European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Agreement amending the Cotonou Agreement) Order 2007

rose to move, Thatthe draft order laid before the House on 4 June be approved. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, as we know, despite the progress of recent years, considerable challenges remain in our efforts to eradicate poverty. The European Union, which represents the world’s largest multilateral grant provider, largest single market and main trading partner of most developing countries, can potentially make a huge contribution to eradicating global poverty. It is just over five years since the Cotonou agreement, the successor to the Lomé convention, was agreed by the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partners and ratified by this House. The agreement marked an important step forward in the EU’s relationship with the ACP states, improving and strengthening the principles and priorities of that partnership. The 2000 Cotonou agreement made several important changes to the Lomé convention, including an overriding objective of poverty eradication, improving and simplifying development assistance through the European Development Fund (EDF) and making good governance underpin the agreement. The Cotonou agreement provides for a revision every five years. The first review was concluded in February 2005. Its aim was to improve the implementationof the agreement, focusing on certain areas of co-operation and addressing some new politicaland security issues. The trade provisions were not considered as part of the review, as they are the subject of a separate ongoing negotiation to establish economic partnership agreements, to come into effect on 1 January 2008. The first order details those changes. The central objective remains the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty. New commitments by the international community to the millennium development goals, and on the need to improve the effectiveness of our aid, have been reflected. The changing security and foreign policy climate has been taken into account with an agreement to co-operate in the fight against terrorism, to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to prevent illegal mercenary activities and to support the work of the International Criminal Court. The procedures for conducting political dialogue and addressing human rights, democracy and rule of law concerns have been elaborated. Language concerning several potential areas of co-operation—for example, in regard to the fight against poverty diseases, supporting youth development and use of information and communication technologies—has been strengthened. A new emphasis has been given to supporting countries facing post-conflict or post-natural-disaster situations. The UK fully supports all of these changes. We firmly believe that they help to enhance and strengthen the longstanding partnership between the EU and ACP states. The amendment of Cotonou also provides forthe establishment of a new financial framework for EC co-operation with ACP states and the overseas countries and territories—the OCTs—of several EU members from 1 January 2008. In June 2006, EU member states agreed to a 10th replenishment of the European Development Fund, the EDF. That is the subject of the second order before the House. Overall €22.682 billion, approximately £15.746 billion, will be made available over a six-year period from 2008-13. This represents a significant increase over the ninth EDF, which provided €13.8 billion over a five-year period to the end of 2007. That is a firm demonstration of the EU’s collective commitment to supporting the development of ACP states and OCTs. The UK is contributing approximately €3.36 billion, representing 14.82 per cent of the total. That too is a significant increase over our commitment to the ninth replenishment, reflecting our confidence in the ability of the European Commission to deliver poverty-focused assistance to ACP and OCT partners. EU member states will also be able to increase their contributions to the 10th EDF. As aid is scaled upin the context of the EU’s 2005 aid volume commitments, EU member states will be able to look to the EDF as a vehicle for channelling additional resources. The UK believes that that voluntary mechanism provides a continuing incentive to the European Commission to improve the effectivenessof the EDF. The European Investment Bank will supplement those resources with an additional€2.03 billion for loans through the Cotonou Investment Facility. Together with ongoing Commission reforms, the revised Cotonou agreement and the agreement to establish the new 10th European Development Fund represent a further important step in Europe’s efforts to meet the millennium development goals. I therefore commend these orders to the House. Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 4 June be approved. 19th Report from the Statutory Instruments Committee.—(Baroness Royall of Blaisdon.)