P6_TA(2007)0045

Country Strategy Papers — Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan

European Parliament resolution on the draft Commission decisions establishing Country Strategy Papers and Indicative Programmes for Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation, [1]

- having regard to the draft Commission decisions establishing Country Strategy Papers and Indicative Programmes for Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan (CMT-2007-0001, CMT-2006-3525 and CMT-2006-3021),

- having regard to the opinions delivered on 25 January 2007 by the committee referred to in Article 35 v (1) of the above regulation (hereinafter referred to as "the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) management committee"),

- having regard to Article 8 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, [2]

- having regard to Rule 81 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, on 25 January 2007, the DCI management committee voted in favour of the draft Commission decisions establishing Country Strategy Papers and Indicative Programmes for Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan (CMT-2007-0001, CMT-2006-3525, CMT-2006-3021),

B. whereas, pursuant to Article 7(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC and point 1 of the Agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on procedures for implementing Council Decision 1999/468/EC, [3] the European Parliament received the draft implementing measures submitted to the DCI management committee and the results of voting,

C. whereas Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 stipulates that "the primary and overarching objective of cooperation under this Regulation shall be the eradication of poverty in partner countries and regions in the context of sustainable development",

D. whereas Article 2(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 stipulates that "measures referred to in Article 1(1)[ [4]] shall be designed so as to fulfil the criteria for Official Development Assistance (ODA) established by the [Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] (OECD/DAC)",

E. whereas, in its "Reporting Directives for the Creditor Reporting System" (DCD/DAC(2002)21), the OECD/DAC defines ODA as financial flows to countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients for which, inter alia, "each transaction is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective",

F. whereas paragraphs 3 and 8 of Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 stipulate respectively that "strategy papers shall, in principle, be based on a dialogue with the partner country or region which involves civil society and regional and local authorities" and that "the Commission and the Member States shall consult each other, as well as other donors and development actors including representatives of civil society and regional and local authorities, at an early stage of the programming process in order to promote complementarity among their cooperation activities",

1. Takes the view that in most draft Strategy Papers and draft Indicative Programmes the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are not clearly presented as a main priority; considers that this is not in compliance with Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 as the pursuit of the MDGs is established there as one of the overarching principles of cooperation under the DCI;

Malaysia

2. Takes the view that, in its draft Strategy Paper and draft National Indicative Programme 2007-2010 for Malaysia, the Commission exceeds its implementing powers laid down in the basic act by selecting as the only focal sector (for which 100 % of the funds are earmarked) "EU-Malaysia Policy Dialogue Facility on Trade and Investment", "the overall objective of which is to facilitate trade and investment relations between the EU and Malaysia" and by including two specific objectives for the actions, namely "to increase EU market knowledge for the Malaysian business community and vice versa" and "to raise ... EU visibility in Malaysia through joint initiatives"; considers that these objectives are not in compliance with Article 2(1) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006, in that the primary objective of the Strategy Paper is not the eradication of poverty and in that the stated objectives do not fulfil the criteria for ODA established by the OECD/DAC;

Brazil

3. Takes the view that in its draft Strategy Paper and draft National Indicative Programme 2007-2010 for Brazil the Commission exceeds its implementing powers laid down in the basic act by earmarking 70 % of the National Indicative Programme for Priority I "Enhancing Bilateral Relations", which has as specific objectives: "(i) [to] improve the sectoral dialogues between the EU and Brazil on themes of mutual interest; (ii) [to] expand cooperation and exchanges between relevant European and Brazilian institutions and civil society organisations; (iii) [to] strengthen links between EU and Brazilian academia; (iv) [to] enhance mutual awareness between EU and Brazilian institutions and societies", and under which a facility "to promote and support sectoral dialogues on themes of common interest" will be financed, as well as the establishment of a European Studies Institute, with the main purpose of "raising the EU's profile" and "strengthening higher education links"; considers that these objectives are not in compliance with Article 2(1) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006, in that the primary objective of the Strategy Paper is not the eradication of poverty and in that the stated objectives do not fulfil the criteria for ODA established by the OECD/DAC;

Pakistan

4. Takes the view that in its draft Strategy Paper and draft National Indicative Programme 2007-2010 for Pakistan the Commission exceeds its implementing powers laid down in the basic act by including in Nonfocal area 3 of the National Indicative Programme "Anti-money laundering" [5] activities with the overall objective of "contributing to the efforts of the Pakistani authorities to implement UNSCR 1373"; [6] considers that this objective is not in compliance with Article 2(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 in that it does not fulfil the criteria for ODA established by the OECD/DAC;

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5. Calls on the Commission to withdraw or amend its draft decisions establishing Country Strategy Papers and Indicative Programmes for Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan, and to submit to the DCI management committee new draft decisions fully respecting the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, and the parliaments and governments of the Member States.

[1] OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 41.

[2] OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L 200, 22.7.2006, p. 11).

[3] OJ L 256, 10.10.2000, p. 19.

[4] Article 1(1): "The Community shall finance measures aimed at supporting cooperation with developing countries, territories and regions (...).".

[5] In the Country Strategy Paper's table of contents, this area is referred to as "Counter-terrorism and Security".

[6] United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373(2001), adopted on 28 September 2001, after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in the USA, imposes wide-ranging obligations on all States to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, to establish adequate penalties for terrorist offences, to deny safe haven to terrorists and to cooperate with other States in criminal proceedings or investigations relating to terrorist acts.

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