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- Franco-British Summit / Paris, June 9 2006 -
Communiqué :
1. Introduction
The President of the French Republic today welcomed Mr. Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, at the Elysée Palace. The President was accompanied by Mme. Michèle Alliot-Marie, Minister of Defence, M. Philippe Douste-Blazy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Gilles de Robien, Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research, Mme. Nelly Olin, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development, Mme. Catherine Colonna, Minister for European Affairs and M. François Loos, Minister for Industry. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Mrs Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary, Mr David Miliband, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr. Des Browne, Secretary of State for Defence, Mr. Geoff Hoon, Minister for European Affairs, Mr. Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Energy and Mr. Jim Knight, Minister for State for Schools and 14-19 Learners.
2. Energy
1. We are jointly committed to placing our energy policy within a long term vision determined by the objectives of security of supply, combating global warming and competitiveness, following the new guidelines laid down by the European Council meeting of 23-24 March on European energy policy. We particularly emphasise our intention of working together, in preparation for the European Council meeting on 15-16 June, on the development of the external part of the European energy policy, which should effectively combine EU energy policy and foreign policy. This external energy policy should help towards achieving our common objectives of greater energy security, including through diversification, and support for sustainable energy systems. We also intend to make a positive contribution to the discussions on energy security which will take place at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg.
2. We are determined to work together, within the framework of the ambitious European energy policy which our commitment calls for, in order to ensure the full, effective and transparent implementation of the legislation on the internal energy market, which should play a key role in assuring security of supply, in particular via a more predictable and transparent investment framework for the economic operators involved. In connection with this, we also emphasise the importance of developing regional electricity and gas markets, which are a useful step towards an integrated European energy market.
In parallel, we need more predictability and a long term vision. France and the United Kingdom will therefore support European level studies on the development of energy supplies over the next 5 to 10 years. All Member States should contribute national data to inform these studies. The objective is to have aggregate figures at European level in order to bring transparency on supply and demand data and to provide clear market signals.
3. We also call for enhanced and more effective dialogue between the European Union and major energy producing countries, transit countries or major consumer countries, and in particular with:
- Russia, with which we wish to establish a mutually beneficial strategic partnership in the energy field, which will provide secure and predictable investment conditions for European and Russian companies and also fair and reciprocal access to markets and infrastructures, in accordance with the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty. This cooperation should also be aimed at achieving more rational energy use and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It should also enhance transparency and predictability in energy transactions. We also recall the support we are giving to the World Bank "Global Gas Flaring Reduction" initiative, which is likely to have major beneficial effects for our respective economies and also at world level.
- We also wish to extend our energy dialogue with our other partners, in particular with the producing countries in North Africa, notably Algeria, and the Caspian Sea Basin and also with transit countries such as Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. In addition to the necessary reinforcement of the infrastructures used to transport energy via those countries, we also feel that our cooperation with those countries should aim to extend the principles governing the European energy market.We reiterate our support for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) as the international standard for extractive sector transparency.
4. Finally, we consider of utmost importance a rational use of energy and reaffirm our joint commitment to improve energy efficiency, through a set of ambitious measures, including the setting of specific objectives and indicators, for example in the transport, housing and energy production fields. We ask therefore for discussions on this issue at the next G8 summit.
5. We need to be able in the short term to react quickly in order to deal with energy crisis situations. We therefore propose that an ad hoc high level energy group meet at European level, when necessary. This group would monitor the supply/demand situation and facilitate rapid reaction in the event of a crisis.
6. We have agreed to explore in the short term and further develop the opportunities of working together in the civil nuclear field. To that end we have agreed to establish a regular Franco-British Nuclear Forum, involving representatives from government, industry and technical experts. The Forum will provide a vehicle to discuss Franco-British nuclear cooperation, including research, skills, decommissioning and waste management.
To implement this enhanced cooperation, we have decided to strengthen contacts between our Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Ministries of Industries, in order to deal inter alia with relations with third countries, and based on an analysis of trends in the energy markets and the medium- and long-term prospects regarding supply and demand, to identify other joint initiatives which could be undertaken by our two countries.
3. Climate change
Climate change is a serious long-term challenge which requires us to take action right now. On the basis of scientific evidence, we believe that the increase in the average global temperature of the Earth's surface should not exceed 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels, if major negative effects are to be avoided. Therefore, we will work together:
- To make a joint contribution towards guiding international discussions concerning action to combat climate change, within the European Council, at the G8 and within the
Gleneagles dialogue, within the framework convention on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol; to promote ambitious world action through the development of a future framework which builds
on the Kyoto Protocol and its market instruments (emissions trading, Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation), which should play a key role in encouraging the dissemination
of low-carbon emission technologies and influence major investment decisions; to work towards establishing a long-term international objective for the stabilisation of concentrations of
greenhouse gases within the atmosphere well below 550 ppm; and, within this context, to agree to examine reduction road maps of the order of 15-30% by 2020 and 60-80% by 2050 compared
with 1990.
