—

meeting in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009,

—

having regard to Article 17(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the outcome of the London and Pittsburgh G20 meetings held in April and September 2009,

—

having regard to the communication by the European Commission of April 2009 on supporting developing countries in coping with the crisis (2),

—

having regard to the Larosière report of February 2009 on financial supervision in the EU,

—

having regard to the World Bank’s report on Global Development Finance 2009: Charting a Global Recovery,

—

having regard to the conclusions of the UN conference on the world financial and economic crisis and its impact on development, held in New York on 24-26 June 2009,

—

having regard to the report by the Committee on Political Affairs (ACP-EU/100.587/09/fin.),

A.

whereas the world is currently facing financial, economic, food, energy and environmental crises of unprecedented proportions,

B.

whereas the origins of these crises lie in industrialised nations and yet they hit developing countries hardest,

C.

whereas the world’s global governance architecture, set up in a post-war, colonial era, still mirrors the geopolitical balance of the last century and no longer matches the realities of a globalised planet,

D.

whereas we need to overhaul our political and financial global institutions to make them more effective, more transparent, more representative and more legitimate,

E.

whereas the worst excesses of deregulation, neoliberal capitalism and free market fundamentalism have conspired to wreck the world’s financial system, destroy millions of jobs and increase poverty,

F.

whereas the state is responsible for promoting stability, sustainable, pro-poor growth and ensuring that wealth creation benefits the many and not the few and therefore needs to regulate and supervise the markets and play a redistributive role in the economy,

G.

whereas certain nations’ rejection of multilateralism in recent years has led to confrontation, conflict and intercultural strife,

H.

whereas we must react to halt climate change in order to prevent devastating environmental damage and its harsh economic and social consequences,

I.

whereas governments from rich nations have found trillions to bail out financial institutions but some of them are backtracking on their MDG commitments,

J.

whereas only 1,6 % of the IMF’s new lending since the London G20 summit has gone to sub-Saharan Africa,

K.

whereas ACP States are severely under-represented in institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF and the UN Security Council,

L.

whereas women are also under-represented in governance structures,

M.

whereas outflows from developing countries in the form of illicit capital flight, to a large extent facilitated by tax havens and banking secrecy, have been estimated at EUR 350-600 billion a year,

N.

whereas OECD countries’ aid to poor farmers amounts to 1 % of their agricultural subsidies,

O.

whereas one of the prime tasks of the World Bank and the IMF is to reduce poverty,

P.

whereas the World Bank and the IMF continue to apply economic and policy conditionality to their loans,

Q.

whereas the G20, which has become the main forum for international economic cooperation, is more inclusive than the G8 but nevertheless excludes 85 % of the world’s population,

R.

whereas the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a forum of donor governments, while the new Development Cooperation Forum comes under the UN umbrella and offers developing countries voice and ownership,

S.

whereas it is urgent and essential to rebuild social trust in our global governance architecture,

1.

Calls on the international community to make global institutions more representative, democratic and inclusive, allowing developing nations, in particular in Africa, to be more influential and to enjoy greater decision-making capacity;

2.

Asks the G20 to give G77 members a seat at the negotiating table;

3.

Welcomes the Pittsburgh G20’s commitment to a shift in IMF quota share to dynamic emerging markets and developing countries; insists on fairer voting rights for developing and emerging economies on the IMF executive board and the World Bank board of governors; calls, therefore, for a new double-majority voting system based on one member, one vote, as well as on economic weight;

4.

Calls for an end to the US right of veto at the IMF and World Bank;

5.

Insists that the G20 upholds its pledge to open, transparent and merit-based processes for appointing the senior management of all international financial institutions;

6.

Urges the UN Security Council to enlarge its membership;

7.

Asks the international community to ensure a tighter, more transparent, more accountable regulatory framework for the world’s financial markets, with increased oversight, as demanded by the G20;

8.

Strongly supports overhauling the IMF so it can play an enhanced surveillance and supervision role and issue early warnings in the event of global market imbalances or macroeconomic risks;

9.

Invites all relevant actors to ensure better coordination between the Bretton Woods institutions, the G20 and regional development banks;

10.

Urges G20 members, the EU and ACP countries, to take speedy action to eradicate tax havens and combat banking secrecy, stepping up international cooperation, automatic information exchange, country-by-country reporting standards for multinationals and capacity building in countries affected by capital flight; looks forward to the G20’s promised countermeasures against tax havens as of 2010;

11.

Exhorts governments to cap executive pay to avoid obscene levels of remuneration, and to regulate incentive schemes in the financial sector that threaten the stability of the system; welcomes the Pittsburgh G20’s support for increasing financial stability and aligning compensation and remuneration with long-term value creation and not with excessive risk-taking;

12.

Calls on all states wholeheartedly to support multilateralism and the UN system;

13.

Recommends that the UN Development Cooperation Forum is taken into account, together with the OECD DAC, as the two high-ranking forums for development cooperation and for analysing and monitoring global aid trends, including the aid effectiveness agenda;

14.

Welcomes the fact that the US has decided to re-engage with the UN Human Rights Council and has at last taken up its seat; calls on the EU, ACP and other partners to ensure this Council defends all victims of human rights abuses;

15.

Salutes the G20 commitments of USD 1.1 trillion to kick-start the world economy but regrets that only a fraction is earmarked for the poorest countries; warns against crippling developing countries with sizeable new debt;

16.

Calls on EU Member States to live up to their MDG aid commitments;

17.

Recognises the importance of trade but stresses that free markets alone do not guarantee an end to poverty;

18.

Urges all WTO members to work towards an equitable outcome for the Doha Development Round which curtails protectionism but reflects the different capacities and levels of development that exist between stronger and weaker economies, and allows ACP states to protect their most vulnerable industries;

19.

Asks the EU, in the context of the economic partnership agreements, to respect those ACP countries that decide not to move to a full EPA or choose to renegotiate controversial areas of interim EPAs; insists on a full role for the JPA in all planned EPA parliamentary follow-up structures;

20.

Calls on the EU to reduce significantly its agricultural subsidies and eliminate all agricultural export subsidies;

21.

Asks the EU to keep its aid-for-trade commitments and to continue to help bolster ACP countries’ trade capacities;

22.

Calls on the international community to implement high standards of social and environmental protection and workers’ rights, including the ‘decent work’ agenda (as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO)), and to support developing countries in applying these standards;

23.

Calls on all governments to respect the right to free bargaining and collective agreements and to guarantee the right to strike mentioned in the constitution of the ILO;

24.

Exhorts the UN to mainstream gender equality and women’s empowerment;

25.

Invites the UN to upgrade ECOSOC, with a view to promoting lasting solutions for economic, social, employment, cultural and health issues;

26.

