Brussels, 05/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 4 December in Brussels, the European Parliament approved by 561 votes to 24 and 34 abstentions the proposal which grants to development countries €1 billion between 2008 and 2010 to help them face soaring food prices. An agreement on the arrangements for financing this allocation was found in the context of the budgetary procedure for 2009 (EUROPE 9789).
With adoption of the report by Gay Mitchell (EPP-ED, Ireland), the EP confirms that the priority of this initiative consists of measures: - intended to improve access to inputs and agricultural services, including seeds and fertilisers; - of the safety net kind to safeguard or improve agricultural production capacity and meet the basic food needs of the most vulnerable populations including children; - and aimed at increasing production depending on the country's needs (microcredit, investment, equipment, infrastructure and storage, vocational training, support for professional categories of the agricultural sector).
“The rapid response instrument” will be reserved to a limited list of top priority target countries. The level of poverty and the real needs of populations, price development for foodstuffs and their potential socio-economic consequences, as well as the capacity of countries to respond to and implement appropriate measures will be the three main criteria for selection. Entities benefiting from financing are partner countries and regions, international organisations including regional organisations, and the bodies, services or missions of the United Nations (such as the FAO, FIDA, UNICEF and WFP), international and regional financial institutions and development banks. The one billion euro will be in addition to the €800 million available for 2008-2009 for humanitarian aid and emergency crises. (L.VC./transl.jl)