On Tuesday 1 April, the European Parliament approved two EU macrofinancial assistance packages in the form of preferential loans to Egypt and Jordan, worth €4 billion and €500 million respectively.
MEPs approved by a comfortable majority (452 votes in favour, 182 against, 40 abstentions) macrofinancial assistance for Egypt, to be disbursed in three instalments (see EUROPE 13605/16).
During the vote, an alliance between the EPP, ECR and PfE groups led to the rejection of amendments from the Greens aimed at making aid more conditional on Egypt’s progress on human rights and democratic standards.
On behalf of the Greens/EFA group, French MEP Mounir Satouri denounced the European Commission’s deletion from its initial draft of “conditions linked to progress in democracy, human rights and the rule of law in deploying macrofinancial assistance to Egypt”, while “the Egyptian authorities regularly attack journalists, civil society and citizens’ rights”. “It is clear that the Commission is preparing the ground for a dubious agreement with Egypt on migration, including in relation to the dramatic situation in Gaza”, he criticised in a statement.
In March 2024, the EU and the Egyptian authorities sealed a comprehensive partnership agreement providing for European economic aid worth €5 billion (see EUROPE 13373/6), including a short-term loan of €1 billion paid to Cairo at the end of 2024.
See the legislative text approved by Parliament: https://aeur.eu/f/g6p
Jordan. The European Parliament has approved the EU’s macrofinancial assistance to Jordan by a very large majority (571 votes in favour, 59 against, 46 abstentions).
According to a European Parliament press release, the granting of this aid in three instalments is subject to Jordan’s respect for the rule of law and democratic mechanisms, such as a multi-party parliamentary system, and that it guarantees respect for human rights.
“Helping our partners means promoting European interests in an unstable region”, said Céline Imart (EPP, French), Parliament’s rapporteur. “The money for Jordan can be delivered quickly, and Parliament will enter into negotiations with Member States on the proposal for Egypt with a strong mandate to make a swift agreement”, she added.
See the legislative text adopted: https://aeur.eu/f/g6r (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)