Bridgetown, 23/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - MEPs and ACP (African/Caribbean/Pacific) representatives meeting in Barbados in Joint Parliamentary Assembly held an exchange of views with the European Commission on the programming underway for the €22 billion earmarked to the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) for financing cooperation with ACP countries over the period 2008-2013. The programming exercise, which began in February this year, is to end mid-2007 so that the EDF may be operational in 2008, once ratification procedures are complete.
Louis Michel, Development Commissioner, set out the broad outlines of the programme before answering questions put to him by parliamentarians who, for the most part, asked the Commissioner whether he could intervene to encourage ACP governments to systematically consult national parliaments and the civil society. “The programming for the 10th EDF is decisive in determining the content of our cooperation until 2013. It is a process of allocating aid that will link our policies and strategies to results on the ground. Our cooperation must have a real impact where it can benefit the most”, Louis Michel said. It is therefore a matter of priority to: - help the construction of successful States that shoulder their governmental responsibilities and provide their citizens with access to crucial services such as health services, education and impartial justice; - strengthen the ability of the populations to defend their rights, contribute to the development of their country and seize such opportunities; - and stimulate growth in favour of the fight against poverty.
In addition to the original amount earmarked for each country, established on the basis of the needs and financial, economic and social situation of the partner countries, there will be an incentive allocation of up to 25% of additional funds to encourage good governance. This concept, which should be understood in the broadest sense of the term, covering the whole scope of State action in its political, economic, social and environmental dimensions, is an important programming element, the Commissioner stressed, recalling that €3 billion have been earmarked for encouraging “countries resolved to take part in speeding up and consolidating reform of institutions and State services”, but not for adding conditionality to the aid. “It gives me great pain to hear some development players suspect us of wanting to impose new conditions that could lead to a reduction in means. This is not exact and not correct”, Louis Michel added. Among the players, the NGO Eurostep (European Solidarity towards Equal Participation of People), present in Bridgetown, raised the question of the legitimacy and credibility of the programming exercise underway, as it considers that the principles of appropriation, transparency and participation, contained in the Cotonou Agreement between the EU and the 78 ACP States, have not been respected.
During parliamentary question time, related concerns were expressed. Thus, Vitorio Agnoletto (GUE, Italy) noted that the “allocation of a part of the aid money depending on the governance profile containing conditions relating to migration, privatisation or the fight against terrorism, will increase the duty of ACP States to be accountable to the EU as a donor and trading partner, rather than to their own citizens”. In the same way, Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PES, France), who spoke of a “new conditionality via the incentive for governance” raised the question of the ability of ACP States to keep their political sovereignty over their model of development when governance profiles force them towards greater liberalisation. She also deplored the lack of consultation with the civil society. Louis Michel was surprised at her accusations, saying: “You form a link between the governance part which aims to motivate States that wish to enhance State consolidation with market liberalisation. Let us not over-simplify. I am not in favour of liberalisation in States that are not sufficiently consolidated”.
Regarding the participation of civil society, the Commissioner called for “caution” as “although there are many credible elements in civil society, it is sometimes used abusively for other ends”. He also called for respect of ACP governments that must do what is necessary for participation to be effective. “We finance emergency projects and participation by the civil society. Do you want us to impose procedures on partner countries?”, he asked.
In answer to the request made by Filip Kaczmarek (EPP-ED, Poland) to have the list of civil society representatives taking part in the programming of the 10th EDF published on the Internet, Louis Michel said he doubted there was much advantage in doing this but promised he would look into it. In response to the elected representative for Mauritius who asked him whether the development of strategies for countries defining the cooperation framework and priorities over more than ten years would be the subject of compulsory consultation of national parliaments, Louis Michel said: “I can suggest consultation with Parliament but I cannot impose it”
The day after this exchange of views, Ms Paula Lehtomaki, Finnish Minister for External Trade and Development, who holds EU Council presidency, stressed that the EU25 foreign ministers had, on 17 October this year, approved the “initiative for good governance that guides the programming underway for the 10th EDF”. She also called for “rapid ratification of the revised Cotonou Agreement” in order to allow entry into force of the 10th EDF on 1 January 2008. (an)