# CE2004088EN.01001401.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/14 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/14

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(2004/C 88 E/0014)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0609/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(3 March 2003)

Subject:   EU/East Timor 1999-2003: cooperation, development, human rights, assistance, etc

Subject:

For the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and with regard to East Timor, can the Commission provide information on the following:

| — | What programmes have been or are being undertaken by the EU with East Timor? |
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What programmes have been or are being undertaken by the EU with East Timor?

| — | What are the funds allocated? |
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What are the funds allocated?

| — | What is the expected duration of the individual programmes? |
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What is the expected duration of the individual programmes?

| — | What results have been obtained by the programmes, and what assessment has been made of their success or otherwise? |
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What results have been obtained by the programmes, and what assessment has been made of their success or otherwise?

| — | What particular developments have characterised each of the programmes? |
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What particular developments have characterised each of the programmes?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 2003)

(12 May 2003)

For the period in question the Commission has committed, or intends to commit, funds for the following programmes and activities in East Timor:

| — | 1999-2002 (funds committed)
  Humanitarian Assistance: EUR 42,5 million for shelter, rehabilitation, repatriation and protection, water and sanitation, and health. Implemented through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations International Children's emergency Fund (Unicef), and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
  United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor (Untaet) EUR 10 million for recurrent expenditure, equipping the civil service, and capacity building in the new administration.
  Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET): EUR 56 million for economic and social reconstruction through the World Bank and Asian Development bank fund set up specifically for this purpose.
  Food Aid: EUR 8,5 million financed through the World Food Programme.
  Support for the 1999 Referendum and the 2001 and 2002 elections: EUR 1,5 million of which EUR 1,0 million was for voter and civic education programmes, and EUR 0,5 was used to support the cost of Union electoral observation missions. Details of the main findings of the Observation Missions can be found on the Europa website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/euelectionassobserv/index.htm
  Health Programme: EUR 16,5 million (2002). Health sector rehabilitation and development project, financed through the World Bank. Infrastructure, pharmaceutical products, and training for health staff. 36 month duration.
  Capacity building through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): EUR 2,5 million (2002). The co-financing of 17 public administration posts, mainly in the Ministries of Agriculture, Internal Administration and Health.
  NGO Projects: Following a call for proposals in 2001 two NGO projects have been financed under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) with a total Community contribution of EUR 1,44 million. One, with CARE Austria, covers children's rights and welfare, and the other, with Avocats Sans Frontières, is aimed at conflict prevention through support for the establishment of the rule of law through the legal system. |
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1999-2002 (funds committed)

Humanitarian Assistance: EUR 42,5 million for shelter, rehabilitation, repatriation and protection, water and sanitation, and health. Implemented through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations International Children's emergency Fund (Unicef), and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor (Untaet) EUR 10 million for recurrent expenditure, equipping the civil service, and capacity building in the new administration.

Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET): EUR 56 million for economic and social reconstruction through the World Bank and Asian Development bank fund set up specifically for this purpose.

Food Aid: EUR 8,5 million financed through the World Food Programme.

Support for the 1999 Referendum and the 2001 and 2002 elections: EUR 1,5 million of which EUR 1,0 million was for voter and civic education programmes, and EUR 0,5 was used to support the cost of Union electoral observation missions. Details of the main findings of the Observation Missions can be found on the Europa website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/euelectionassobserv/index.htm

Health Programme: EUR 16,5 million (2002). Health sector rehabilitation and development project, financed through the World Bank. Infrastructure, pharmaceutical products, and training for health staff. 36 month duration.

Capacity building through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): EUR 2,5 million (2002). The co-financing of 17 public administration posts, mainly in the Ministries of Agriculture, Internal Administration and Health.

