New Member States report adopted in the European Parliament

A report on the Challenge of EU Development Cooperation policy for the New Member States (2007/2140(INI)) has been adopted in the European Parliament by an overwhelming majority. A large majority of 338 MEPs voted in favour of the report, with only 11 voting against and 16 abstaining, during a plenary session in Strasbourg on 13 March.

The parliamentary resolution points to the fact that EU Development Cooperation Policy is part of the acquis communautaire, which all member states are bound by. The change in the position of new member states from being development aid recipients to donors has been a challenging transition, with new requirements in terms of official development aid (ODA). The new member states’ priorities of promoting democracy and the rule of law though are key to reducing poverty in developing countries.

The report highlights the new member states’ historical links to EU’s Eastern neighbours and CIS countries, at which most of the countries’ development aid is targeted, but also shows which countries are beginning to have stronger links with ACP countries. As a significant proportion of the aid goes through multilateral channels, there is a strong indirect link with the ACP region already, but individual countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia also have bilateral projects.

Development education is recognised as a priority for new member states, where awareness about development cooperation is not very widespread. The parliament has also called on the European Commission to launch an awareness raising campaign following this resolution, focusing on the advantages and added value new member states can bring to the area of development cooperation. The parliament has suggested that this expertise be drawn on and put to better use.

Related links:
EP press release: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/028-23875-070-03-11-903-20080312IPR23865-10-03-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm
Resolution procedure file: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5498252

Full text adopted: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2008-0097+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

Information provided by Rebecca Steel, TRIALOG Policy Officer