Brussels, 01/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - The path is now open for the formal adoption of new rules governing the Financial Instrument for Development Cooperation and aid provided by it to encourage democracy and human rights around the world. On 1 December, MEPs endorsed the common position drawn up in an EP-Council of Ministers Conciliation Committee for changes to the EU's Financing Instrument for Development Cooperation and the EU's Financial Instrument for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) around the world (see EUROPE 10395).
Gay Michell (EPP, Ireland), the EP's rapporteur on the Financial Instrument for Development Cooperation, which has a budget of €16.9 billion for 2007-2013, welcomed the vote, which will help refocus aid on getting rid of poverty and ensuring a strategic distribution of cash. “Strategic decisions on where and how we distribute aid in the developing world can mean life or death for people who depend on and benefit from EU aid”, he said, adding that the EP would continue to demand its say on political decisions with respect of how the cash is used in the future.
The draft agreement is accompanied by a European Parliament and Council of Ministers' joint statement on the use of delegated powers for foreign action in future aid instruments, which will increase the EP's negotiating powers. In the view of Kinga Gal (EPP, Hungary), rapporteur on the Financial Instrument for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights: “The Parliament reached a successful compromise with the Council in the form of a joint statement which confirms their commitment to the future. Thus the EP will have an enhanced role in the formulation and adoption of the strategy papers of the financial instruments, This increased role is particularly important for the EIDHR, as the beneficiaries of the programme are third country local civil society organisations, which intervene without the agreement of governments.” (AN/transl.fl)