NGO Projects: Following a call for proposals in 2001 two NGO projects have been financed under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) with a total Community contribution of EUR 1,44 million. One, with CARE Austria, covers children's rights and welfare, and the other, with Avocats Sans Frontières, is aimed at conflict prevention through support for the establishment of the rule of law through the legal system.

| — | 2003 (funds not yet committed):
  The Commission is presently examining possibilities for the commitment of the 2003 allocation of funds for East Timor, which were increased to EUR 25,5 million by the budgetary authority. It is probable that these funds will be committed for the rural development sector through multilateral agencies. |
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2003 (funds not yet committed):

The Commission is presently examining possibilities for the commitment of the 2003 allocation of funds for East Timor, which were increased to EUR 25,5 million by the budgetary authority. It is probable that these funds will be committed for the rural development sector through multilateral agencies.

| — | General
  The humanitarian assistance and food aid activities have been completed, though activities under separate financing of EUR 6,0 million for East Timorese refugees in West Timor through the UNHCR will continue to be implemented until mid-2003.
  The rehabilitation and consolidation support being provided by the Community to Untaet and TFET are still under implementation, as is the 2002 support for capacity building through the UNDP, which is a one-year programme.
  The support being provided for longer-term health project is likely to continue until 2006.
  An evaluation of the Community's humanitarian assistance to East Timor was carried out in 2001 with very positive conclusions concerning the effectiveness, efficiency, co-ordination and impact of this aid.
  The remaining bulk of the Community assistance has been provided through the TFET. This has been done on the basis of reports prepared by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and presented to meetings of the Donors' Council of the Trust Fund for East Timor. The conclusions of these reports have generally been considered very positive by donors, and on the basis of the reports further tranches of funding for the Trust have been committed.
  The Commission considers that the impact of its assistance to East Timor since 1999 has been extremely positive. This assistance has been provided in a systematic and logical approach comprising four types of intervention: (a) initial emergency humanitarian assistance, (b) medium-term support for administrative capacity building and rehabilitation, (c) support for the democratic process, and (d) longer-term development assistance. These interventions have been linked to each other in that, for example, humanitarian assistance in the health sector has led on to longer-term policy development and development co-operation financing with Community funding in that sector. Likewise, capacity building under the UNDP project in the Ministry of Agriculture will provide the administrative framework for the implementation of Community and other donors' future longer-term interventions in that sector.
  In so far as it has assisted East Timor to reach its newly-found independence and to prepare itself for its longer-term development, the Community aid provided can be considered most successful.
  An overview of Community assistance to East Timor can be found on the Europa website at: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/east_timor/index.htm).
  Two NGO projects for East Timor have been selected, as a result of the call for proposals 2001 of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, their details are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat. |
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General

The humanitarian assistance and food aid activities have been completed, though activities under separate financing of EUR 6,0 million for East Timorese refugees in West Timor through the UNHCR will continue to be implemented until mid-2003.

The rehabilitation and consolidation support being provided by the Community to Untaet and TFET are still under implementation, as is the 2002 support for capacity building through the UNDP, which is a one-year programme.

The support being provided for longer-term health project is likely to continue until 2006.

An evaluation of the Community's humanitarian assistance to East Timor was carried out in 2001 with very positive conclusions concerning the effectiveness, efficiency, co-ordination and impact of this aid.

The remaining bulk of the Community assistance has been provided through the TFET. This has been done on the basis of reports prepared by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and presented to meetings of the Donors' Council of the Trust Fund for East Timor. The conclusions of these reports have generally been considered very positive by donors, and on the basis of the reports further tranches of funding for the Trust have been committed.

The Commission considers that the impact of its assistance to East Timor since 1999 has been extremely positive. This assistance has been provided in a systematic and logical approach comprising four types of intervention: (a) initial emergency humanitarian assistance, (b) medium-term support for administrative capacity building and rehabilitation, (c) support for the democratic process, and (d) longer-term development assistance. These interventions have been linked to each other in that, for example, humanitarian assistance in the health sector has led on to longer-term policy development and development co-operation financing with Community funding in that sector. Likewise, capacity building under the UNDP project in the Ministry of Agriculture will provide the administrative framework for the implementation of Community and other donors' future longer-term interventions in that sector.

In so far as it has assisted East Timor to reach its newly-found independence and to prepare itself for its longer-term development, the Community aid provided can be considered most successful.

An overview of Community assistance to East Timor can be found on the Europa website at: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/east_timor/index.htm).

Two NGO projects for East Timor have been selected, as a result of the call for proposals 2001 of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, their details are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

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