Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-05-16-Speech-4-037"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20020516.1.4-037"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
". – I would like to thank Mr Papayannakis and Mr Lannoye for their comprehensive and very inspiring reports.
Concerning trade – making globalisation work for sustainable development requires timely progress on the work launched in the Doha Development Agenda, and concrete trade-related initiatives going beyond it. The Union will argue for levels of access comparable to Everything But Arms to be decided by all OECD countries in favour of the least developed countries.
Concerning forests – the Union will effectively contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation to fight illegal logging and trade in timber. Here we need more than monitoring. We need policing.
Concerning fisheries – the Union intends to contribute effectively to maintaining biodiversity, while securing the long-term viability of the fishing industry. We will fight illicit, unreported and unregulated fishing, and support sustainable fishery policies in developing countries in the context of poverty reduction strategies. At present we are in the process of renegotiating the traditional fisheries agreements with a large number of countries in Africa and elsewhere. This renewal process is essential if we are to move in this direction.
Concerning governance – the Union will contribute to the strengthening of global governance structures and institutions in the economic, social and environmental fields as well as their respective linkages, so as to ensure policy coherence, integration and increased effectiveness. In this context we will also actively engage in the emerging debate on global public goods and will explore innovative mechanisms for international financial solidarity and for incentives for reducing externalities. We will propose setting up a task force open to all actors to identify and discuss the appropriate supply of relevant global public goods. This was one of the elements that we missed in the Monterrey consensus but which the Commission and some of the Member States took up during the week of discussions in Monterrey, making sure that what was not included in the Monterrey consensus was in fact re-injected in the international debate during the conference. We want to use Johannesburg as the platform for moving these items up on the international agenda.
All these initiatives will be implemented in the framework of the national and regional poverty reduction strategies of our partner countries which form the basis for sustainable development. In the implementation of these initiatives, the Union will pay special attention to Africa and African countries’ own efforts to achieve sustainable development.
Regarding the contributions from Mr Howitt and Mr Deva, together they make up a balanced presentation of the challenge. I will continue to listen carefully to both sides in this House on this issue. I agree with both of them so, in principle, this should not be impossible. The big issue is moving forward to create real international governance. This is also the main sticking point between Europe and the United States. We find it natural and necessary to move forward in creating global governance on a large number of issues, where the US Government, which is less multilateralist, favours a different course of action. This has to be discussed. We see these international conferences as useful arenas for pushing these views forward.
Several speakers, from all political groups in this House, have mentioned that we need to make progress in reforming the agricultural policy and the fisheries policy in Europe in order to be able to present ourselves in a credible manner internationally in these areas. I could not agree more. These are two elements which will take up a lot of attention. The reform of these two areas is as important as any other contribution by Europe to global development, as far as international consequences are concerned.
Preparations for Johannesburg will be one of the main items for discussion at the Seville European Council in June. Let us ensure that the European Union plays a leading role in achieving an ambitious and action-oriented outcome at Johannesburg.
Some speakers have mentioned the lack of clear decisions concerning participation from the highest levels of government. Let me use this occasion to inform Parliament that it is clearly the intention of the President of the European Commission to take part in the Johannesburg Summit. A number of other Commissioners will be there, making sure that our different areas of responsibility are given the maximum attention during the negotiations.
The European Parliament has always been an advocate of sustainable development and its integration in all Union policies. Your efforts help bring a sense of urgency to the preparations for Johannesburg. This is needed. I thank Parliament for the contributions today.
It is a sad fact that progress towards the goals established at Rio has been slow and in some respects conditions are worse today than they were ten years ago. Against this background it is meaningful and hopefully also useful that Johannesburg actually takes place. It is a way of attracting the world's attention back to these issues. We certainly want to make the best use of this opportunity.
I agree with Parliament that the preparatory process for the World Summit is not going as well as we would have liked but the increase in development spending announced in Monterrey should facilitate progress in Johannesburg. At least having the debate on the financing of development behind us with some real result makes it more probable that Johannesburg will be able to focus on sustainable development.
However, we also have to be more creative in finding innovative means of implementation and financing. We still have a lot of work to do to ensure that the last preparatory meeting in Bali at the end of May produces results. This is not certain. The debate is not concerned with objectives, as there seems to be a consensus that poverty eradication and sustainable consumption and production are the overriding goals of the Summit, which – as a general feature – is further guided by the commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Objectives. As always, the question is how to achieve these goals.
The Union is in the process of identifying a series of key priorities for common action derived from our Sustainable Development Strategy. The Commission will promote specific initiatives for partnerships in the following areas. Let me note that it does not make much difference whether we talk about partnerships or deals. These partnerships we are promoting together add up to something that can meaningfully be called a "global deal".
Concerning water – with a view to better resource management and improving access to safe drinking water and to adequate sanitation, we will launch an initiative, based on integrated river basin management.
Concerning energy – the Commission will propose an initiative to improve the provision of adequate, affordable and sustainable energy services. The core of the initiative will be the provision of technical assistance to developing countries to put in place appropriate energy policies through the development of partnerships.
Concerning health – the Union will increase, over the next five years, the volume of development assistance targeting improved health outcomes and will invite recipient countries and the international community to join in such efforts. Particular attention will be paid to maternal health. WTO members should resolve differences on compulsory licences and work to ensure that pharmaceutical products can be made available to the developing world at the lowest possible prices. I remind Parliament that a year ago we untied the procurement of essential medicines for AIDS, malaria and TB globally as far as the Commission is concerned.
Concerning education – the Union will also increase, over the next five years, the volume of development assistance in education and invite recipient countries to develop supportive policy frameworks and appropriate national budgets. We will support the World Bank “Education for All” fast tracking initiative, and strengthen partnerships especially with UNESCO to build capacity and monitor progress; we will also give priority to primary education and the closing of the gender gap."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples