protocol, many of whose economies depend almost entirely on sugar, should receive "timely and substantial" financial support, which must be additional to existing commitments.

Among other points, the report called on the JPA members and the European co-secretariat to do everything they can to strengthen the role and the position of the JPA within the European Parliament. And the JPA was urged to continue its work on human rights, thereby contributing to the political dialogue provided for in Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement.

PE368.055

PE367.836