Libreville, 30/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of several resolutions, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly again calls for the integration of the European Development Fund (EDF) in the EU's general budget and insists on better management of expenditure that should also be better controlled by the European Parliament and by the Assembly itself. It invites the Council to simplify the EDF committee procedures, to focus this committee's attention on strategic questions and to ensure that the members of the EU delegations in ACP States are sufficiently informed of the context relating to regional development and sectoral problems, in order to facilitate more rapid disbursement of the 9th EDF funds.
The Assembly notes with concern that less than 25% of the EDF contracts are attributed to companies in ACP States and that the essential part of credits is absorbed by EU companies. It demands the presentation of a financial report on EDF spending, in order to guarantee transparency.
Stressing, moreover, the importance of tourism for the ACP countries, and mainly the island Caribbean states, the Assembly insists that EDF funds be allocated to cooperation in this sector to give preference to the development of sustainable tourism, involving a broad spectrum of local operators.