Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) on aid for population policies and programmes in the developing countries
Date: 1995-09-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, action programme, developing countries, health policy, international aid, population policy

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

it 
•b 

-tt 
* 

Brussels, 08.09.1995 
COM(95)  295  final 

95/0166  (SYN) 

Proposal  for  a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC) 

on aid for population policies and programmes in the developing countries 

(presented  by the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

It  took  mankind  a  million  years  to  reach  a  billion  individuals  and  just  a  hundred  more  to 
pass  the  three  billion  mark.  Less  than  half  a  century  on,  the  world's  population  numbers 
nearly  six  billion.  The  demographic  transition,  well  under  way  in  most  developing 
countries,  suggests  that  the  world  population  will  peak  in  2050  at  between  7.8  and 
12.5 billion,  depending  on  the  efforts  made  today.  The  demographic  transition  must  be 
accelerated  and  above  all  extended 
to  the  Mediterranean  rim  and  Africa,  where 
demographic  growth  remains  truly  excessive  and  represents  a  significant  obstacle  to 
sustainable  development. 

It is the poorest  countries  which are  suffering  the  heaviest  population  pressure.  In the last 
decade their  average  GNP growth  has - where  it  has  kept  up  at  all - barely  outstripped  the 
growth  in their  population 

Living  standards  and  the  environment  are  deteriorating,  jobs  are  not  being  created  fast 
enough  and  food  production  in  many  countries  is  lagging  behind  Basic  social  services 
and  housing  are  subject  to  increasingly  heavy  constraints,  and  are  indeed  often  sacrificed 
to  other  priorities,  such  as  overarming  This  block  on  development  hits  women  and 
children  hardest. 

Chief  among  the  now  familiar  factors  determining  demographic  control  is  the  status  of 
women,  their  level  of  education  and  health,  and  their  social,  cultural  and  economic 
empowerment  in general. 

The  status  of  women  is  a  cornerstone  of  the  action  plan  adopted  at  last  September's 
international  conference  on  population  and  development  in Cairo,  at  which  there  was  also 
unanimous  recognition  of  the  need  to  conduct  population  policies  as  an  integral  part  of 
any human-centred  and  sustainable overall  development  policy 

The  recommendations  of  the  Cairo  action  plan  are  directed  mainly  at  the  governments  of 
the  countries  concerned,  who  are  called  on  to  adopt  and  apply  measures  to  counter 
discrimination  against  women,  and  to  develop  social  policies,  particularly  in  the  fields  of 
education  and  reproductive  health,  enabling  people  to  choose  responsibly  and  freely  the 
size of their  families. 

For  its  part, 
the  Copenhagen  summit  encouraged  international  donors  to  devote  at  least 
20%  of their  development  aid  budgets  to  social  spending  (on  the  20/20  principle3),  giving 
priority  to  institutional  support,  which  was  seen  as  the  only  guarantee  of  sustainability, 
and  improving  quality  and  accessibility  of social  services. 

Under  this  plan,  the  Community  has  to  provide  appropriate  assistance  to  governments, 
since  they  continue  to  be  responsible  for  drafting  and  implementing  population  policies. 

The principle of  voluntary- bilateral  20/20  contracts  adopted  in  March  at  the  Copenhagen  social 
development  summil  involves  earmarking  20%  of  ODA  for  basic  social  programmes 
to  be 
matched bv an undertaking  to devote 20% of national  budget  resources to the same ends 

but  also  to  the  voluntary  or  informal  sector,  where  it  can  complement  or  replace 
government action 

Budget  heading  B7-5050  "Aid  for  population  policies  and  programmes  in  developing 
countries" was created  in  1990  The Commission  would now like to define its scope and 
respond to the Cairo recommendations by increasing its support for population measures 

The programmes financed under this  heading  are  pilot  schemes  intended  as catalysts  for 
subsequent  operations  funded  by  the  EDF  or  the  financial  protocols  of  cooperation 
agreements  between  the  Community  and  other  developing  countries  (ALA  or  MED 
countries), and  the budget  headings  for  the defence  of human  rights (B7-522), women in 
development  (B7-5051) or decentralized cooperation (B7-5010). 

The annexed  proposal  for  a Regulation  is intended  to  lay down  detailed  procedures  and 
rules for the administration  of the operations funded  under this budget heading. 

