Brussels, 26/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has adopted a proposal aimed at contributing up to EUR 30 million (EUR 15 million in 2003 and 2004) to the International Fund for Ireland, which aims above all to encourage reconciliation between the country's nationalists and unionists. The Fund was created in 1986 to contribute to implementation of an article (10b) of the Anglo-Irish agreement of 15 November 1985 on the economic and social development of the regions of both parts of Ireland which have suffered the most from the political instability of recent years.
The Commission specifies that Community financing of this international fund represents 34% of annual contributions and 38% of combined contributions to date. The Community has already paid EUR 244 million in all over the period 1989 to 2002.