Ray Burke
Question:38 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, of the negotiations with South Africa on its accession to the Lomé Convention and the trade and co-operation agreement. [6592/97]
Vol. 476 No. 2
38 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, of the negotiations with South Africa on its accession to the Lomé Convention and the trade and co-operation agreement. [6592/97]
In June 1995 the EU Council of Ministers mandated the Commission to negotiate a long-term relationship with South Africa. This relationship is to be built on two complementary elements: a Bilateral Trade and Cooperation Agreement with South Africa and a Protocol to provide for qualified accession by South Africa to the Lomé IV Convention.
The Mid-Term Review of the Fourth Lomé Convention, signed in Mauritius in November 1995, introduced provisions to facilitate South Africa's accession to the Convention. Under the revised Convention, South Africa can formally accede to the Convention, without further ratification by the states party to it, if the terms of accession are agreed prior to the entry into force of the agreement amending the Convention. Accession by South Africa requires the approval of the ACP-EC Council of Ministers.
Ireland fully supports the accession of South Africa to the Lomé IV Convention.