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

In adopting the report by Mrs Magda AELVOET (V, B) on the procedure for suspending the Lomé Convention, the European Parliament once again called at least to be consulted when the Council intended to suspend or resume development cooperation with an ACP country (it may be recalled that on 6 March 1998 the Council had informed Parliament that such a consultation procedure was legally impossible). Consequently, Parliament called for a consultation procedure to be initiated with the Council on the subject with the active participation of the Commission. An interim report to this effect was submitted and adopted by Parliament on 13 June 1997, calling, in substance, for Parliament to be duly consulted in such circumstances by means of the assent procedure. In the present resolution, Parliament proposes the same recommendations as in its interim report, except that it asks only to be consulted rather than for its assent to be sought. The substance of the recommendations, it will be recalled, was as follows: -the main agreements and international documents on recognition and safeguarding of human rights were recalled; -respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law was an essential element in development cooperation between the Union and the ACP countries; -the procedure should be amended so as to allow Parliament - on an equal footing with the Commission and Member States - to propose consultation in the event of a shortcoming on the part of an ACP country. The decision as to whether the initiate the procedure should be taken by the Council after consulting the European Parliament; -decisions on the resumption of cooperation should be taken after consultation of Parliament.