24 April ACP-EU Council of Ministers

Date: 01/05/1997

SOUTH Africa became a partial member of the Lomé Convention, but without the trade preferences available to the 70 other African, Caribbean and Pacific member countries. “This is an event of historical significance, 22 years after the signing of the first Lomé Convention,” said Development Commissioner João de Deus Pinheiro. Although parallel negotiations on trade access between the EU and South Africa have run into trouble, the republic's accession to the convention is of huge political importance to the ACP countries. “South Africa will bring new strength and dynamism to the Lomé Convention,” added Pinheiro, congratulating “the people and the government of South Africa who brought their country from isolation right into the heart of the ACP/EU family of states”. Pretoria said South Africa was proud to be joining a growing political and economic entity and looked forward to contributing to the cohesion and well-being of the ACP group. Ministers agreed that South Africa's position under Lomé rules of origin needed to be clarified as soon as possible.

ACP countries complained that Europe and the United States had failed to consult them on a recent agreement on white spirits, but welcomed Union promises that the deal would not affect Lomé rum exports. The ACP also expressed concern over a World Trade Organisation preliminary report condemning preferential banana imports under the Lomé Convention. They called on the Union to lodge a complaint on their behalf if the final report threatened their banana industry. The EU said it would defend Union and ACP interests vigorously, noting that WTO rules would allow the Caribbean banana producers to lodge a complaint as well.

MAURITIUS stressed the need for the EU to maintain its current arrangements for ACP sugar producers and called on the Union to exclude sugar from any future free trade agreements. ACP states also expressed concern about the proposed EU chocolate directive. Surinam and Guyana complained about the Union's decision to extend safeguard measures on rice imports from Overseas Countries and Territories.

MINISTERS reiterated Somalia's political adherence to Lomé, although it has been unable to sign the convention, and called for greater efforts to rebuild the country. They welcomed the Commission's intention to provide funding and technical support for the Somali people.

IT WAS agreed that the ACP states should ratify the revised fourth Lomé Convention as fast as possible. The next ministerial meeting will take place at Bridgetown, Barbados, at the end of 1998, and will open talks on a new Lomé Convention.