Brussels, 20/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Chair of the Development Committee, Joaquim Miranda (Portuguese, GUE) has written to European Parliament President Pat Cox asking him to seize the opportunity offered to him by the opening of the meeting of the European Council to "protest against the Spanish Presidency proposal aimed at creating penalty procedures for developing countries" deemed not sufficiently co-operative in the fight against illegal immigration by abolishing aid. This issue was examined with Commissioner Poul Nielson at the Development Committee meeting of 19 and 20 June, says Miranda, adding: "It is obvious that aid is an element that could slow down the exodus of a impoverished population in Africa and elsewhere (…) Aid has not to be instrumentalised to resolve problems within the Union". "We would be grateful were you also to intervene in favour of retaining the Development Council", Mr. Miranda continues, noting: "The draft reform, which, as you know, aims at a reduction in the number of Council formations, risks reducing, at organisational level too, the impact of the Union's development policy, instead of strengthening it".