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European Parliament
2014-2019
{INTA}Committee on International Trade
2016/2053(INI)
{14/07/2016}19.7.2016
OPINION
of the Committee on International Trade
for the Committee on Development
on the future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020
(2016/2053(INI))
Rapporteur: Pedro Silva Pereira
PA_NonLeg
SUGGESTIONS
The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:
1. Underlines that existing ACP-EU cooperation has not delivered optimal results for the parties to the agreement and stresses, therefore, that future use of the same instruments in relations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries can have only limited effects on their development;
2. Calls for an effective post-Cotonou framework adapted to the new and emerging global challenges, based on ownership by and responsibility of the ACP countries, and underlines the paramount role of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human rights; highlights that the post-Cotonou framework must be defined in close cooperation with the ACP countries, including civil society, in coordination with relevant regional organisations, and must also draw on the analysis and the lessons learnt from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, while avoiding the duplication of efforts and structures; requests that the new post-Cotonou framework place growth and development at the heart of its objectives; stresses that a revised general framework agreement, which is legally binding in nature, together with the regional Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and other trade instruments, namely the Everything But Arms initiative and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP/GSP+), must support fair and sustainable trade, regional integration and, ultimately, wealth creation, sustainable development and reduction of inequality and poverty, and must also contain enforceable mechanisms to ensure human rights;
3. Recalls that EPAs are a key development instrument for helping alleviate poverty in the long run; stresses, however, that trade liberalisation must be accompanied by effective measures and development support in terms of capacity building, production, infrastructure and export capacity, and domestic private sector development, especially for the least-developed countries, in order to help them take advantage of the opportunities offered by trade;
4. Supports the establishment of a continental free trade area (CFTA) targeting deep economic integration among the 54 states of the African continent; calls for the redefinition of the EU-ACP partnership to make it compatible with the creation of this CFTA;
5. Notes that trade is one of the three pillars of the Cotonou Agreement and stresses that the post-Cotonou process should offer a framework within which to discuss trade issues of common concern with all the ACP countries and the relevant stakeholders; calls for a post-Cotonou agreement as a political umbrella agreement under which binding minimum requirements for the EPAs are set, including joint parliamentary scrutiny and structured civil society monitoring mechanisms; calls on the Commission to ensure regular monitoring of the implementation of the EPAs with a view to their possible upgrading; calls for a strengthening of trade cooperation, which is fair and balanced while encouraging systemic economic reforms and taking into account the specificities and the priorities of the different ACP countries and regions; defends such trade relations but with a values-driven approach and improved Policy Coherence for Development, as proposed in the Trade for All: Towards a more responsible trade and investment policy communication; calls for a post-Cotonou framework that takes into consideration the gender dimension of trade; believes that inclusive growth, decent job creation, economic governance, regional integration, the promotion of investment cooperation, the development of the private sector (especially of micro and small enterprises), economic diversification, the promotion of infant industries, and sustainable agricultural development and sustainable management of natural resources should be central in a future economic partnership;
6. Stresses that not only trade agreements, including EPAs, but also investment are of great importance for the development of ACP economies and the decrease in unemployment and social exclusion; to this purpose, believes that future arrangements after 2020 should provide adequate provisions to support investment processes;
7. Stresses that the post-Cotonou framework must promote sustainable development, human rights, core labour standards and good governance, including by tackling corruption and illicit financial flows on the basis of international standards; calls for strong and enforceable sustainable development provisions and a proper framework for corporate social responsibility; asks, in particular, for the human rights essential elements clause to remain in the future agreement, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, so that the linkage clauses in the EPAs especially the non-execution clauses continue to function after 2020;
8. Considers that it is very important for the post-Cotonou framework to introduce trade facilitation measures in order to expand the intra-African exchange of industrial and agricultural products;
9. Notes the importance of a renewed ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and of its involvement in all stages of discussion regarding the post-Cotonou framework, and defends strong parliamentary oversight of the future framework; asks for results-oriented and periodic monitoring of ACP-EU cooperation, especially with regard to human rights, trade, sustainable development and fair trade;
10. Stresses that the involvement of civil society and interested stakeholders, such as trade unions, businesses including SMEs and local authorities, is a must throughout the implementation of the EPAs and the post-Cotonou process; calls on the Commission to promote civil society participation in formal EU-ACP relations;
11. Recalls the Financing for Development commitments of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and their importance for the realisation of the SDGs; underlines the need for the elaboration of clear and transparent taxation rules for the improvement of domestic revenues; notes the importance of trade capacity building, as industrialisation and diversification of ACP economies remains limited, and calls for a thorough analysis of ACP needs for the development of trade and investment; asks the EU to ensure adequate and effective funding for Aid for Trade to foster technology transfer and support the ACP countries efforts to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, progressively integrate into the world economy and move up the global and regional value chains; notes that financial aid has to be intertwined with concrete cooperative projects directed at improving infrastructure and educational and social systems in the ACP countries;
12. Also calls on the EU to upgrade its support to help resource-rich countries implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative principles of greater transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
Date adopted14.7.2016Result of final vote+:
:
0:30
0
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