EC concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement - Main contents

Please note

This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.

dossier	COM(2010)19 - Adapting and extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC concluding consultations with ...
document	COM(2010)19
date	February 16, 2010

ANNEX

LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE

The European Union attaches the utmost importance to the provisions of Article 9 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. As essential elements of the Partnership Agreement, respect for human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law form the basis of our relations.

By letter of 19 February 2002, the European Union informed you of its decision to conclude the consultations held under Article 96 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and to take appropriate measures within the meaning of Article 96(2)(c) of that Agreement.

By letters of 19 February 2003, 19 February 2004, 18 February 2005, 15 February 2006, 21 February 2007, 19 February 2008 and 20 February 2009 the European Union informed you of its decisions not to revoke the appropriate measures and to extend the period of application until 20 February 2004, 20 February 2005, 20 February 2006, 20 February 2007, 20 February 2008, 20 February 2009 and 20 February 2010 respectively.

The European Union welcomes the formation of the Government of National Unity based on the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which has been set up on 13 February 2009. The European Union reiterates the great importance it attaches to the political dialogue, provided for in Article 8 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, launched officially at the request of the Government of Zimbabwe at the EU-Zimbabwe Ministerial Troika on 18-19 June 2009 in Brussels and to the agreement reached on the way forward. This includes the definition of joint roadmaps with mutual commitments. These are intended to reflect on the Zimbabwe side the effective implementation of the GPA, and on the European Union side the progressive lifting of current restrictions and the normalisation of EU-Zimbabwe relations.

The European Union supports the Government of Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to implement the GPA, and welcomes the intensified regional diplomacy led by South Africa in support of reform in Zimbabwe. However, the European Union regrets the lack of progress within the framework of the political dialogue provided for in Article 8 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. The European Union continues to believe that significant progress in the implementation of the GPA is not only essential but possible and achievable as underlined in your exchanges with SADC.

In the light of the above, the European Union has concluded that the appropriate measures can only be fully revoked once the GPA is effectively implemented. The European Union has therefore decided to extend the period of application of the appropriate measures set out in Council Decision 2002/148/EC until 20 February 2011 and to adapt the appropriate measures to reflect the GPA’s implementation since February 2009, in particular in the economic sphere. At this point in time no financial support should be channelled through the Government budget. The European Union has decided to work on progressing GPA implementation and to modify indents (b) and (c) as follows:

(b)	Financial support for all projects is suspended except those in support of the population, in particular in social sectors and those in support of the reforms contained in the GPA.

(c)	Financing shall be reoriented in support of the population in particular in social sectors and in support of the stabilisation process of the country, in particular with regard to democratisation, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

All the other measures listed in the Annex to Council Decision 2002/148/EC shall continue to apply without changes. The Council Decision can be reviewed at any time prior to 20 February 2011.

The European Union will therefore continue to support the stabilisation of the Government of National Unity and its reform programmes through its transitional support for agriculture and food security, social sectors, including health and education, and for GPA implementation.

The European Union wishes to re-emphasise the importance it attaches to future EU-Zimbabwe cooperation and to confirm its willingness to revive and advance the political dialogue provided for in Article 8 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. In that context, we hope that sufficient progress will be made in the implementation of the GPA by the Government of Zimbabwe in the near future so as to allow the resumption of full cooperation.

Yours faithfully,

For the Commission

José Manuel BARROSO

For the Council

E. SALGADO