Calls on the World Bank to attach higher priority to development issues, climate change and promotion of health and education, in line with the Pittsburgh G20 conclusions;

27.

Urges all governments at the December Copenhagen climate summit to strike an ambitious, fair and sustainable deal, sharing the burden equitably between industrialised and developing nations and taking into account countries’ different degrees of responsibility for climate change;

28.

Urges EU States to respect their G20 commitments to assist developing countries in fighting climate change; insists that these funds must be additional to existing development aid;

29.

Calls on the EU to invest massively in research, education and the environment, and increase funding and technology transfer for developing countries;

30.

Asks all states to embrace greater parliamentary scrutiny to make governments’ action more transparent, democratic, accountable and effective;

31.

Calls on the UN and WTO to attach higher priority to parliamentary input;

32.

Calls on policy makers, particularly in ACP countries, to engage with civil society and to provide CSOs with basic resources to operate;

33.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the Commission of the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, as well as to national and regional parliaments in ACP States, the European Commission, the UN and regional organisations, the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO and the EU and African Union Presidencies.

—

meeting in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009,

—

having regard to Article 17 (1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the objectives of the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), on the one hand, and the European Community and its Member States, on the other, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (the Cotonou Agreement) and all its amendments,

—

having regard to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly the commitment to set up a global partnership for development, and the conclusions and recommendations from the UN High-Level Meeting held in New York on 25 September 2008,

—

having regard to the 2009 report of the Millennium Development Goals Gap Task Force, entitled ‘Strengthening the Global Partnership for Development in a Time of Crisis’, and the Millennium Development Goals Report 2009,

—

having regard to the Monterrey Consensus, which was adopted at the United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development held on 21 and 22 March 2002, and the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development, adopted on 2 December 2008 at the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus,

—

having regard to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness of 2 March 2005 and the Accra Agenda for Action adopted at the Accra High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held from 2 to 4 September 2008,

—

having regard to the G20 declarations from the meeting on the financial crisis held in Washington on 15 November 2008 and the summits held in London on 2 April 2009 and in Pittsburgh on 24-25 September 2009,

—

having regard to the appeal by World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick to developed countries to pledge 0,7 % of their stimulus packages to a ‘Vulnerability Fund’ for developing countries,

—

having regard to the IMF report ‘The implications of the Global Financial Crisis for Low-Income Countries’ of March 2009,

—

having regard to the Commission communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 8 April 2009 on supporting developing countries in coping with the crisis (4),

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade (ACP-EU/100.510/09/fin.),

A.

whereas the global financial and economic system is characterised by increasing interdependence between all of the countries of the world,

B.

whereas the financial and economic crisis originated in financial centres such as New York and London, and whereas the ACP States are not responsible for the financial and economic crisis but rather suffer the consequences thereof,

C.

whereas the financial and economic crisis stems from a growing disjunction between the creation of international added value, effective saving and a financial sphere increasingly operating in a virtual and speculative world whose core characteristic is the endless and unsupervised creation of derivative products from other derivative products,

D.

whereas according to the recently released IMF report ‘The implications of the Global Financial Crisis for Low-Income Countries (LIC)’, the crisis will ‘increase the financing needs of LICs by at least USD 25 billion in 2009’, with sub-Saharan Africa likely to be particularly severely hit,

E.

whereas commercial financing has been drying up since the onset of the financial crisis, and in developing countries has slumped by between USD 100 billion and USD 300 billion, on top of which new trading restrictions have had an adverse impact in many countries and there is deadlock in the trade negotiations within the framework of the Doha Development Programme,

F.

whereas the ACP countries are dependent on commodity export earnings which account for 50 % of their foreign exchange, and the crisis has led to a drop in export earnings for many developing countries, the transfer of funds to these countries, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance,

G.

whereas, among other factors, the high prices for imported fuels and foodstuffs, coupled with weak demand for exported goods which has reduced important sources of income, have hampered the ability of many developing countries to settle their foreign debt,

H.

whereas the impact of the economic and financial crisis on the ACP countries has broken a cycle of continuous economic growth dating back to 2004 and thereby jeopardises advances made, as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals,

I.

whereas, according to United Nations estimates, donors’ contributions are still USD 35 billion per annum short of the promise they made on annual aid flows at the G8 meeting in Gleneagles in 2005, and USD 20 billion per annum short on aid to Africa,

J.

whereas the Doha Conference on Financing for Development focused on medium-term development issues, while identifying a number of goals in respect of fundamental reform, emphasising the need for an integrated approach to the economic, social and environmental aspects of development, and acknowledging the diversity of national situations,

K.

whereas the international financial architecture possesses weak points that require reform in order to make it more representative and effective,

L.

whereas the developed economies have implemented a series of measures in response to the crisis, at the multilateral, European and national levels, and whereas the G20's response in particular, structured around short-term measures and structural reforms, gives priority to restoring the operation of financial markets and mechanisms to boost confidence in them, while only briefly addressing the specific needs of developing countries or the other major challenges linked to the solving of the economic crisis (food security, climate change, preserving biodiversity, access to energy resources and access to water for drinking and household use as well as for production sectors),

M.

whereas ACP countries are not all equally affected by the financial and economic crisis, and whereas the disparities are based on criteria such as: degree of openness to foreign trade, dependence on export earnings, financial reserves and the dynamism of national and regional markets,

N.

whereas, nevertheless, the ACP States are more vulnerable to exogenous shocks, and whereas the World Bank estimates that, in general terms, a 1 % drop in world growth would plunge a further 20 million people into poverty, because such a decline in global growth could threaten the progress made in the area of development over the last decade, and particularly the progress made towards achieving the MDGs,

O.

whereas the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that the number of people in the world suffering from hunger has now reached one billion and that the total has increased by 100 million due to the global financial crisis (5),

P.

whereas the risks for ACP countries engendered by the crisis include:

Q.

whereas prices for natural resources have fallen, reducing one of the most important sources of income for ACP countries,

R.

whereas ACP countries are not able to receive money in the form of sovereign bonds,

1.

Recalls that the ACP-EU Partnership should respect the letter and spirit of the Cotonou Agreement and emphasises that the EU is required to play a decisive role in mitigating the immediate and long-term effects of the crisis on ACP countries, also given its position as the main trading partner of the ACP States, the principal source of remittances from migrant workers, the main provider of private investment, and the world’s largest donor of ODA;

2.

Urges donor countries to seriously take into account, in a coordinated and consistent manner, the effects of the crisis on ACP countries, in observance of the principles established in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and reiterated in the Accra Agenda for Action, and in conformity with the promises on financing for development made in Monterrey and reaffirmed at the Doha Conference and the various G20 Summits;

3.