1 

PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No ... 
of... 
on aid for population policies and programmes in the developing countries 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 130w thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

In cooperation with the European Parliament, 

Whereas high rates of population  growth  seriously limit the capacity  of most  developing 
countries  to  achieve  social  and  economic  development,  whereas  these  countries  have 
adopted national birth-spacing programmes; 

Whereas  the  Council,  in  its  resolutions  of  11 November  1986  and  18 November  1992 
respectively concerning population and development  and family-planning  and cooperation 
with  the  developing  countries,  recognized  the  urgent  need  to  satisfy  unmet  demand  for 
family-planning  services,  at  the  same  time  stressing  the  need  to  help  the  developing 
countries  implement  broad-based  population  programmes  encompassing  all  the  different 
factors determining control over fertility, 

Whereas the Community  has been helping finance specific  measures and pilot  schemes in 
pursuit  of these objectives since  1990; whereas it is time for the Community to step up its 
cooperation  in  this  particular  area,  in  accordance  with  the  action  plan  of  the  Cairo 
International Conference on Population and Development; 

Whereas the  Community  has undertaken  to  follow  up  the  Cairo  conference,  notably by 
increasing its financial  support for population programmes in the developing countries, 

Whereas  the  recipient  countries  must  be  helped  to  introduce  balanced  population 
programmes that  are compatible with  sustainable development,  and to  develop  strategies 
for  the  emancipation  of  women,  which  is a determining  factor  in birth  control,  through 
measures  in a variety  of  social,  economic  and  cultural  sectors,  and  in particular  the key 
sectors of education and health; 

Whereas new operations of this kind are conducive to the sustainable economic and social 
development of the developing countries and their harmonious and progressive integration 
into the world economy, 

Whereas this programme must be funded  by grants from  the Community budget, 

J 

Whereas  administrative  rules  and  procedures  must  be  laid  down  for  cooperation  in  this 
field, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

The  Community  shall  conduct  cooperation  in  support  of  population  policies  in  the 
developing countries. 

Article 2 

In  operations  funded  in  the  course  of  the  cooperation  referred  to  in  Article 1, 
account shall be taken of the following priority objectives: 

enabling women  and  men to  make  a free and  informed  choice  about  the 
number and spacing of their children, 

contributing  to  the  creation  of  a  sociocultural,  economic  and  educational 
environment  conducive  to  the  full  exercise  of  that  choice,  especially  for 
women, 

helping  develop  or  reform  health  systems  in  order  to  improve  the 
accessibility  and  quality  of  reproductive  health  care,  thereby  appreciably 
reducing the risks to the health of women and children 

Community  aid  may  be  granted  to  projects  involving  activities  in  the  following 
areas: 

support  for the establishment  and development  of family-planning  services 
as part  of  policies  implemented  by  governments,  international  bodies and 
NGOs,  particularly  targeting  marginal  groups  for  whom  the  issue  is 
especially important; 

help with the drafting,  application  or financing  of policies in the sectors of 
the education of women and health; 

the  improvement  of  reproductive  health  care  infrastructure,  equipment, 
supplies or training, 

support  for  information,  education  and  awareness  campaigns  aimed,  in 
particular,  at  promoting  understanding  of  the  wider  social  benefits  of 
speeding up the demographic transition, 

H 

the development  of grassroots  structures, the voluntary  sector,  local  NGOs 
and  South-South  cooperation  for  the  implementation  of  programmes,  the 
exchange  of  experience  and  support  for  cooperation  networks  between 
partners 

Article  3 

The  recipients  of  aid  and  cooperation  partners  shall  include  not  only  states  and  regions, 
but  local  services,  regional  organizations,  government  agencies, 
traditional  or  local 
communities,  private  operators  and 
including  cooperatives,  NGOs  and 
grassroots  associations. 

industries, 

Article  4 

Community  assistance  in  the  implementation  of  the  operations  referred  to  in 
Article 2  shall  include  studies,  technical  assistance,  training  or  other  services, 
supplies  and works, and evaluation  and monitoring  missions  and  audits. 

According  to  the  needs  of  the  operations  concerned,  Community  financing  may 
cover  both  capital  investment,  other than  the  purchase  of real  estate, and  operating 
costs  in  foreign  or  local  currency.  However,  with  the  exception  of  training 

programmes,  operating  costs  may  normally  be  covered  only  during  the 

start-up  phase  and on  a degressive basis. 

