Brussels, 04/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament development committee is urging the EU not to erode the budget allocation to development aid in its multiannual financial framework 2014-2020, much to the pleasure of ONE, an NGO.
The development committee's call came on Monday 3 September with the adoption by an overwhelming majority of an own-opinion report on the next multiannual financial framework. MEPs consider, as does their rapporteur Charles Goerens (EPP, Luxembourg), that spending to provide aid to the poorest countries must not suffer from the drastic cuts being dictated by the climate of austerity prevailing in some member states of the EU (see EUROPE 10652).
Elois Todd, who heads the ONE office in Brussels, said MEPs have clearly stated that the EU should not balance its accounts by making the poorest people of this world pay. She took the view that protecting development aid from any cuts must be a “red line” for the Parliament in its talks with member states on the next EU budget.
Pointing out that, thanks to EU development aid, 31 million people now have access to drinking water, 5 million children have been vaccinated against measles and 9 million have been registered at primary school, Todd underlined that the current budget proposal for development aid represents only 5% of the whole EU budget, which would cost each of us only €15 annually. That is not very much, she added, but it can make a big difference.
Prior to the informal meeting of EU27 European affairs ministers devoted to the multiannual financial framework (last week in Nicosia -EUROPE 10678), a paper had done the rounds between member states highlighting the fact that a reduction was likely in the total amounts proposed by the European Commission for the 2014-2020 budget and that no decision had yet been taken. ONE, the paper added, is fighting to have the €51 billion initially foreseen for development aid and humanitarian aid in the draft budget safeguarded. (AN/transl.jl)