ACP/EU relations, Lome IV Convention: human rights, democratisation, article 366 a for consultations

In a supplementary document addressed to the European Parliament, the Council explains why it did not take account of the recommendations made by Parliament in its interim report of 13.06.1997: -as regards prior consultation of the European Parliament, under the assent procedure, whenever the Council wishes to act under Article 366a of the Convention, the Council explains that after the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, Article 300 (formerly 228) of the future Treaty will require a Council decision on a proposal from the Commission in the event of the suspension of an agreement based on Article 310 (formerly 238), after which Parliament will immediately simply be informed. Consequently, the Council considers that it cannot adopt a decision which would be incompatible with the future provisions of the Treaty. This also implies that in the event of partial suspensions or other more limited measures, the assent of the European Parliament likewise could not be provided for legally; -as regards Parliament's call for the power to act in its own name as part of the procedure laid down, the Council considers that this proposal cannot be accepted, as nowhere does the Treaty provide for such initiatives by Parliament before the Council has acted. However, the Council states that, in accordance with the proposal, Parliament will be immediately and fully informed of all decisions adopted by the Council. In an annex, the Council puts forward a proposal for a decision by the representatives of the Governments of the Member States amending the agreement on the measures to be taken and the procedures to be followed to apply the Fourth Lomé Convention. This decision concerns the procedure to be adhered to for measures concerning fields for which the Member States are competent.