A  systematic  effort  shall  be  made  to  obtain  a  contribution,  and  in  particular  a 
financial 
local 
communities,  firms  or  others),  according  to  their  means  and  the  nature  of  the 
operation  concerned 

the  ultimate  beneficiaries 

contribution, 

(countries, 

from 

Opportunities  shall be sought  for  cofinancing,  in particular  with the Member  States 
or  with  multilateral,  regional  or  other  organizations.  The  requisite  measures  shall 
be  taken  to  highlight  the  Community  character  of  aid  granted  under  this 
Regulation 

The  Commission  shall  take  all  coordination  measures  necessary  to  maximize 
overall  efficiency  by enhancing  the  consistency  and  complementarity  of  operations 
financed  by the Community  and  the Member  States,  and  in particular. 

(a) 

the  setting-up  of  a  standard  system  for  exchanges  of  information  on  the 
operations  financed  or  considered  for  financing  by  the  Community  and  the 
Member  States; 

(b) 

on-the-spot  coordination  of  operations  through  regular  meetings  and 
exchanges  of information  between  the  representatives  of  the  Commission 
and the Member States in the recipient country. 

Article 5 

Financial support under this Regulation shall take the form of grants. 

Article 6 

1. 

2 

3. 

4 

5 

6. 

The  Commission  shall  be  responsible  for  appraising,  approving  and  managing 
operations covered by this Regulation in accordance with the budgetary and other 
procedures  in force,  and in particular those laid down in the Financial  Regulation 
applicable to the general budget of the European Communities. 

Decisions  relating to grants of more than  ECU 2 million for  individual  operations 
financed  under  this  Regulation  and  any  changes  resulting  in an  increase  of  more 
than  20%  in  the  sum  initially  approved  for  such  an  operation  shall  be  adopted 
under the procedure laid down in Article 7. 

All  financing  agreements  or  contracts  concluded  under  this  Regulation  shall 
provide  for  the  Commission  and  the  Court  of  Auditors  to  conduct  on-the-spot 
checks according to the usual procedures laid down by the Commission  under the 
rules in force,  and in particular those of the Financial  Regulation  applicable to the 
general budget of the European Communities. 

Where operations are the subject  of financing  agreements between the Community 
and  the  recipient  country,  such  agreements  shall  stipulate  that  the  payment  of 
taxes, duties or any other charges is not to be covered by the Community 

Participation  in invitations to  tender  and  the award  of contracts  shall  be open on 
equal terms to natural and legal persons of the Member  States and of the recipient 
country  It may be extended to other developing countries. 

Supplies  shall  originate  in  the  Member  States,  the  recipient  country  or  other 
developing countries  In exceptional cases, where circumstances warrant, supplies 
may originate elsewhere. 

6 

Article 7 

1. 

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  an  advisory  committee  made  up  of 
representatives  from  the  Member  States  and  chaired  by  a  representative  of  the 
Commission, namely, depending on the recipient country or region: 

in the case of the  ACP countries, the EDF Committee set up by Article 21 
of Internal Agreement  91/401/EEC on the financing and  administration  of 
Community  aid  under 
the  fourth  Lomé  Convention,  adopted  on 
16 July  1990 by the representatives of the Member  States meeting with the 
Council; 
in the case of the Mediterranean  countries, the MED Committee  set up by 
Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEiC) No  1762/92 of 29 June 1992; 
in the case of the Asian and Latin American countries, the ALA Committee 
set  up  by  Article  15  of  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  443/92  of  25 
February  1992. 

2 

The  Commission  representative  shall  submit  to  the  committee  a  draft  of  the 
measures to be taken.  The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft  within a 
time  limit  which  the  chairman  may  lay  down  according  to  the  urgency  of  the 
matter, if necessary by taking a vote. 

The opinion  shall be recorded  in the minutes; in addition  each  Member  State shall 
have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes 

The  Commission  shall  take  the  utmost  account  of  opinion  delivered  by  the 
committee.  It  shall  inform  the committee of the manner  in which  its opinion  has 
been taken into account. 

3 

The  committee  shall  meet  once  a  year,  during  a  joint  meeting  of  the  three 
committees  mentioned  in  the  first  paragraph,  to  discuss  general  guidelines 
presented by the Commission representative for operations in the year ahead. 

