WRITTEN QUESTION E-2237/01

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(26 July 2001)

Subject: EU relations with Colombia/EU assistance programme to support the peace process

The Commission has been asked in the past to guarantee that EU assistance remains wholly separate from Plan Colombia. Yet we are concerned that European funds could be channelled through the Fondo de Inversiones para la Paz,

which is the Plan Colombia fund. Could the Council explain how the European funds are channelled and what criteria were established to guarantee transparency and participation of local people and non-governmental sectors in the design, implementation and monitoring of the projects?

Further, when will the EU present the first public report to the European Parliament on its six- monthly appraisal of the peace process, and will that report include an independent evaluation of the Colombian Government's human rights performance, with particular regard to the measures taken to combat paramilitarism and its financial supporters?

Several reports show that aerial fumigation through US military aid causes severe human rights violations such as forced displacement and damage to the health and environment of the people affected. Given its responsibility to help protect human rights worldwide, how is the EU going to orientate its political dialogue with the United States on the issue that the Colombian Government does not meet the human rights conditions required if it is to receive military aid?

With regard to the strengthening of civil society participation, one of the priorities in the EU assistance package, what mechanisms will be set up to guarantee a fluent dialogue between the Commission and Council and the Colombian and European non-governmental sector? What will be done to improve the exchange of information with the non-governmental sector?

Reply

(17 December 2001)

1. The Council is monitoring the situation in Colombia closely and on an ongoing basis. It has already briefed the European Parliament on several occasions on its position regarding the Colombian peace process and the EU assistance programme, notably in the course of discussions between the Parliament and Commissioner Nielson and the Swedish Secretary of State, Lars Danielsson, on 31 January 2001. The Council will continue to keep the Parliament informed on this issue.

2. The EU presented its programme to support the peace process in Colombia at the third international meeting of the support group for the Colombian peace process held in Brussels on 30 April 2001. The programme is aimed at promoting and protecting respect for human rights, humanitarian law and fundamental freedoms, improving the living conditions of local populations, encouraging the cultivation of alternative crops and the protection of biodiversity and supporting the introduction of structural reforms in all fields which fuel conflict. One of its priorities is to strengthen participation by civil society.

3. The programme has a budget of over EUR 330 million, including the contributions of the 15 Member States and those from the Community budget. Use of the funds, transparency in their use and, amongst other aspects, the effective participation of civil society in projects will be governed by the mechanisms that normally apply to cooperation between the Member States and the Commission. The Council, in these different bodies, will ensure coordination of the various projects implemented, in collaboration with the Commission.

4. The Council has on several occasions strongly condemned the serious and persistent violations of human rights in Colombia. It has called on all the parties in conflict to put an end to the violence, to respect human rights and to comply with international humanitarian law. The Council has taken note of the efforts made by the Colombian government to curtail the activities of paramilitary groups and has urged it to adopt further measures.

5. With respect to aerial fumigation, the Council has informed the Colombian authorities of the EU's position and, more specifically, has expressed doubts as to the effectiveness of this measure. It has encouraged Colombian initiatives for independent international monitoring of aerial fumigation based on mechanisms established by the Colombian authorities. It has also drawn the attention of the Colombian authorities to the potential negative impact of aerial fumigation on current and future cooperation projects. The EU has emphasised its conviction that the cultivation of alternative crops is the most effective means of combating the production of illicit drug crops.

6. Lastly, in its discussions with the United States, the Council has on several occasions outlined the European Union's position on all aspects of the peace process in Colombia and has exchanged information on the situation in the country.