The European Parliament adopted by 582 votes to 24 with 63 abstentions, in the framework of a special legislative procedure (Parliament consultation), a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Union (‘Overseas Association Decision’).
Parliament approves the commission’s proposal whilst making the following amendments:
Objectives: in order to ensure that the objectives of the association of the overseas countries and territories (OCTs) with the Union are met, Parliament calls for the identity and geographical position of each OCT to be taken into account, together with its political, economic and social situation. It also calls for priority to be given to cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as the promotion of green growth and green jobs in all green-growth industries.
OCTs should also be able to participate in Union horizontal programmes, such as the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE).
Promotion of the association: Members consider that the Union and the OCTs endeavour to make the association and the shared benefits accruing from it known among their citizens, in particular by promoting the development of links and cooperation between the social partners. The Union shall ensure effective OCT participation in information and communication programmes, with particular reference to the 'Europe Direct' information centres, in order to bring Europe closer to its citizens in the OCTs.
Regional cooperation: the Union shall also involve the OCTs in its political dialogue with OCT neighbours, and shall inform them of the agendas and resolutions or recommendations of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
Members consider it crucial that the members of parliament representing OCTs at national and Union level must be involved in the process in order to ensure that it is as democratic as possible.
Sustainable management: in the context of the association, Members insist that cooperation in the field of sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services may concern aid to SMEs engaged in sustainable economic activities, particularly in the research, farming, crafts and tourism sectors. In the field of integrated coastal zone management may concern conciliation of economic and social activities such as agriculture, maritime and air transports, industry, mining activities and regional planning with the potential of marine and coastal zones in terms of renewable energy, raw materials, whilst taking into account impacts of climate change and land pollution from human and animal activities.
The resolution also underlines the need to strengthen the coordination and cooperation of the Commission and the OCTs in order to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing effectively by supporting local systems of monitoring.
When it comes to investing in road infrastructure, Members state that the emphasis should be on improving public transport and sustainable forms of road transport.
Areas of cooperation: in the context of the association, cooperation and dialogue should also:
Parliament wishes to introduce provisions in the association decision including: (i) the free movement of workers between OCTs and EU Member States; (ii) the establishment of social dialogue and the development of social democracy; (iii) cooperation in the area of health and safety at work.
The resolution stresses that emphasis should be placed on the economic impact, particularly in terms of tourism, of exploiting the potential of heritage sites in a sustainable way.
Negotiation of trade agreements with third countries: when negotiating a trade agreement with a third country, the Union shall strive to provide for the extension of the tariff preferences granted to Union products to products originating in OCTs. Where trade agreements currently being negotiated with third countries risk endangering the traditional trade sectors characteristic of OCTs, the Commission shall carry out prior impact assessments of the potential consequences. When completed, those prior impact assessments shall be forwarded by the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the governmental and local authorities of the OCTs before the conclusion of the international agreements in question.
Technical assistance: Parliament recommends that the Commission organise at least once a year, preferably in connection with the EU-OCT Forum, a technical meeting of regional authorising officers and authorising officers by delegation with a view to strengthening the institutionalised technical dialogue and streamlining the programming and implementation of funds. The Commission shall ensure that the programming rules take account of the OCTs' limited human and administrative resources and their institutional ties with the Member State to which they are linked. In this connection, the programming document shall be the subject of an exchange of views between the OCT, the Member State concerned and the Commission. Parliament should be informed of decisions adopted by the Commission.
Breakdown between different instruments: Parliament calls for a 5% increase in overall EDF funding (from EUR 343.4 million to EUR 360.57 million). It proposes that an additional EUR 2 million should be allocated to technical assistance (EUR 10 million instead of EUR 8 million).
Members would like to see the funds allocated to support regional cooperation and integration increased from EUR 105 million to EUR 120.17 million.
Derogations: Members call for derogations to be granted to OCTs in respect of fisheries products within the limit of an annual quota of 2 500 tonnes for fisheries products which require automatic derogations: frozen fillets of cod; salted and dried, but not smoked, cod; salted, but not dried or smoked, cod; frozen fillets of halibut, lemon sole, plaice; crab; frozen meat of scallops.
Implementation: although it does not play a co-legislative role in connection with Council decisions of this kind, Parliament considers that it has the right to be informed of the adoption of delegated acts by the Commission, of any objections to such acts formulated by the Council and of any Council decision to revoke the delegation of powers.