EC/Pakistan agreement: cooperation agreement

OBJECTIVE: to conclude a cooperation agreement between the Community and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. CONTENTS: the draft agreement is based on the tenets of human rights and democratic principles. It is a non-preferential agreement with no financial protocol and seeks mainly to improve and develop the various aspects of economic and commercial cooperation through dialogue and partnership. The main objectives of the draft agreement are the promotion of investment and economic and cultural links between the Community and Pakistan and support for Pakistan's efforts to achieve overall, lasting social and economic development, especially in the least-favoured sections of the population. The main elements are as follows: - trade: the parties are required to ensure that their trade policy complies with the rules of the CMO and to inform each other of the opening of antidumping procedures; provisions have been included to extend and diversify trade. There are plans for Pakistan to join a series of international conventions on intellectual property once the agreement has been applied for 5 years; - development: projects are planned with a view to strengthening cooperation in the following sectors: health and education, social welfare, better opportunities for women, environmental rehabilitation and rural development, the objective being to help the least-favoured sections of the population. Priority will be granted to controlling drugs and combatting AIDS. Specific provisions are planned with a view to strengthening cooperation in the field of the environment by promoting permanent development in the economic sector by supporting trade and developing the economic climate in Pakistan. Other provisions concern industry and services, agriculture, tourism, energy, sciences and technology. Plans have also been made to promote regional cooperation, develop human resources, strengthen cultural links and combat money laundering. The draft agreement establishes a mixed committee of members in senior positions both in the European Union and in Pakistan. It will meet once a year in order to ensure that the agreement is being applied properly and establish priorities for action. The draft agreement contains an evolutive clause which allows the level of cooperation to be increased. It has been concluded for an initial period of five years, tacitly renewable. It should be noted that the draft agreement contains two annexed declarations, one on non-performance of the agreement (in the event of substantial violation of the agreement, which may result in unilateral measures being taken) and another defining intellectual, industrial and commercial property for the purposes of the agreement. A joint declaration on the re-admission of illegal immigrants is attached to the agreement but is not an integral part of it. This declaration seeks to detail Pakistan's undertaking to start negotiations in this field with the Member States of the European Union who so request.