Brussels, 13/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - As far as the European Parliament is concerned, there is no question of the EU cutting its aid to Latin America, as proposed by the Commission in the framework of the financial perspectives 2014-2020. The MEPs made this clear in a resolution adopted by a very large majority (640 votes in favour, 17 against and 33 abstentions) in Strasbourg on Tuesday 12 June.
“We do not support the radical approach proposed by the Commission, which is based solely on economic criteria and would deprive countries like Ecuador, Colombia and Peru of our help. We believe that the total level of development cooperation support for Latin America should be maintained, with any reallocation of funds benefiting the least developed countries within the region”, said Ricardo Cortés Lastra (S&D, Spain), the rapporteur, during the debate which preceded the vote. The Parliament agreed with him.
Although this part of the world is classified as middle-income countries (MIC) and has had remarkable success in terms of reducing poverty and inequality, one out of every three inhabitants is still living below the poverty line - or 180 million people - and some of these countries feature some of the world's highest levels of inequality and violence, with crime associated with several factors (trafficking in drugs, organised crime, money-laundering, trafficking in weapons and corruption), the resolution stresses.
The Parliament therefore calls on the Commission and the Council to keep the volume of the development cooperation instrument the same for the period 2014-2020, granting Latin America one third of the total geographical funding. The MEPs also take the view that given China's investment in Latin America, particularly in deposits of raw materials and hydrocarbons and the agricultural resources of many countries of Latin America, the EU should quickly and efficiently step up its sustainable development aid to the region. (AN/transl.fl)