CALLS: Weekly News - 21/2009
The Lisbon Treaty and ACP-EU relations – According to the European Consensus on Development the primary and overarching objective of EU development cooperation is the eradication of poverty in the context of sustainable development, including pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals. The Lisbon Treaty is expected to change EU-ACP bilateral relationship in the wider context of the Cotonou Agreement.
Massimo Corsini – CALLS Coordinator
Equilibri.net (19 novembre 2009)
International Law
The Lisbon Treaty and ACP-EU relations
The Lisbon Treaty, signed by the 27 Member States in 2007, is set to provide the European Union with modern institutions optimizing working methods to tackle today's challenges in a changing global world. It will amends the current EU treaties, providing the Union with new legal framework and tools. Focal points are the creation of a more democratic and transparent Europe, the promotion of efficiency, of rights and values, freedom, solidarity and security, the will to be an actor on the global stage.
EU is the world's biggest trader and provider of aid to developing countries (over 50% of all development aid worldwide)*. With the Lisbon Treaty Europe wants to speak with a louder voice on international issues, changing his external relations. Notably, is expected the creation of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who will ensure the single Union's external action. He will guide a more politically driven EU action, in which will flow together the multitude of EU external policies and instruments**.
Development cooperation between the European Union and the countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States (ACP) is today regulated by the Cotonou Agreement, signed in 2000 and entered into force in 2003, aimed at the eradication of poverty, promoting sustainable development and the integration of ACP countries into the globalized world economy***. According to the Treaty of Nice “the smooth and gradual integration of the developing countries into the world economy” is one of the objective of EU development cooperation.
The Lisbon Treaty is going to change the old relationship between EU and ACP countries, rationalizing the EU development architecture. Revisiting the Common Commercial Policy, the Lisbon Treaty changes EU trade policy, which action include “the integration of all countries into the world economy, including through the progressive abolition of restrictions on international trade”. Also EU migration policy is going to change, towards the creation of a common immigration and asylum policy, supplementary to national regulation (cf. E. Aversa, Towards a new EU migration policy, in CALLS Newsletter, 2009, n. 5, page 3). These changes will impact on EU-ACP bilateral relations. Is now needful a common ACP response to these new trends protecting their own interests.
EU is the world's biggest trader and provider of aid to developing countries (over 50% of all development aid worldwide)*. With the Lisbon Treaty Europe wants to speak with a louder voice on international issues, changing his external relations. Notably, is expected the creation of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who will ensure the single Union's external action. He will guide a more politically driven EU action, in which will flow together the multitude of EU external policies and instruments**.
Development cooperation between the European Union and the countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States (ACP) is today regulated by the Cotonou Agreement, signed in 2000 and entered into force in 2003, aimed at the eradication of poverty, promoting sustainable development and the integration of ACP countries into the globalized world economy***. According to the Treaty of Nice “the smooth and gradual integration of the developing countries into the world economy” is one of the objective of EU development cooperation.
The Lisbon Treaty is going to change the old relationship between EU and ACP countries, rationalizing the EU development architecture. Revisiting the Common Commercial Policy, the Lisbon Treaty changes EU trade policy, which action include “the integration of all countries into the world economy, including through the progressive abolition of restrictions on international trade”. Also EU migration policy is going to change, towards the creation of a common immigration and asylum policy, supplementary to national regulation (cf. E. Aversa, Towards a new EU migration policy, in CALLS Newsletter, 2009, n. 5, page 3). These changes will impact on EU-ACP bilateral relations. Is now needful a common ACP response to these new trends protecting their own interests.
*EU Development policy is based on the European Consensus on Development (2006/C46/01), in which combating global poverty is not only seen as a moral obligation, but also as a tool to build a more stable, peaceful, prosperous and equitable world, reflecting the interdependency of its richer and poorer countries.
**E. Koeb, The Lisbon Treaty – Implications for ACP-EU Relations, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, European Centre for Development Policy Management, Issue 8, Volume 8, October 2009, page 1.
***Replacing the Lomé conventions, the 20-years-long Cotonou Agreement is based on four main principles: a) equality of partners and ownership of strategies adopted; b) participation; c) dialogue and mutual obligations; d) differentiation and regionalisation. Radically changing bilateral trade cooperation, the first system of non reciprocal trade preferences to ACP is today replaced by the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). See O. A. Babarinde, The Lomé Conventions and development, 1994; M. Holland, The European Union and the Third World, 2002; A. Borrmann - H. Grossmann - G. Koopmann, The WTO Compatibility of the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and the ACP States, 2005; S. S. Nello, The European Union. Economics, policies and history, 2005; Overseas evelopment Institute, The Costs to the ACP of Exporting to the EU under the GSP, 2007.
Look also at:
http://www.acp.it
http://brussels.cta.int
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/10_01/default_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/consensus_en.cfm
http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/tdr2009_en.pdf
**E. Koeb, The Lisbon Treaty – Implications for ACP-EU Relations, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, European Centre for Development Policy Management, Issue 8, Volume 8, October 2009, page 1.
***Replacing the Lomé conventions, the 20-years-long Cotonou Agreement is based on four main principles: a) equality of partners and ownership of strategies adopted; b) participation; c) dialogue and mutual obligations; d) differentiation and regionalisation. Radically changing bilateral trade cooperation, the first system of non reciprocal trade preferences to ACP is today replaced by the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). See O. A. Babarinde, The Lomé Conventions and development, 1994; M. Holland, The European Union and the Third World, 2002; A. Borrmann - H. Grossmann - G. Koopmann, The WTO Compatibility of the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and the ACP States, 2005; S. S. Nello, The European Union. Economics, policies and history, 2005; Overseas evelopment Institute, The Costs to the ACP of Exporting to the EU under the GSP, 2007.
Look also at:
http://www.acp.it
http://brussels.cta.int
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/10_01/default_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/consensus_en.cfm
http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/tdr2009_en.pdf
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