05/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - Several NGOs are worried about the fate of the EU development policy, following the proposals made at the IGC on external Union action. In this context Simon Stocker of Eurostep criticised the fact that according to these proposals, the objectives of foreign policy objectives would determine the trade and development objectives of the EU, which Stocker considered to be a contradiction of the principle of policy coherency contained in Article 218. This principle, Stocker pointed out, asserted that the Union had to take into account development objectives when it was applying policies likely to affect developing countries. Richard Bennett of BOND (British Overseas for Development) expressed the same worries in a letter addressed to Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary, in which he indicated his worries about seeing humanitarian aid being described as an "instrument" that could be used in the "war on terrorism". He also regretted the disappearance of the fundamental principle of "neutrality" of humanitarian aid.