Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:88 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government policy on Lomé; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/99]
Written Answers. - Lomé Convention.
Negotiations between the EU and ACP states on a successor framework to the Lomé IV Convention opened in Brussels on 30 September 1998. Three negotiating groups have been established including groups on the private sector, economic and trade issues and financial co-operation. There is, in addition to these three, a central group to which the others report. The negotiations con-tinued at a recent informal ministerial conference in Dakar, Senegal between 8-9 February and are set to continue at official level in Brussels.
Ireland fully supports the contents of the EU mandate for the negotiations and played an active role in the negotiation of this mandate. In broad terms, the EU mandate advocates intensified and expanded political dialogue, a new approach to economic partnership with a recognition of the potential of regional integration among ACP states and simplified development co-operation instruments. The mandate proposes that a new Convention should have strong essential elements including human rights, good governance and democracy.
At Dakar, there was broad agreement in principle on the structure of the next Lomé, on the objectives of the partnership and on the need for strengthened political dialogue. One of the key objectives of the agreement will be that of vigorously tackling poverty in ACP states involving economic, political and social programmes in the context of advancing sustainable development. In order to advance this objective, there was general agreement at Dakar on the need to rationalise and simplify EU co-operation instruments with the ACP states but precise details remain to be worked out.
The EU mandate proposes that the current non-reciprocal trade arrangements on market access will remain in force until 2005 but that a new regime will be negotiated between 2000-05. Under this approach after 2005 ACP countries would either participate in Free Trade Areas, benefit from strengthened Least Developed Country trade provisions or, for those not in Free Trade Areas or LDC, GSP would apply. The mandate provides, in general terms, that any new arrangements should at least maintain current market access arrangements for the ACP countries.
Much work remains to be done and clearly there are divergences particularly in respect of trade issues. There is however broad agreement on the main parameters of a new Lomé framework. Ireland will continue to play its part in seeking a new agreement which advances the EU-ACP partnership while protecting the economies of the least developed countries.