Brussels, 22/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - During a hearing at the European Parliament, Commissioner Chris Patten defended the draft reform of the EU's external aid adopted on 16 May by the European Commission. "This reform will correct the poor image of the EU in the outside world, " he said, stressing the important role external policy had come to play over the last decade, with a tripling of the annual volume of credits to Euro 10.2 million in the space of ten years. He noted the problems of efficiency and late payments (Euro 21 bil, 7 bil of which for the European Development Fund) which had damaged the EU's image abroad. The Commission had had to call on 80 Technical Assistance Offices (TAOs), or the equivalent of around 800 external agents, to carry out its duties. The reform must enable the Commission to have the necessary staff for dealing with this itself and, the Commissioner warned, "if we don't get them we will clearly have to make cuts in our aid programmes". Mr Patten made the case for simpler and more efficient procedures in the framework of greater decentralisation. He stressed that it was vital to respect prior commitments to third countries and "be honest with respect to taxpayers". "We have two essential priorities: reinforcing stability around our borders and highlighting the fight against poverty", but "we also want the Parliament and Council to think about priorities and recognise that we cannot do everything at the same time", adding that it was important to "know in which region one wanted to invest the most money".
Commissioner Michaele Schreyer also called for an increase in the Commission staff in this domain so as to reach a better level of effectiveness. She spoke in favour of a progressive integration of the TAO in the Commission services rather that to continue the externalisation. She insisted on the importance that stems from the creation of a new nomenclature of the budget, by policy, integrating the operational and administrative expenses and she favours a modification of the financial regulation. Mrs. Schreyer chastised the too large gap, sometime 4 or even 5 years, that often passes between the promises and undertakings and the moment of true payment. Mrs. Schreyer felt the situation unacceptable both for the budgetary authority. From where the need to introduce a maximum deadline of two years.
EUROPE will return to the speech by Mr. Kouchner and Mr. Hombach in this hearing and on the MEPs reactions tomorrow.