Leeds, 25/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Informal Development Council of Leeds closed on a highly positive note on Tuesday: the highly favourable welcome reserved by the ministers of the EU to the European strategy for Africa, proposed by the European Commission. Hillary Benn, British Secretary of State and president of the work, and Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, both welcomed this development before the press. Somewhat surprisingly, the revised proposed political declaration of the EU for a genuine common development strategy over the next five years did not enjoy the same unanimity, although it may be used as a basis for concrete proposals applicable to the African continent to help it to break the chains of poverty. The stumbling block was the fear expressed by the UK Presidency and various of the Member States, mainly those which already do the most for poor countries in terms of State development aid (Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands), of seeing excessive harmonisation of 26 different development policies (those of the Commission and the 25 Member States), who would be giving centre-stage to the Commission.
"We discussed the new declaration for the development policy, which will establish a framework for more effective aid. This discussion was the prelude to the debate to be held by the Development Council of 21 November (...). The main question we focused on related to the respective contributions of the Commission and the Member States. Some people want to see a more harmonised approach. Others want to take a look at what the Commission can do", said Hillary Benn. He added that the ministers agree that budgetary support for the development of infrastructures, water provision and regional integration are the privileged fields of expertise of the European Commission. "The talks will continue. I hope to see a clear declaration on the respective contributions of all sides. This will be a framework. It is very important not to make any mistakes", added Hillary Benn. Louis Michel, for his part, has stressed that an agreement had been reached on "the need to bring the political declaration up-to-date", and said that he was prepared to include a few considerations to move his position on. However, he warned, "all declarations underlining the need for greater harmonisation must be translated into action". Concerned about removing any misunderstandings, he added: "the Commission is not trying to take on new competencies, but to work with greater coherence. Some people do not like the word 'framework'. Let us talk instead of a basis, of a common area, of joint guidelines. Some countries want to go further (led by France and Belgium, Germany), others less so. There is a consensus to be reached. We must talk more about how the activities of the Commission can be developed. The Commission is present everywhere (in all the developing countries of the world: Ed). This is its added value. I hope that there will be a minimum level of ambition, whatever the final document". Armand de Decker, Belgian Secretary of State for cooperation, told journalists of his full support for the Commission's proposal, "for its joint vision and improved definition of the role of the Commission and the Member States". He feels that "greater coordination and harmonisation is the job of the Commission. This takes nothing away from the sovereignty of the States. The Commission can make our action more visible, which will be legitimate as the EU is the world's largest contributor to State development aid. In order to improve our work, we must increasingly forget our national flag, and think more about the EU flag instead". Describing some of the fears expressed as "poor arguments", Mr de Decker regretted the fact that the UK Presidency had "left behind its neutrality, playing along with the fearful ones ".