Fiji has urged the European Union to reconsider its stance to withhold sugar funding.
Our Ambassador to the European Union, Mr Peceli Vocea made the call at the hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, on the Pacific Interim (EPA).
“We urge the European Parliament, through this esteemed committee, to review its policy on withholding sugar funds from Fiji, if the desired objectives of this interim agreement are to be realised, and as the situation and political landscape in Fiji have changed, along with the responsibility of the European Parliament, since the inception of the Lisbon Treaty,” Mr Vocea said.
He also called on the committee to highlight the resolutions by European Governments.
“We also like to underscore the resolutions by the august European Parliament in March 2009, which inter alia, called on the commission to offer maximum flexibility in the continued EPA negotiations,” Mr Vocea said.
“We would urge the European Parliament to continue to focus on the Pacific region’s comprehensive EPA negotiations with a clear understanding on the development aspect of the EPA that should be of high importance to our
Region.”
Mr Vocea said such a stance would only bring more problems than good to the small Pacific Islands.
“A development chapter that does not recognise the realities in the Pacific ACP States will only result in net development deficits rather than gains to us,” Mr Vocea said.
He also made note that Pacific Island countries look forward to further discussions with the committee as the comprehensive EPA negotiations continue.
“Immediately though, our focus is on implementing the I-EPA, with the assistance of the EU, given that our experiences and capacity to implement is limited, and there are various technical areas where assistance will be
required,” Mr Vocea said.
“In this regard, we urge the European Parliament to support Fiji and PNG’s request that will be forthcoming through the institutions of the I-EPA, and would express the hope that these institutions will provide easy to use consultative mechanisms to ensure effective implementation.”
He also thanked the committee for giving the opportunity to Fiji for the support that has been receiving from EU and for the opportunity to make submissions.