Urges, more specifically, the G20 countries to honour the commitments made to the developing countries at the summits on the financial crisis held in Washington on 15 November 2008, in London on 2 April 2009 and in Pittsburgh on 24-25 September 2009,

4.

Reaffirms the importance of the MDGs in the fight against poverty and calls for the respect for and delivery of commitments made by EU Member States to increase ODA to 0,56 % of GNI by 2010 and to 0,7 % by 2015; calls for new commitments to ambitious multiannual timetables, in order to be able to measure the gradual rise in aid budgets;

5.

Encourages donor countries and ACP countries to direct short- and medium-term spending towards the poorest population strata and key sectors (health, education, agriculture and rural infrastructure, job creation, water for drinking and for production sectors), as well as towards the creation and preservation of appropriate social protection systems and safety nets; emphasises the importance of these measures given that it is impossible to finance recovery packages in the ACP countries and there is a need to make resources available very swiftly;

6.

Emphasises that this type of spending is the most adversely affected in times of crisis, despite being the most financially affordable and the most profitable in the short, medium and long terms, and despite its potential for producing a counter-cyclical effect;

7.

Urges donor countries to use this unprecedented crisis as a catalyst to further explore existing possibilities in terms of additional and innovative sources of financing for development, such as an international financial transaction tax, and to identify new ones, to allow developing countries to diversify their sources of revenue and implement more effective, concrete and operational spending programmes;

8.

Calls on the EU Member States and on rich countries to cancel the foreign debts of all impoverished countries, without onerous economic policy conditions; stresses that possibly as many as 60 countries need all of their debts to be cancelled if they are to have any chance of achieving the MDGs; welcomes the action already taken by many EU countries in writing off the debt of developing countries, but expresses concern that such debt write-offs have artificially boosted EU aid figures;

9.

Emphasises, in particular, the benefits associated with the use of micro-financing techniques, in economic terms at local level and also in terms of the involvement of the population, especially women, in development;

10.

Calls on the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the multilateral development banks, to support developing countries in overcoming the current crisis, in restoring growth, in building up increased market and trade capacity and restoring the developing countries’ access to credit and private capital flows;

11.

Invites the developed countries to ensure that the IFIs have sufficient resources to play their role to full capacity;

12.

Calls on ACP countries in their own interest to increase good governance and transparency in national finances in order to improve budget predictability, implementation and control; stresses the importance of parliamentary oversight over public finances;

13.

Stresses the need for appropriate legislation and regulations to protect the ACP countries, the main borrowers, against predatory vulture funds;

14.

Points out that a comprehensive response must be provided to the economic and financial crisis, that no financial institution, market segment or jurisdiction must be exempt from regulation and supervision and that the transparency and accountability of all parties must form the bedrock of a new brand of international finance governance;

15.

Underlines that fair trade, promotion of investment in industry and local production, entrepreneurship and innovation, and effectively regulated financial markets are fundamental for economic growth, employment and poverty reduction;

16.

Calls on the ACP States to establish a healthier legislative and regulatory environment for businesses to operate in, in order to attract more private, foreign and national investment;

17.

Urges EU Member States as well as the ACP countries to refrain from the creation of protectionist barriers in international trade as a reaction to the economic crisis;

18.

Urges EU Member States to consider, and fully implement, measures outside the financial sector that have a positive impact on development in ACP countries, and especially cutting-edge technology transfers, in areas, including environmental protection, which foster capacity building and enable the development of research and infrastructure;

19.

Emphasises the need to strengthen the development and regional integration process among ACP States, and, in particular, appeals for the effects of the crisis on their development to be taken into account in the negotiations on and implementation of the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the ACP States and the EU; recalls that EPAs must be accompanied by the promised new funding for Aid for Trade, i.e. EUR 2 billion a year by 2010;

20.

Recalls the need, amplified by the economic crisis, for EU Member States to implement an approach to migration which is respectful of human rights and in accordance with development objectives; transfers of migrants’ funds to their countries of origin, which have large capital needs, must be facilitated and even encouraged; in the same way, the social and cultural dimensions of migration, as a factor in integration, tolerance, exchanges and mutual acceptance between peoples, must be enhanced, and be given greater prominence in the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement;

21.

Emphasises the urgent need to reform international financial governance, covering the architecture and operation of the financial system, which presupposes full and equitable incorporation of ACP countries into international financial bodies to improve these bodies’ representation and, consequently, reflect the diversity of national, regional and international interests with greater legitimacy;

22.

Invites the ACP countries to involve their parliaments more closely in their decision-making procedures, and particularly in the preparation of their development strategies;

23.

Calls on the international community to conclude the Doha cycle of trade negotiations for development in a just manner satisfactory to all sides;

24.

Believes that the effects of the crisis on ACP States can serve as a stimulus for ACP States to invest in the agricultural sector so as to guarantee food security and the right to food sovereignty and to commence a process of reflection on the diversification of production and the transformation of commodities to increase added-value, which would improve the terms of exchange and mitigate the volatility of raw-material prices;

25.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the EU Council Presidency, the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament and the parliaments of the ACP countries, the World Bank, the IMF, the FAO and ACP Regional Development Banks.

—

meeting in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009,

—

having regard to Article 17(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 and revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005, hereinafter referred to as the Cotonou Agreement, and in particular Articles 9, 13, 26 and 27 thereof,

—

having regard to Articles 149-150 and Articles 177-181 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,

—

having regard to Article 13 of the EC Treaty on combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation,

—

having regard to the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 7 November 1995,

—

having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, adopted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 13 December 2006,

—

having regard to the Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes, adopted at the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, held in Lisbon from 8 to 12 August 1998,

—

having regard to the Braga Youth Action Plan, adopted at the third UN World Youth Forum from 2 to 7 August 1998 in Braga (Portugal),

—

having regard to the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life, adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe on 21 May 2003,

—

having regard to the Agenda 21 for Culture approved by the Fourth Forum of Local Authorities for Social Inclusion of Porto Alegre, held in Barcelona (Spain) on 8 May 2004,

—

having regard to the Dakar Declaration on the promotion of ACP cultures and cultural industries and its action plan, adopted by the ACP Ministers of Culture at their first meeting, held in Dakar (Senegal) in 2004,

—

having regard to the Santo Domingo resolution, adopted by the ACP Ministers of Culture at their second meeting, held in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) in October 2006,

—

having regard to the resolution concerning youth employment, adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 93rd Session in Geneva in June 2005,

—

having regard to the African Youth Charter, adopted by the African Union in Banjul, The Gambia, in July 2006,

—

having regard to the Pacific Youth Strategy 2010, adopted by the Second Conference of Youth Ministers of the Pacific Community, held from 5 to 7 December 2005 in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea),

