# CE2004088EN.01020701.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/207 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/207

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(2004/C 88 E/0215)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0749/04

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject:   Introduction of the sector approach in EU development cooperation

Subject:

The Commmission's development cooperation activities have undergone significant changes since the introduction of the sector approach, which increasingly provides for direct budget support to beneficiary countries. As a result, the amount of funding available for technical assistance (TA) in the form of projects for European consultancy firms is steadily decreasing, as in future a wide range of tasks will need to be carried out by the beneficiary state and its authorities.

Can the Commission provide statistics showing the absolute (in euro) and relative development of technical assistance (including procurement procedures) as a percentage of the Commission's estimated development budget (e.g. projects/budget support/total budget) from 1996 to the present day and, as a projection, until the end of the current financial period in 2006?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

(30 April 2004)

The Commission is a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and as such has an obligation to provide full and regular reporting on its overall development aid, in accordance with standard DAC reporting formats.

One of the elements that it reports is the amount allocated to ‘Technical Co-operation’(TCO). Technical co-operation according to the DAC ‘comprises provision of resources where the main aim is to augment the stock of human intellectual capital, i.e. the level of knowledge, skills; technical know-how ...’ and amounts ‘primarily aimed at assisting the implementation of a project ...’

The attached table shows the amounts reported to the DAC as Technical co-operation in the period 1996-2002 as a proportion of the total amount of Official Development Assistance (ODA) during that period in Commitments and Disbursements. This ratio has varied between 5,4 and 3,2 % for commitments and in a ratio between 5,2 and 3,1 % for disbursements.

Technical Co-Operation of the EU reported to the DAC compared to the total Bilateral Official Aid

| (in million euro) |
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| Year | Disbursement | Commitments |
| Bilateral ODA | TCO | % | Bilateral ODA | TCO | % |
| 1996 | 4 297,28 | 178,13 | 4,1 | 6 098,27 | 226,83 | 3,7 |
| 1997 | 4 549,91 | 235,48 | 5,2 | 5 251,81 | 286,04 | 5,4 |
| 1998 | 4 580,58 | 192,54 | 4,2 | 6 929,46 | 322,10 | 4,6 |
| 1999 | 4 593,19 | 181,93 | 4,0 | 7 009,32 | 248,99 | 3,6 |
| 2000 | 4 789,75 | 228,93 | 4,8 | 7 841,43 | 247,03 | 3,2 |
| 2001 | 6 160,42 | 199,74 | 3,2 | 6 286,88 | 199,49 | 3,2 |
| 2002 | 6 645,80 | 203,81 | 3,1 | 6 854,94 | 246,94 | 3,6 |

(in million euro)

Year

Disbursement

Commitments

Bilateral ODA

TCO

%

Bilateral ODA

TCO

%

1996

4 297,28

178,13

4,1

6 098,27

226,83

3,7

1997

4 549,91

235,48

5,2

5 251,81

286,04

5,4

1998

4 580,58

192,54

4,2

6 929,46

322,10

4,6

1999

4 593,19

181,93

4,0

7 009,32

248,99

3,6

2000

4 789,75

228,93

4,8

7 841,43

247,03

3,2

2001

6 160,42

199,74

3,2

6 286,88

199,49

3,2

2002

6 645,80

203,81

3,1

6 854,94

246,94

3,6

Considering that decisions on technical cooperation are taken in the framework of each specific project/programme, it is not possible to provide forecasts of commitments and payments.

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