The overall objective is either to improve the competitiveness of traditional ACP banana production or support diversification wherever competitiveness is no longer attainable.

21. Emphasises once again the significance of the abovementioned Declaration by the JPA on the EU-Latin America bananas agreement, given the major impact this agreement will have henceforth on the competitiveness of ACP and EU banana producers; calls in this regard on the European Parliament and the Council to do all that is in their power to find an agreement which enables compensation for ACP banana producers, provided for in the regulation establishing the banana accompanying measures to be released; asks the JPA Bureau, therefore, and the Committee on Economic Affairs, Finance and Trade to continue to monitor closely developments o ...[+++]n this matter;

9. Points out that the EU has traditionally granted special tariff preferences to bananas from ACP countries; recalls that some WTO members have repeatedly challenged the compatibility of this preferential treatment with WTO rules; stresses that a series of legal rulings by WTO dispute panels, the Appellate Body and special arbitrators have called for a change to the existing regime;

12. Stresses that the parallel discussions with the ACP countries produced an agreement to the effect that, in addition to regular EU aid, the main ACP banana-exporting countries will receive extra support through a new programme – the so-called ‘Banana Accompanying Measures’ (BAM); stresses that the BAM financing arrangement could be insufficient in terms of resources and too short in terms of its implementing period to provide effective help to ACP banana producers in adapting to the effects of the changes in the EU's import regime; asks the Commission to indicate clearly that the financing arrangement consists of money ...[+++]additional to current development cooperation funds and that it is not just a contribution to national budgets which cannot be earmarked for specific programmes, such as education and diversification; asks the Commission to present a new multiannual financing arrangement;

The traditional ACP suppliers have launched active policies with a view to gaining a foothold in the applicant countries, to which they are already exporting significant quantities of bananas.

A strict system of equivalence with Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 shall be applied to these bananas and the products derived therefrom coming from traditional ACP, ACP or third-country quotas.