Date of release : 23-02-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : European Parliament plenary session

On Wednesday, 23 February 2005, the Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Nicolas Schmit, spoke at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where debates on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and the elections in Moldova were being held. Nicolas Schmit also answered questions on the expiry of the WTO agreement on textiles and clothing, as well as on action undertaken in the fight against world hunger and poverty.

In view of the 10th anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, and within the context of the preparations for the EU-Euromed ministerial meeting in Luxembourg on 30 and 31 May, Minister Schmit underlined that "the European Parliament is a key partner in the relaunch of the Barcelona Process." To this end, the minister stated that "the Luxembourg Presidency will initiate a review and explore new approaches, the results of which will be submitted to the Ministers for Foreign Affairs at the meeting in Luxembourg."

In the wake of the adoption of an action plan between the European Union and Moldova by the EU-Moldova Cooperation Council held in Brussels on 22 February 2005. Nicolas Schmit reiterated to the MEPs, in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy,  "the great interest the Presidency attaches to the impending elections in Moldova on 6 March", and that "the democratic reforms and the holding of free and regular elections represent key components of the EU-Moldova action plan."

On the question concerning the World Trade Organisation and, more particularly, the concerns caused by the import of textile products from China, Minister Schmit pointed out that "the Council has taken note of the fact that the European Commission has declared itself ready to use the trade defence instruments at its disposal if the legal conditions are fulfilled, if such a course of action is effectively necessary and at the moment this should be required."

Replying to the oral question on the fight against world hunger and poverty, Nicolas Schmit stated that "the European Union is entirely supportive of the Millennium Development Goals and of the idea that we must ensure that progress is made towards achieving them, particularly by exploring new financing methods in accordance with the conclusions of the European Council of December 2004."