- To use our bilateral partnerships, such as those between the European Union and China and India concerning climate change, in order to facilitate the sustainable development of
developing countries, in particular the major emerging economies, and to enable them to contribute towards the global efforts to combat climate change; to continue to provide support for
and show solidarity to developing countries who are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change, in order to boost their capacity and reduce their vulnerability, so that they are able
to adapt to these changes,
- To ask the Commission and the other EU Member States as a matter of urgency to take forward work in 2006-2007 regarding the direction, ambition and future reinforcement of the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU/ETS), as part of its review, in order to provide firms with the long-term certainty they need in order to invest in low-carbon emission technologies, at the same time ensuring a level playing field for firms throughout Europe; to seek agreement on the need for the Phase II cap to produce the necessary real reduction on Phase I emissions; to ask the Commission to develop measures at European level to deal with emissions in the transport and the housing sectors, such as including air transport in the EU/ETS Scheme, and to give further consideration to the potential of including domestic projects relating to surface transport; parallel to that, to consider more stringent action on CO2 emissions from vehicles after the expiry of the voluntary agreements in 2008.
- Recognising the need to develop carbon capture and storage technologies in order to reconcile the use of coal to generate electricity with combating climate change, to support European initiatives such as COACH and NZEC with China and ACCSEPT. We also recognise the potential contribution of nuclear electricity and renewables eg. hydroelectricity for providing electricity without emitting CO2.
- to continue to give our joint support to boosting capacity in Africa to combat climate change, in particular through a research programme on climate change impacts and support to the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS).
4. Development
- We agree to implement and monitor high level commitments made in 2005, including those made at the G8 summit at Gleneagles. Africa in particular remains a key priority for us.
- We agree that it is important to ensure the sustainability of the poorest countries' debts, and to ensure that new borrowing and lending (by Export Credit Agencies, IFIs, emerging lenders and commercial lenders) is affordable, follows the IMF/World Bank debt sustainability framework and contributes to economic development and growth. We also undertake to provide promptly the relevant assurances for our share of the costs of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI).
- We support innovative financing, in particular the launch of the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), the working group on the international finance facility and the development of the International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF), which will be partly financed by means of the solidarity contribution on airline tickets, in order to achieve our objective of predictable and long-term financial commitments. We are also fully supportive of G8 work on Advance Market Commitments (AMCs) for vaccines.
- the UK and France agreed on the importance and urgency of securing an ambitious, balanced and pro development outcome to the current WTO trade round - the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) - and which includes effective aid for trade
- Education for all is a priority shared by France and the UK. It is therefore crucial to provide support particularly for the poorest countries, to enable them to formulate effective, appropriate and sustainable education plans and policies and to acquire the human and long term, predictable financial resources needed to achieve that objective. Our two countries feel that it is equally important to ensure that those resources serve the best interests of the population of those countries with a view to promoting their economic and social development. We welcome the commitment of a number of developing countries to produce ambitious and costed ten-year education plans to achieve the education Millennium Development Goal. Our two countries will work together, and with other donors, to mobilise the long term, predictable financial and technical contributions needed to achieve this objective, in collaboration with other agencies, institutions and mechanisms operating at national and international level (UNESCO, Fast Track Initiative, etc.).
5. Defence
A statement setting out UK and France's co-operation on security and defence across the board is attached to the Communiqué
6. Foreign policy
- Middle East : Together with the EU and Quartet we will continue to work hard to relaunch a Middle East Peace Process that delivers a fair and lasting settlement, based on two States living together in peace and security. Both sides should return to the internationally endorsed Roadmap, and avoid unilateral actions. The Hamas-led Government must accept the two state solution; and renounce terrorism. We remain fully committed to meeting the basic needs of the Palestinian people and avoiding a humanitarian and social crisis. To this end, the UK and France are working closely together in support of the Commission's proposals for a Temporary International Mechanism in order to channel the significant amounts of bilateral and EU support that we are offering.
- Iran : France and the United Kingdom welcome the agreement reached by the six-party meeting in Vienna on a series of wide-ranging proposals to be used as a basis for discussions with Iran. They emphasise that there are therefore two possible routes open to it. We call upon the Iranian authorities to consider the positive route in a constructive spirit and not to opt for the route to long-term isolation. For their part, France and the United Kingdom want Iran to become a prosperous and respected State forming part of the community of nations and committed to upholding human rights in accordance with international standards, and active in countering global terrorism. In connection with this, France and the United Kingdom wish to reiterate their concern regarding the recent developments in the fissile material production programme and the ballistic missile programme in Iran and regret the Iranian authorities' failure to comply with the demands of the Board of Governors and the Security Council. Faced with this situation, which is endangering the continuing existence of the multilateral collective security system and stability within the region, we remain committed to a diplomatic solution. We call upon the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the IAEA and to suspend their activities connected with enrichment, including research and development.