—

having regard to Title II (Investment, Trade in Services and E-Commerce) of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the Cariforum States and the European Community and its Member States, establishing free movement of services between the parties, and to Protocol III (on Cultural Cooperation) thereto,

—

having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 30 October 2008 on the Implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth: progress and constraints with respect to the well-being of youth and their role in civil society,

—

having regard to the Council resolution of 14 December 2000 on the social inclusion of young people (7),

—

having regard to the European Commission White Paper of 21 November 2001 on a new impetus for European youth (8) and the European Parliament resolution of 14 May 2002 on the Commission White Paper on a new impetus for European youth (9),

—

having regard to the Council resolution of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the youth field (10),

—

having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005 adopting the European Youth Pact (11),

—

having regard to the communication of 30 May 2005 from the Commission to the Council on European policies concerning youth: addressing the concerns of young people in Europe – implementing the European Youth Pact and promoting active citizenship (12), and the Council resolution of 24 November 2005 on addressing the concerns of young people in Europe – implementing the European Pact for Youth and promoting active citizenship (13),

—

having regard to the decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 on youth policy: Youth in Action Programme for 2007-2013 (14),

—

having regard to the decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013 the programme ‘Europe for Citizens’ to promote active European citizenship (15),

—

having regard to the communication of 5 September 2007 from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on promoting young people's full participation in education, employment and society (16),

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 16 November 2007 on a transversal approach to youth policy with a view to enabling young people to fulfil their potential and participate actively in society (17),

—

having regard to the communication of 27 April 2009 from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on an EU strategy for youth – investing and empowering: a renewed open method of coordination to address youth challenges and opportunities (18), and to its accompanying Commission staff working document – EU Youth Report (19),

—

having regard to the UN World Youth Report 2003, the UN World Youth Report 2005 and the UN World Youth Report 2007,

—

having regard to the UNDP Human Development Report 2004: Cultural Liberty in Today's Diverse World,

—

having regard to the Brussels Declaration on Asylum, Migration and Mobility and its action plan, adopted in April 2006 by the ACP Ministers in charge of asylum, migration and mobility,

—

having regard to the ACP Group's Brussels resolution on migration and development, adopted by the ACP Ministers in charge of asylum, migration and mobility,

—

having regard to Decision No 2/LXXXVII/08 taken at the 27th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers, held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) from 8 to 13 June 2008, on the implementation of the ACP Group's Brussels resolution on migration and development,

—

having regard to the World Bank's World Development Report 2007: Development and the Next Generation,

—

having regard to the ILO's report of October 2008 entitled ‘Global Employment Trends for Youth’,

—

having regard to the Final Declaration of the Africa-Europe Youth Summit, held from 4 to 7 December 2007 in Lisbon (Portugal),

—

having regard to the European Youth Forum Position Papers of 3 May 2008 on youth and migration and on youth employment,

—

having regard to the European Youth Forum report of 2008 entitled ‘Development Needs Youth – Youth Organisations in Action’,

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment (ACP-EU/100.504/09/fin.),

A.

whereas ‘youth’ is defined as young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years (20); whereas youth constitutes 18 % of the world’s population or 1.2 billion people, almost 85 % of whom live in developing countries,

B.

whereas many young people live in poverty and suffer from exclusion or marginalisation, in particular young women, youth with disabilities, young migrants and refugees, youth living in rural areas and youth from ethnic minorities,

C.

whereas the social, economic and cultural inclusion and active participation of young people in society are essential both for their personal development and for sound and democratic national and global development,

D.

whereas education and employment are a prerequisite for successful integration and participation of young people in society,

E.

whereas, despite the fact that today's youth are the best educated youth generation in history, youth unemployment and underemployment have increased to record levels, exacerbated by the economic crisis; whereas young people represent 25 % of the global working-age population, but accounted for 43,7 % of the unemployed in 2007 (21),

F.

whereas cultural industries promote an alternative economic development, create wealth and provide decent work for young people,

G.

whereas migration has become one of the coping mechanisms used by young people to expand their options for education and opportunities to work, but these educational opportunities do not benefit the developing countries from which they come or increase these countries’ level of education,

H.

whereas globalisation has contributed to an increased mobility in education and vocational training, work and voluntary services, thus promoting solidarity and better cross-cultural understanding, and encouraging respect for difference and diversity,

I.

whereas culture plays an important role in the well-being and personal development of young people,

J.

whereas the proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICT) is presenting new opportunities to young people for their development, inclusion and civic participation; whereas governments’ commitment to invest in ICT can reduce the current digital divide between EU and ACP countries and promote equality,

K.

whereas only if young people are recognised as decision-making partners will it be possible to find long-term solutions to global threats such as climate change and to meet development objectives,

1.

Urges ACP and EU governments to mainstream youth issues into all policy-making and enhance coordination between youth policies and other policy areas directly affecting youth;

2.

Stresses the need to defend integrally the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular Articles 23, 24, 26 and 27 referring to work, education and culture;

3.

Calls on the Commission to provide for balanced financing for Action 3.2 of the current Youth in Action Programme (2007-2013) within the provisions foreseen and, following the example of the Euromed Youth Programme, to establish an ACP-EU Youth Programme under the Cotonou Agreement, with additional appropriations in the follow-up programme;

4.

Stresses that policy makers at all levels should further develop their cooperation and foster exchange of good practices on social and cultural integration and participation of young people, for instance through promoting inter-agency alliances that consolidate national, regional and international programmes for young people;

5.

Calls on EU and ACP countries to guarantee to all young people full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms and eliminate all forms of discrimination; calls on the Commission, the EU and ACP countries to increase funding for programmes for social and cultural inclusion of young people from vulnerable groups;

6.

Considers that the EU should develop a common migration policy that is coherent, with a strong sense of equality and focused on the social integration of migrants in receiving societies; calls on EU Member States to ensure respect for young migrants’ rights and the same access to education, social services and economic opportunities as those enjoyed by the citizens of the country concerned;

7.

Calls on the EU to enhance the protection measures for all young third-country nationals working legally in Europe; encourages the EU to work towards applying the status of long-term residents to them and defining the status of semi-skilled and non-skilled workers; considers also that EU and ACP governments should create programmes to curtail the brain drain of young people from developing countries and to coordinate their measures to prevent it;

8.

Calls on EU and ACP governments to provide all young people with access to appropriate and youth-friendly health information and services;

9.

Calls on ACP and EU governments to establish programmes that reduce school drop-out rates, reduce youth illiteracy and improve the quality of basic education;

10.

Calls for universal access to secondary education; calls on ACP and EU governments to remove barriers to access to primary education, especially for young people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups; urges governments to provide grants and concessional loans to students from developing countries who would like to enrol in tertiary education;

11.

