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Contributions from
the Column
Facts and trends
BMZ proposal for reforming voting rights at the World Bank
How fast the world population
After Cancún: future of G21 uncertain
Building democracies from outside takes a long time
Development Policy Media Prizes 2003
EU Commission to integrate development fund in the EU budget
Negotiations between EU and ACP states
SPD Forum: 'One World starts at home
New framework for GTZ projects: “Impact and objectives are crucial”
11/2003
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[ EU Commission to integrate development fund
in the EU budget ]
From 2006 onwards, the EU Commission intends to integrate the European Development Fund (EDF) into the European Union's general budget. EDF money is used to finance development aid for the ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Region). These funds are something the European Parliament has long wanted to see incorporated into the EU budget so as to bring them under parliamentary control. At present, the Parliament has no say in EDF spending. NGOs, too, have called repeatedly for the European Parliament to be given more control over EDF funds. At the same time, however, they also see risks in integrating the EDF in the EU budget: the danger of more EDF money being used for other foreign policy objectives, for example. In the past, EU member states – including Germany under former development minister Carl Dieter Spranger – spoke out against incorporating EDF funds in the EU budget because it would place an additional financial burden on some countries. Under the new formula, the UK especially would need to pay more while the bill for France would be less. Germany's contribution would remain virtually unchanged. (ell)
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