- Iraq : We strongly welcome the formation of an independent and inclusive government in Iraq, which signals a new era in Iraq's political and economic transition. We have
undertaken to work together more closely to support Iraqi efforts to create a strong, stable, sovereign and secure environment in which political and socio-economic development can take
place. Significant challenges remain. We call upon all Iraqis to renounce violence and respect above all else the rule of law and human rights. We call upon the
international community - in particular the UN, the International Financial Institutions and the governments of Iraq's neighbouring countries - to do all they can to support Iraq's new
Parliament and Government. To that end, we fully support the Arab League's initiative to support an accord conference in Baghdad, which should serve to reinforce national
dialogue.
- Sudan/Darfur : We are concerned by the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur and by the risk of regional destabilisation. The Darfur Peace Accord marks an important step
towards a return to peace in Darfur. We call upon the parties to this agreement to respect all its terms and those that did not sign to associate themselves with it rapidly. The
international community is determined to sanction any person who impedes this peace process. We welcome the success of the African Union peace mission in Darfur (AMIS) in reducing the
level of violence, and will support the mission as it is handed over to the United Nations.
- Afghanistan : we remain committed to supporting the Government of Afghanistan as it brings stability and development to the country. We will play an active role in the implementation of the Afghanistan Compact and the Afghan National Development Strategy. We will also seek opportunities to develop further UK/France cooperation in support of the National Drug Control Strategy
- UN Reform
The UK and France underline their commitment to an effective UN better able to address the problems of our time. They agree to work closely together in pursuit of this objective, and to
engage their partners in a spirit of dialogue. Important and difficult decisions will be needed this year on management reforms in order to help the organization adapt to the
changes it faces and strengthen its effectiveness and credibility.
The UK and France strongly believe that UN Management Reform would be in everyone's interests. A well-managed, innovative, results-orientated Secretariat would better serve the interests of all its members, including developing countries which benefit most from UN activities. It would help the UN focus on delivering better crisis management and peacebuilding, development and humanitarian assistance, as well as strengthen its role in promoting human rights. The UK and France appeal to all UN member governments to engage urgently in constructive, high level dialogue in a spirit of compromise to take forward the reform agenda.
The UK and France also look forward to ambitious proposals from the Secretary-General's Panel on System-Wide Coherence, to ensure more effective and coherent UN action on development, environment and humanitarian challenges. They reiterate their support to the creation of a United Nations Organisation for Environment, as a way of rationalizing and strengthening UN action in this field.
The UK and France reaffirm their commitment to increasing the number of Permanent and non-Permanent Members of the Security Council, in order to ensure that the Council remain representative of the UN as a whole. They underline their continued support for Brazil, Germany, India and Japan as future Permanent Members, as well as permanent seats for Africa. The UK and France agree on the need to give new impetus to this debate. They therefore appeal to all those concerned to reflect on creative and constructive ways of accelerating progress.
The UK and France agree that the next Secretary General should be someone with international political standing, with appropriate management experience. They express their appreciation to Kofi Annan for the wisdom and leadership he has shown during his term as Secretary General.
7. Europe
The United Kingdom and France look forward to the European Council in Brussels on 15-16 June. This will be an important opportunity to demonstrate the EU's continuing relevance to all citizens in the Member States.
We agree that the EU must maintain the momentum of its work on the Hampton Court delivery agenda (L'Europe des Projets). These are the concrete issues (such as globalisation, climate change, the environment, research, education and training, energy, foreign policy) that matter to people throughout the EU. In this context, we also welcome the Commission's recent Communication "A Citizens Agenda" and support the emphasis on the EU delivering tangible results.
Our common aim remains to make European institutions more effective and more democratic. We will continue to consider improvements on the basis of the existing treaties, including a better association of the national parliaments to the EU decision process and the possibilities of improving decision-making in the area of Freedom, Security and Justice and greater coherence in external action.
8. Education
The Education Ministers signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding to reinforce cooperation between the two countries, and to make progress towards the objectives of the Lisbon strategy. Under the MoU, France and England are committed to working together over the next four years in certain fields, such as training of teachers and senior staff, school and university partnerships and exchanges on topics of joint interest.
9. Consular cooperation
Being aware of the responsibilities incumbent upon them to protect their nationals abroad in crisis situations, France and the UK have decided to reinforce their bilateral cooperation in order to prepare their teams to act effectively, rapidly and in a coordinated fashion, commensurate with the scale of each crisis.
Designed in a spirit of flexibility and pragmatism, this cooperation is intended as a matter of priority to cover practical objectives such as:
- exchanges of experience concerning crisis management and the promotion of such exchanges within the EU
- organisation of joint exercises and the exchange of good practice concerning the training of consular emergency teams
- assessment of the ability to take action
- cooperation between our embassies on civil contingency and emergency plans in priority countries identified by mutual agreement and promotion of the concept of pilot State as regards European consular protection in cases where this seems appropriate
- direct communication with the public.
This enhanced cooperation between our two countries also forms part of the efforts being made within the European Union, within the framework of the work being done by the Council and the Consular Cooperation Group, in order to make action taken by the Member States and the General Secretariat of the Council more effective in dealing with crisis situations.
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