Calls on EU and ACP countries to promote a smooth transition from education to employment through a switch from theoretical classroom methods to practical experience at school and integration of entrepreneurship education in the curricula;

12.

Urges ACP and EU governments to place emphasis on cultural and social education and encourage young people's involvement in cultural activities inside and outside school that could enrich their lives, lead to balanced personal development and protect them from drug addiction and other abuses, thus fostering their social and cultural integration into society;

13.

Urges ACP and EU governments to recognise that young people are the group most open to change and the best ambassadors for change that any society possesses; calls on ACP and EU governments to use young people to effect positive change in society through such mechanisms as peer-to-peer education on HIV/AIDS, ICT and sustainable technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change;

14.

Calls for universal ICT access for young people; calls on governments to invest in ICT infrastructure and provide ICT facilities in schools; calls on the Commission and ACP and EU countries to link ACP and EU classrooms through eTwinning technology to foster intercultural learning; calls on ACP and EU governments to promote distance learning as a means of facilitating the social integration of people from disadvantaged groups, particularly people with disabilities;

15.

Calls on ACP and EU governments to establish national youth employment strategies and action plans in cooperation with the ILO and to regularly monitor the employment situation of young people;

16.

Calls on the EU and ACP governments to promote employment rights and a fair remuneration as an effective way to promote social inclusion;

17.

Notes that young people working while studying gain valuable experience that facilitates their transition from education to the labour market; encourages the private sector to create more apprenticeship opportunities for young people still in school; warns against all types of employment exploitation in this context;

18.

Notes that young women (22) and young people with disabilities (23) face higher rates of unemployment and underemployment; calls for the elaboration of specific policies to support employment of young women and people from disadvantaged groups;

19.

Stresses the need for creating more favourable conditions for young entrepreneurs by providing them with information and financial incentives and removing administrative burdens from those wishing to set up a business; calls on the financial institutions to facilitate access to micro-credit for young people; calls on governments to establish professional counselling and financing programmes for young entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industry sector, and to encourage community-based services with a view to improving social integration at local level;

20.

Calls on national parliaments and on EU and ACP governments to incorporate the protection of existing cultures on their territory in their national legislation, as a guarantee of the preservation and development of those cultures;

21.

Rejects a concept of culture as a commodity subject to profit rules; upholds the democratisation of the creation and bringing to fruition of culture to stimulate cultural development for young people, defined according to their own aspirations and with their participation;

22.

Urges ACP and EU governments to create plans or support existing initiatives to help boost the development of cultural tourism, encouraging young people to appreciate the cultural and natural heritage of our countries;

23.

Calls on ACP and EU governments to create or strengthen already existing intercultural policies in order to promote cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence of different cultures in society; also calls on ACP and EU governments to encourage decentralisation of cultural policies, thus promoting local development on the basis of culture and subcultures, and respect for diversity and difference;

24.

Calls on ACP and EU governments, the Commission and international organisations to strengthen their efforts to organise workshops, seminars and youth camps for young people from different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds as a means of promoting intercultural understanding;

25.

Considers that the UN, the Commission and governments should incorporate a cultural dimension in development cooperation policies, programmes and plans;

26.

Calls on the international community and EU and ACP governments to focus on preserving traditional handicrafts by allocating more funds to vocational training and manufacturing possibilities; to support sales and marketing of these products; to improve market access opportunities for cultural goods and services, especially those produced by young people, in order to improve the mobility of cultural goods and services; and to support initiatives for the teaching of local languages via the Internet;

27.

Calls on ACP and EU governments to ensure that the voices of young people are being heard and welcomes the establishment of youth parliaments in an effort to promote young people's political culture and the development of their sense of responsibility;

28.

Welcomes the Commission initiative on structured dialogue with young people and youth organisations on policy matters relevant to them, but underlines the need to better define the implementation of such a concept;

29.

Notes that improving access to information enhances the transparency of governments and public administration, which will encourage young people's empowerment and participation in decision-making; stresses the importance of ICT in improving access to information and calls on governments to create and implement mechanisms that ensure the protection of young ICT users; underlines the role of ICT in strengthening new forms of youth participation such as cyber-participation and e-citizenship;

30.

Considers that the minimum age for voting should not be above 18 years of age, to ensure the full participation of youth in society;

31.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the African Union, the EU Member States, the ACP countries, the UN and UNESCO.

—

meeting in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009,

—

having regard to Article 17(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) of 1992,

—

having regard to the Kyoto Protocol of 1997,

—

having regard to the action plan adopted by the European Council following the report by the High Representative for the CFSP in March 2008,

—

having regard to the ACP-EU joint declaration on climate change and development adopted by the Joint Council in May 2009,

—

having regard to Resolution A/63/281 on climate change and its possible security implications, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 3 June 2009,

—

having regard to the views of the World Humanitarian Forum held on 23 June 2009 in Geneva on the initiative of Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General,

—

having regard to the declaration on climate change by the Pan-African Parliamentary Conference held in Yaoundé (Cameroon) from 25 to 27 June 2009,

—

having regard to the resolutions adopted on 10 July 2009 at the G8 Summit and the Major Economies’ Forum on Climate and Energy held in L’Aquila (Italy),

—

having regard to the regional workshop of West African Parliamentarians and local elected representatives on climate change governance held in Praia (Cape Verde) from 3 to 6 August 2009,

—

having regard to the resolutions on climate change and conflict by the African Union Summit held in Syrte (Libya) on 30 August 2009,

—

having regard to the recommendations by the High-Level Meeting on Climate Change convened in New York on 22 September 2009 by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

—

having regard to the recommendations of the World Forum on sustainable development held in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from 9 to 11 October 2009,

—

having regard to the Declaration of the Second Pan-African Parliamentary Network on Climate Change Summit held in Nairobi (Kenya) from 12 to 15 October 2009,

—

having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 29 and 30 October 2009,

—

having regard to the Declaration of the Third Sub-Regional Conference (Congo Basin) of the Pan-African Parliamentary Network on Climate Change held in Yaoundé (Cameroon) from 12 to 13 November 2009,

—

having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2009 on the EU strategy for the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change (COP 15) (25),

—

having regard to the forthcoming fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC and the fifth Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 5) to be held in Copenhagen (Denmark) from 7 to 18 December 2009,

—

having regard to its resolution of 4 April 2009 on the social and environmental consequences of climate change in the ACP countries (26),

A.

whereas global warming raises the problem, which is universally recognised to be urgent, of the survival and sustainable development of humankind,

B.

