Brussels, 04/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Parliament is persisting and signing. It is calling to be able to carry out increased controls over the funding of EU projects in the field of development cooperation, supporting human rights and democracy in third countries and cooperation with the industrialised countries, and will not give up the right to do so given to it by the Lisbon Treaty, nor its duty of democratic control. The second-reading amendments voted in the plenary session of Thursday 3 February on the revision of three external funding instruments of the EU reiterate the demands made by the Parliament at first reading last October. Then, the MEPs overwhelmingly supported the need for recourse to “delegated acts” for the financing of external aid instruments, which will mean giving the Parliament the opportunity to call for changes to proposals and projects in third countries. This effectively amounts to a right of veto, to which the member states of the EU were opposed. “What we are asking for is to be treated exactly the same as the Council when it comes to exercising rights of democratic control. If we lose this battle, we might have to wait for the next treaty before we can finally get to use the powers the Lisbon Treaty already confers upon us”, explained Gay Mitchell (EPP, Ireland), rapporteur for the development cooperation instrument. Kinga Gal (EPP, Hungary), rapporteur for the financial instrument for democracy and human rights, stressed that this right to be tangibly involved in the creation and adoption of multi-annual indicative programmes would be particularly important when it comes to promoting human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy in the parts of the world where they are most endangered. She argues that “the current crises in the countries of North Africa prove the need for an effective human rights instrument, in which the Parliament should have its say”.
The most likely scenario is that a conciliation procedure will be needed to try to bring the respective points of view of the Parliament and Council closer together. (A.N./transl.fl)