The 34th plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly is held in Pétion-ville, Haiti, in the presence of MEPs and their counterparts from the national parliaments of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Statement by Michèle RIVASI (Greens/EFA,FR) in the plenary session.

joint meeting

RIVASI, Michèle (Greens/EFA, FR)

Haiti

34th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (T)

ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Haiti (18/12/2017): extracts from the statement by Michèle RIVASI (Greens/EFA,FR) in the plenary session

SOUNDBITE (French), Mich&#232;le RIVASI (Greens/EFA, FR), If I take the position of the ACP countries they are very prudent, because part of their income comes from customs duty. In the case of Haiti it is not very high, around 5%, but it is the 5% that allows them to round of their budget. It is true that they are reluctant and a clarification is necessary with the Commission so that they get commitments that do not penalise their country. Because they have little income from their taxes, and they need to flatten their tax by they way, they tell themselves that it will profit Europe rather the ACP countries. Personally I think that, in the context of the climate change and the climate change agreement, that rather than turn to the EU, it would be better to have regional exchanges. And now they are asking for a clarification because they are very worried about their budget. And that is what i heard also from Mr. TORTUE, as long as they do not have any commitments they do not want to seal this agreement.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mich&#232;le RIVASI (Greens/EFA, FR), <p>Earlier it was said that the state of the boats must be reinforced, certainly, but it is also necessary to fight against the illegal traffic. The illegal traffic comes from Europe and China, and on that we have to be intractable. Because if people don't have anything to live of, when there is already food insecurity in Haiti, you can imagine the consequences.</p>

SOUNDBITE (French), Mich&#232;le RIVASI (Greens/EFA, FR), And lastly we have to have safeguards as regards the blue economy, since now more and more they want to recuperate the big nodules which are at great depths. You know that from an international perspective, the experts are not at all in favour, because when the nodules will be recuperated, the bottom will be scraped, and there again there is a loss of eco-system. So blue economy yes, but with great care, at the same time we have to manage to live of it, it is a power that has to be conserved. Otherwise it is an environmental crime. Environmental crime is consecutive to the illegal traffic along the coasts of Africa and the islands of course. I think we have to have safeguards with this blue economy.