whereas, according to a report by the Global Humanitarian Forum led by Kofi Annan, climate change has already pushed over 12 million people into poverty, while 300 000 people are dying every year from the adverse effects of climate change, and 20 million will fall into poverty by 2030,

C.

whereas the unsettled climate, which is already perceptible because of the intensity and frequency of the natural disasters observed on all continents (floods, drought, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, etc.), represents a serious, frightening threat for countries that largely consist of desert, islands or coastal regions,

D.

whereas the report on the State of World Population 2009 presented by the United Nations Population Fund (UFPA) recognises that climate change is also an issue of population dynamics, poverty and gender equity,

E.

whereas deforestation in the tropics is a major factor of climate change and a serious threat to biodiversity and the livelihoods of more than one billion poor people living in and off such forests,

F.

whereas the international community recognises the impact of climate change on international security,

G.

aware that the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which have limited capacity and lack resources to adapt to climate change, will suffer the most although they have contributed the least to global warming,

H.

having regard to the importance of agriculture, particularly small- and medium-scale agriculture, in LDCs, in terms of percentage of the active population and the impact of climate change in this sector,

I.

convinced that guaranteeing a sustainable environment for future generations requires the shared but differentiated responsibility of the whole of humankind,

J.

whereas industrialised countries bear a historical responsibility for global pollution and therefore have a duty to provide financial assistance to developing countries in their efforts to adapt to its consequences, including loss and damage caused by the impact of climate change,

K.

whereas most of the money promised for climate change comes from official development assistance (ODA) budgets, thus diverting funds from development assistance and posing a serious threat to poverty reduction and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),

L.

whereas the increasing displacement and forced migration of people caused by climate change can lead to major complications and conflicts, so this needs to be seriously addressed, since international agreements on climate change and international law do not provide the people concerned with specific assistance,

M.

whereas the G8 Summit and the Major Economies’ Forum on Climate and Energy held in L’Aquila (Italy) have recognised that, in accordance with the conclusions of the UNFCCC and of the Kyoto Protocol, the average temperature in the world must not rise more than 2 °C above pre-industrial levels,

N.

stresses the urgent need to take account of the situation of women when analysing the impact of climate change, and the link with MDG 3 (gender equality) and MDG 5 (maternal health),

1.

Welcomes the universal consensus finally achieved on the need to act together quickly to save planet Earth from the ecological and environmental crisis that threatens it;

2.

Urges that the agreement that will be concluded at the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009 should place the emphasis on fairness and social justice by a differentiated approach that takes account of the countries’ population, industrial development and poverty;

3.

Emphasises the need to reach a legally binding agreement in Copenhagen by the end of this year, which will build on the Kyoto Protocol and come into force on 1 January 2013;

4.

Calls on the representatives of EU and ACP countries to work closely together and to coordinate their positions so as to bring the Copenhagen summit to a successful conclusion;

5.

Notes the recognition by the G8 and the Major Economies’ Forum in L’Aquila of the need to establish a world partnership to promote low-carbon-emission, environment-friendly technologies and to double public sector investment in them;

6.

Points out that the main cause of climate change is economic activity that fails to respect natural balances that has been taking place since the Industrial Revolution;

7.

Stresses that the international agreement should be based on the principle of a ‘common but differentiated responsibility’, with the industrialised countries taking the lead in reducing their domestic emissions while the developing countries and the emerging economies also commit themselves to taking nationally appropriate mitigation action in the context of sustainable development, supported and enabled, in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner, by technology, financing and capacity-building from industrialised countries;

8.

Calls on industrialised countries to take the lead in addressing the climate change issues by making legally binding commitments to reduce emissions by 25 to 40 % below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 80 to 95 % below 1990 levels by 2050;

9.

Calls upon ACP and EU countries to fix a specific target for the use of renewable energy and considers that energy efficiency and renewable energy should be put at the heart of ACP-EU development cooperation programmes under the Cotonou Agreement;

10.

Strongly believes that climate change policy must not be dissociated from other policies, such as agriculture, food security, energy, environment, public health and international trade policy; therefore urges the EU and emerging and developing countries’ governments to actively integrate environmental, social and climate change dimensions in country and regional strategy papers as well as in all development programmes and projects;

11.

Considers that the hope raised by the existence, in the African countries in particular, of large natural reserves that could genuinely serve as the planet’s lungs must result in appropriate financial flows enabling them to use their natural resources while respecting the ecosystem for the good of the whole of humankind;

12.

Calls on the European Commission urgently to develop a comprehensive agenda to reduce deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, including promotion of Voluntary Partnership Agreements under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) programmes to ensure that the rights of the indigenous forest communities are respected; in addition considers that the Commission has to come forward with clear, rigorous proposals to ban the import of illegally logged timber and timber products into the EU market; calls on the Commission to present such proposals without further delay;

13.

Stresses that the financial resources needed to counter climate change must be additional, renewable, predictable, transparent, long-term, appropriate and allocated primarily as subsidies; underlines that donor countries need to invest in improving and increasing the ‘absorption capacity’ in developing countries, so that the latter are able to use the resources effectively;

14.

Stresses that mitigation and adaptation financing should respect priorities set by developing countries; underlines the need to incorporate local knowledge into mitigation and adaptation strategies as well as the importance of South-South knowledge transfers;

15.

Urges that technological transfers should be organised speedily, so it is possible to address emergency situations associated with ecological disasters (drought, floods, etc.);

16.

Calls on the international community to explore innovative financing mechanisms in order to increase its financial support for adaption to and mitigation of climate change for developing countries; encourages the EU and ACP governments to create programmes to attract additional funding from the private sector, in a transparent manner, for financing adaptation projects; stresses that there is a need for better donor coordination and enhanced cooperation between donor and recipient countries;

17.

Calls likewise for the agreement concluded by the G8 to reduce the level of greenhouse gases by 2050 to be accompanied by short- and medium-term action plans;

18.

Calls on the ACP and EU governments to include agriculture in any climate change deal in Copenhagen so that it has much greater access to adaptation funding as it is vital for food security, poverty reduction and maintaining the ecosystem;

19.

Calls on the ACP governments to promote a regional fund for the improvement and propagation of cooperation techniques among small-scale farmers for adaptation and mitigation programmes; stresses the need to reinforce education and information campaigns on climate change impact;

20.

Draws attention to the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food saying that promotion of agrofuels is creating the conditions for another food crisis in the near future; stresses that the first goal of agriculture is to produce food;

21.

Calls consequently on the developed countries in Copenhagen to enter into research and development activities and to share new technologies with the LDCs and all the developing countries;

22.

Underlines the need for institutional accountability and trust by establishing equal representation of donor and recipient countries in the management bodies of adaptation funding institutions;

23.

