WRITTEN QUESTION P-1177/01

by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 April 2001)

Subject: Financial aid to Venezuela

On 20 January 2000, the European Parliament adopted a resolution, voicing EU solidarity with, and support for, the Venezuelan people in the wake of the appalling flooding of December 1999. Even before the resolution was adopted, the Commission had made 3,6 million available in emergency aid via ECHO, a sum later increased by 3,5 million once the exceptional importance of this aid had become apparent, in terms of the sheer needs of those affected by the immediate impact of the disaster. The speed and efficiency with which this aid was dispatched merits all due acknowledgement and praise.

An ad hoc EP delegation, of which I was a member, travelled to the worst-hit areas in February 2000, and we saw with our own eyes not only the vast scale of the disaster, but also just how important the EU aid was, both in terms of providing humanitarian aid to those affected, and of the work of reconstruction in the areas hit. Following the delegation's visit, Parliament adopted a resolution on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the areas affected by the floods, proposing that 100 million worth of aid be allocated for this purpose.

In the wake of this resolution, the European Union made available some 60 million to help the task of reconstruction in the areas hit by the floods and for disaster-prevention measures, the money being found under various budgetary headings (Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Measures for the countries of Latin America; Technical and Financial Cooperation with Developing Countries in Latin America).

In the meantime, more than one Commission delegation has travelled to Venezuela to sound out the relevant authorities as to the project's to be funded in the areas deemed to be priorities.

Can the Commission answer the following:

- Why has not one single euro been spent in support of reconstruction work and disaster-prevention, over fifteen months after the VARGS disaster?

- When will the aid finally begin, what are the areas deemed to constitute priorities, and what projects are to be funded?

- How has the coordination of international aid been implemented?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Immediately following the floods in Venezuela, the Commission mobilised emergency aid, through its humanitarian office, ECHO. Since the end of December 1999, the Commission has approved four Decisions for a total amount of 7,15 million, including 20 humanitarian operations(1). All humanitarian operations have already been completed, except one that is about to conclude in May 2001.

The Commission decided in September 2000(2) to assist reconstruction in the area and envisages allocating a total of 30 million to Venezuela's reconstruction effort. 20 million will be committed during 2001, and 10 million during 2002.

The Commission plans to take action on two fronts:

- reconstruction aid to the state of Vargas, 10 million. It will essentially focus on social issues (health, drinking water, housing and education);

- risk prevention. A package of 20 million for the definition and implementation of natural risk management programmes over a large area adjacent to the region affected by the 1999 floods, encompassing the states of Falcon, Miranda and Yaracuy. These initiatives will include a detailed risk map, the implementation of early warning systems, the production of land use plans, support for the application of the necessary legislation, as well as the construction of flood-control and other risk-prevention structures.

The Commission has already done an expert mission to identify specific projects. It is presently evaluating these findings and will shortly launch the list of projects.

The Parliament secured an extra budget of 25 million for 2001 for which projects will be identified this year.

ECHO's technical assistant based in Lima was provisionally transferred to Caracas on 21 December 1999 in order to assess the emergency operation and co-ordinate the first humanitarian actions. During the emergency phase, the Commission Delegation and ECHOs technical assistant actively participated in various co-ordination meetings, although the Venezuelan government did not set up any formal co-ordination forum.

At this moment, the Commission is having contacts with other donors (such as United Nations Development Programme UNDP) to study the possibility of co-ordinating projects.

(1) ECHO/VEN/210/1999/01000, 400 000, 23.12.1999. ECHO/VEN/210/2000/01000, 3 200 000, 30.12.1999. ECHO/VEN/210/2000/02000, 2 000 000, 7.2.2000. ECHO/VEN/210/2000/03000, 1 550 000, 28.7.2000.

(2) SEC(2000) 1571 final.