Brussels, 10/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - As far as MEP Charles Goerens (EPP, Luxembourg) is concerned, there is absolutely no question of reviewing downwards the proposed financial envelope allotted to the financial instrument for development (DFI) in the 2014-2020 budget proposal that is currently being negotiated. There is absolutely no question either of including the reserve of emergency aid in Heading 4 of the budget. Goerens stated this loud and clear to the Parliament's development committee while presenting his draft opinion to his colleagues on the financial perspectives 2014-2020 proposal.
The reason why Goerens can be this firm is partly because the 2015 deadline for reaching the millennium development goals (2015) and for reaching the EU objective of bringing its development aid to 0.7% of it GNI, falls precisely in the 2014-2020 period. To reduce development funds would be counter-productive, Goerens said. He can also be this firm partly because the quality of EU aid, recognised by the OECD in its peer review, “is our best argument”.
Welcoming the financial increase of Heading 4 in the budget, which was proposed by the Commission, he considers that development aid should not fall victim to the current climate of austerity through the reduction of the DFI budget and the European Development Fund (EDF). This is all the more so given that the agenda for change which establishes the broad guidelines of development policy for after 2013 supports a concentration of aid for increased effectiveness “and not the reduction of aid”. Furthermore, if the reserve of emergency aid was integrated into Heading 4 “the flexibility of this aid which works very well would be damaged”. Goerens also insists on the need for additional financing of aid for climate action in developing countries in relation to aid for development, and on the need to budget for the DFI. The message was greatly welcomed by the representative from the Commission (DG ECHO) who “shares the observations” but is somewhat reserved about the additional character of the climate aid. She said that the budgeting of DFI, which has been promised since 2011, would be planned for after 2020 - an assurance which Goerens hails as an act of faith in the continued existence of the relationship between the EU and the ACP group of states and the renewal of DFI in 2020. Goerens' draft opinion is based on documents from the European Commission as the draft report of the budgets committee is not available. The deadline for amendments is 20 July. (AN/transl.fl)