Insists that the post-2012 climate change agreement should take into account the existing development processes both at international and national level; calls on the European Commission and the EU Member States to build the necessary links between climate change and the MDGs by incorporating mitigation and adaptation to climate change into projects and programmes aimed at achieving the MDGs and into all poverty reduction strategies;

24.

Calls on the international community to identify and address the legal shortfalls that exist in respect of the protection of people affected by climate-induced displacement and migration and to initiate a specific assistance and protection system;

25.

Calls for the upgrading of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) into a fully fledged World Environment Organisation to be based in Nairobi (Kenya), enhanced with adequate capacity to address the severity of the environmental catastrophe and related challenges in the world;

26.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Commission of the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, the UNFCCC and the World Bank.

—

meeting in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009,

—

having regard to Article 17(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 and revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005,

—

having regard to the declaration by the Commission of the African Union,

—

having regard to the declaration of 31 March 2009 by the ACP Committee of Ambassadors on the situation in Madagascar,

—

having regard to the resolution on the political situation in Madagascar, adopted by the ACP Parliamentary Assembly on 10 February 2009,

—

having regard to the work by the International Contact Group on Madagascar, and in particular the Maputo and Addis Ababa agreements concluded on 9 August 2009 and 6 November 2009 respectively,

—

having regard to the European Parliament resolution (28) of 7 May 2009 on the situation in Madagascar,

—

having regard to the statement of 10 November 2009 by the Secretary-General of the International Organisation of French-Speaking Countries (OIF) on the situation in Madagascar,

A.

whereas Mr Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of the capital Antananarivo, became the head of the High Transitional Authority on 17 March 2009, when the military handed over the executive power that it had seized from former President Marc Ravalomanana, who was forced to resign and go into exile,

B.

whereas Mr Rajoelina, having suspended the National Assembly and the Senate, proclaimed himself President of the Republic and head of the High Authority of Transition,

C.

noting the numerous protest demonstrations, which have been forcibly quelled by the army,

D.

noting that these events have been condemned by the international community and in particular the United Nations Security Council, the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the OIF, the Interparliamentary Union, the European Union, the United States of America and Norway,

E.

whereas the AU and SADC have not recognised Mr Rajoelina's authority and have suspended Madagascar from both organisations’ membership,

F.

whereas on Monday 6 July 2009 the European Union initiated a consultation process with the Republic of Madagascar under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, thereby opening a dialogue to explore means of finding appropriate solutions to the country's political problems,

G.

whereas the European Union suspended funding to Madagascar, apart from humanitarian assistance and certain programmes and projects of direct benefit to the population, until it is satisfied that the road map to return to constitutional order is credible and based on consensual participation by everyone,

H.

whereas the international community's efforts to support the local parties in seeking an inclusive solution to the crisis and the rapid re-establishment of constitutional order in Madagascar are being thwarted by intransigence on the part of Mr Rajoelina – who is apparently a hostage of his own faction – and by the demands of the exiled President, Mr Ravalomanana, who is displaying an unhelpful lack of realism,

I.

whereas Madagascar's political situation is penalising it in economic terms and national economic recovery is contingent on political stability,

1.

Vigorously condemns the seizure of power in Madagascar, in flagrant breach of the national Constitution, and the decision to entrust the Presidency of the Republic to Mr Rajoelina, which amounts to nothing less than a coup d’état;

2.

Calls for a return to constitutional republican order, to be achieved by the Malagasy parties to the dispute agreeing on, and diligently implementing, an inclusive solution to the crisis;

3.

Calls on the four political groupings involved to work tirelessly, as they undertook to do in Maputo and Addis Ababa, to reach consensus on the sharing of positions of responsibility and government posts so that transition can take place in accordance with the Addis Ababa timetable;

4.

Insists that the Malagasy Parliament must be reinstated immediately and involved in the efforts to resolve the crisis;

5.

Believes that political pluralism, basic democratic freedoms, respect for human rights and rule of law can only be ensured as a result of consensual and inclusive dialogue which addresses the root causes of the country's wide range of problems: economic, social, political and environmental;

6.

Hails what was achieved by the International Contact Group involving the UN, the AU, the EU and numerous regional organisations – the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and SADC – at the mediation meetings in Maputo and Addis Ababa and encourages it to press ahead with its efforts to normalise the situation;

7.

Calls for an international independent investigation with the task of shedding light on the human rights violations and the series of acts of repression against the population;

8.

Asks the international community to increase humanitarian assistance to the Malagasy people; calls on the international community and the EU to gradually resume aid to Madagascar, as soon as the transitional institutions of the government of national unity are in place, and calls for full respect for all democratic principles and fundamental freedoms;

9.

Calls on any interim government of Madagascar not to finalise any agreement or contract with other countries or enterprises concerning its natural resources and national assets before the elections are held and a new government has received a legitimate mandate from the Malagasy population;

10.

Welcomes the principled stance thus adopted by the international community in opposing any attempt to take power by unconstitutional means; and expresses particular satisfaction at the UN General Assembly's refusal to give Mr Rajoelina a hearing;

11.

Calls on all political actors to put at the top of their agenda the fight against poverty, aiming to improve the standard of living of the population by putting in place a sound sustainable development policy, in particular basic healthcare services, education and job creation;

12.

Undertakes to carry out a fact-finding mission on implementation of the Maputo and Addis Ababa agreements and calls for an international election observation mission at the appropriate time, in which it is willing to take part;

13.

Calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners and the cancellation of the judicial proceedings against them;

14.

Calls on the African Union, the International Contact Group and Malagasy political players to consider the possibility of putting in place a monitoring and support body, with a view to ensuring respect for the commitments made in Maputo and Addis Ababa and bringing the transition process to a successful conclusion;

15.

Calls for individual sanctions, in the event of failure to respect the undertakings given in Maputo and Addis Ababa;

16.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the SADC, President Joaquim Chissano and the Commission of the African Union.

A.

whereas Article 95 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, signed in Cotonou, Benin, on 23 June 2000, provides for the Agreement to be revised every five years; noting that the first revision was concluded in 2005 and negotiations for the second revision are under way and likely to be concluded before the end of 2010,

B.

whereas the current revision of the Cotonou Agreement does not include negotiations for a new European Development Fund (EDF) since the 10th EDF does not expire until 2013; whereas the third revision of the Cotonou Agreement is foreseen for 2015 and will therefore fall two years after the expiry of the 10th EDF,

C.

recalling that the primary objective of the Cotonou Agreement is the reduction and, eventually, the eradication of poverty in a way consistent with the objectives of sustainable development and the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy,

D.

mindful that the date of the third revision of the Cotonou Agreement in 2015 will coincide with the deadline for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),

E.

recalling that, since the first revision of the Cotonou Agreement, there have been significant changes in the international environment, occasioned by such challenges as soaring food and energy prices, the global financial, economic and social crises, as well as climate change, which have their most serious repercussions in developing countries,

F.

whereas the process of negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), along with the conclusion and implementation of interim or full Agreements, has undermined the cohesion of the ACP Group and the ongoing regional integration process,

G.

whereas any revision of the political dimension of the ACP-EU relationship, enshrined in Part 1, Title II of the Cotonou Agreement, must be carried out in a way that fully respects a partnership of equals,

H.

emphasising that the parliamentary dimension of the ACP-EU relationship must in no way be weakened,

I.

whereas, prior to starting negotiations on a revision of the Cotonou Agreement, there should have been an open and transparent consultation of all stakeholders, including parliaments and non-state actors,

1.

