WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3882/97 by Amedeo AMADEO , Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Green Paper on ACP-EU relations
22. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 196/27 Will the Commission ensure greater efficiency and transparency in the procedures for managing this policy, both in the European Union and vis-a‘-vis the ACP authorities? (98/C 196/39) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3882/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) and Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (5 December 1997) Subject: Green Paper on ACP-EU relations With reference to the Green Paper on relations between the European Union and the ACP countries on the eve of the 21st century › challenges and options for a new partnership (COM(96) 570 final), the new global environment, past experience and the socio-economic changes in the ACP States mean that new priorities need to be set for cooperation policy, which could be restructured on the basis of three principles: the economic, social and environmental dimension, the institutional dimension and trade and investment. With this in view, will the Commission give priority to the following sectors of cooperation: › education and training, particularly for women and girls; › support for the private sector and entrepreneurship; › protection of the environment, development of agriculture in line with the needs of the population, urban planning, applied research, dissemination of new technologies and culture? Joint answer to Written Questions E-3879/97, E-3880/97, E-3881/97 and E-3882/97 given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (28 January 1998) The concrete answer to the Honourable Memberís question is yes. The Commission will vary its approach: procedures and priorities for cooperation will be matched to the partner countryís level of development, its needs and its long-term development strategies. Special attention will be paid in this context to the least advanced, landlocked and island countries. On the basis that deep thinking was needed about the future relations of the Community with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, and that the forthcoming expiry of the Lome· Convention was the occasion for it, the Commission published last year a Green Paper on relations between the European Union and the ACP countries on the eve of the 21st century › Challenges and options for renewed partnership (1). The Commission used the Green Paper, in which the main issues and options for the future were identified, as the basis for an extensive public debate which gave rise to a large number of contributions and events › seminars and consultative meetings organised at the Commissionís initiative, spontaneous initiatives by non- governmental organisations, associations, private-sector representatives and trade unions, and debates in Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee. On the conclusion of this consultation process, and having regard to the suggestions made and opinions stated throughout the debate, the Commission put up a policy paper (2) intended as a basis for negotiating directives. Regarding the geographical scope of the future agreement, the Commission proposes maintaining the comprehensive coverage of the Convention while introducing the principle of differentiation to the Commission, the resolve to maintain solidarity displayed by the ACP group partners in the course of the debate › confirmed at the Libreville summit of ACP Heads of State › must be respected. On the other hand, it appears desirable to introduce the principle of differentiation based on the partnersí regional specificities and their prospects for regional integration, and on each partnerís level of development. With regard to economic and trade relations the approach proposed by the Commission has three objectives: to help the ACP countries to integrate gradually into the world economy in terms of trade and private investment flows; to strengthen Europeís presence in the ACP economies; and to invite the ACP countries to cooperate with the Community in international economic and trade negotiations