Emphasises that the second revision of the Cotonou Agreement should strengthen the principal objectives of the Agreement, which are the eradication of poverty, promotion of sustainable development, gradual and effective integration of ACP States into the world economy, preservation and strengthening of the ‘Lomé acquis’, as well as enhancing ACP unity, cohesion and solidarity; warns, in this regard, against introducing into the Agreement elements that would be more appropriately addressed in other international cooperation agreements;

2.

Calls on the negotiating parties to be flexible with regard to the deadline for concluding the revision exercise, given the institutional changes taking place in the Commission and the ACP Secretariat in 2010, along with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the possible conclusion of negotiations for EPAs;

3.

Stresses that the attainment of the MDGs should stay as one of the core goals of ACP-EU development cooperation; emphasises that the Cotonou Agreement should foresee more investment in public services and infrastructure;

4.

Considers that the revision of the Cotonou Agreement should include a commitment to a preliminary perspective for financing ACP-EU cooperation post 2013, independently of the conclusion of EPA negotiations;

5.

Insists that attempts to favour regional differentiation within the ACP Group must not weaken the cohesion and solidarity of the Group and this differentiation must not be applied to aspects of ACP-EU relations that can appropriately be addressed on an all-ACP-EU basis; expresses particular concern, in this context, that regional differentiation should not affect the functioning of the joint ACP-EU institutions under the Cotonou Agreement or impede the strengthening of the relationship between the EU and the whole ACP Group;

6.

Acknowledges the increasingly important role played by regional and continental organisations, particularly the African Union (AU), in the economic, social and institutional environment for the development of ACP States; expresses its firm view, however, that any resources devoted to supporting the AU or other regional organisations should not be taken from national envelopes under the EDF or from long-standing horizontal initiatives; emphasises, to this end, that ACP-EU development cooperation and the EU's separate regional strategies must continue to support and strengthen the on-going regional integration processes within the ACP Group;

7.

Notes that the trade and economic cooperation chapter should be modified to take account of the expiry of the Cotonou trade regime; insists, however, that new provisions for trade regimes to govern ACP-EU trade should, while in line with WTO requirements, take account of the interests and concerns of all ACP States in the light of their different levels of economic development and structural constraints, irrespective of whether or not they have concluded or renounced EPAs;

8.

Calls for the establishment of a broad-based review to ensure that EPAs meet their objectives; believes that a formal and comprehensive review of the EPA project is necessary and should be conducted at an all-ACP-EU level at a specified time in the future;

9.

Calls for the strengthening of the relevant provisions, to ensure that the European Commission holds full consultation with the ACP Group before entering into any commitments liable to adversely affect the economic integration of ACP regions or ACP-EU trade relations;

10.

Stresses that the revision of the Cotonou Agreement should not put undue pressure on ACP States to conclude EPA negotiations;

11.

Recognises that situations of insecurity or state fragility present particular challenges in relation to development and the attainment of the MDGs and to this end calls for ACP-EU development cooperation to support initiatives to control the spread of small arms and light weapons in ACP States and Regions;

12.

Insists that, in relation to migration, the existing provisions of the Cotonou Agreement relevant to readmission agreements should not be changed during the current revision process;

13.

Recognises that the consultation procedures in Articles 96 and 97 of the Cotonou Agreement should be exceptional and only invoked in cases where all other forms of dialogue, such as those under Article 8, have been exhausted; believes, however, that when such exceptional circumstances arise it is important that the consultation procedures may be instigated by either party to the Agreement;

14.

Stresses the importance of the parliamentary dimension of the Cotonou Agreement as embodied in the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA); expresses its firm commitment to ensuring that the JPA and national parliaments play their full part in actions and processes under the Cotonou Agreement and further emphasises its implacable opposition to any attempt to reduce the role of the JPA in particular by proposals that impact on its working methods and the frequency of its meetings, which should be left to the JPA to determine for itself;

15.

Calls for the Cotonou Agreement to provide for Country and Regional Strategy Papers to be forwarded to the JPA, as is currently required under the EU Council Regulation on the implementation of the 10th EDF (29); believes, to this end, that in future, the JPA and national and regional parliaments should be consulted in the process of drafting these Strategy Papers;

16.

Insists that provision be made in the Cotonou Agreement to allow the JPA to scrutinise the implementation of the country and regional strategies;

17.

Believes firmly in the key role that ACP national parliaments may play in all aspects of the ACP-EU relationship; calls for national parliaments to be accorded oversight responsibilities in the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement, particularly the programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development cooperation actions and programmes; insists on effective measures for the monitoring of budget support, particularly by national parliaments and supreme audit institutions; calls for capacity building in ACP parliaments in order for them to undertake both the above-mentioned tasks effectively;

18.

Recognises the vital contribution of non-state actors in improving transparency and democratic legitimacy and in enhancing the ability of citizens to hold governments to account and therefore highlights the need for greater involvement of non-state actors from the EU and ACP States;

19.

Calls for increased attention to be paid in the Cotonou Agreement to the urgent need for greater efforts towards attaining the MDGs, especially considering the magnitude of the challenge and the proximity of the 2015 deadline; insists strongly, therefore, that funding linked to MDG sectors should not be diverted to support horizontal initiatives in areas less directly related to the MDGs;

20.

Draws attention to the importance of the principles of aid effectiveness set out in the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action and the principles of donor coordination set out in the EU Code of Conduct on Division of Labour in Development Policy (30); considers these essential to making the best use of development cooperation funds and therefore calls for these principles to be fully taken into account in the revision of the Cotonou Agreement;

21.

Calls for more coherence between the EDF and the new European Investment Bank (EIB) development mandate;

22.

Welcomes the EU's commitment, enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty, to ‘take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries’ (31); expresses concern, however, at the European Commission Communication on Policy Coherence for Development (32) (PCD), which introduces a different approach to PCD; insists, in this regard, that the EU approach to PCD needs to take fully into account the development priorities of ACP States.