Article 8 

At the end of each budget year, the Commission  shall present  a report  to  Parliament  and 
the Council summarizing the operations financed  in the course of that year and evaluating 
the implementation of this Regulation over that period. 

The  summary  shall  in  particular  contain  information  about  those  with  whom  contracts 
have been concluded. 

The  report  shall  also  summarize  any  independent  evaluations  conducted  of  specific 
operations 

? 

Article  9 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  third  day  following  its  publication  in  the 
Official Journal  of the European Communities. 

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 
States 

Done at Brussels,  ... 

For the Council 
The President 

î 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

B7-5050  "Aid for  population  policies and  programmes  in the developing  countries" 

1. 

2. 

Title of operation: 
Aid  for  population  policies  and  programmes  in the developing  countries 

Budget  heading  involved: 
B7-5050 

3. 

Legal  basis: 

Treaty  on European  Union,  Article  130w 

4.  Description  of  operation 

4.1  General  objective 

Most  developing  countries  are  currently  experiencing  unprecedented 
rates  of 
population  growth.  The  operation  is  aimed  at  helping  the  developing  countries  to 
design,  implement  and  evaluate  population  programmes  and  projects  founded  on  trre-
principles  that  individuals  and  families  must  be  free  to choose  and  that  family-planning 
activities  must be designed  to complement  health  services. 

Last  September's  Cairo  conference  on  population  and  development  made  the  status  of 
women,  their  level  of  education  and  their  health,  and  more  generally  their  social, 
cultural  and  economic  empowerment  a cornerstone  of  its  action  plan.  The  Community 
has  undertaken  to  follow  up this conference  within  the spirit  of that  action  plan. 

4.2  Period  covered and arrangements  for  renewal  or  extension 

Ad  hoc operations, pending  adoption  of the  legal basis. 

5.  Classification  of  expenditure 
Non-compulsory  expenditure 
Differentiated  appropriations 

6.  Type  of  expenditure 

Subsidy  in the  form  of a  100% grant. 
Subsidy  for  cofinancing  with  other  public  and/or  private-sector  sources,  such  as: 
Member  States,  non-member  countries  in  the  region,  multilateral  bodies  or  the 
developing  countries  themselves. 
Support  measures  may  take 
establishment  of  health  services,  studies  and  supplies. 

the  form  of  technical  assistance, 

training, 

the 

«> 

7.  Financial  impact 

7.1  Method of calculating total cost of operation (establishment  of unit costs) 

The  amount  requested  reflects  the  specific  objectives  of  the  operation  and  the  scale  of 
the  operations  to  be  financed  in  the  field  of  population,  and  in  particular  the  scope  for 
contributing  to  information  and  awareness  programmes,  the  establishment  and  fitting-
out of family-planning  centres and the requisite  supplies. 

7.2 Itemised  breakdown  of cost 

Breakdown 

Supplyof 

equipment/products 

Reproductive  health 

Family planning 

Training 

1995 

1.85 

1.5 

1.5 

1 

Studies/evaluation 

0.15 

1996 

2 

2 

1.4 

1.5 

0.1 

7.3 Indicative schedule of commitment  appropriations 

(million  ECU) 
Aggregate 
position 

Budget 

Preliminary 
budget (PDB) 

Late  1994 

1995 

1996 

13.5 

6.0 

7 

8.  Fraud prevention  measures 

-  Normal checks by Commission  officials 

External  audits may be conducted  for  operations  under this  Regulation 
Contracts  shall  contain  a  clause  entitling  the  Commission  to  conduct  financial 
controls  and check performance  at the contractor's  premises 
Commission  delegations  shall  monitor  projects  implemented  in  the  countries 
concerned 

16 

9. 

Elements  of cost-effectiveness  analysis 

9.1  The  long-term  effect  of  these  operations  will ultimately  be a fall  in birth  rates  in  the 
developing  countries. The  half-term  impact  will, for  example,  be manifested  by  the 
increase  in  number  of  women  visiting  clinics  compared  with  previous  years;  the 
increase  in  use  of  contraceptives;  the  number  of  midwives  per  1000  women;  the 
improvement  of quality of services etc. 

Specific  and  quantified  objectives 

-  The  conduct  of  research  into  the  factors  determining,  and  consequences  of, 

fertility; 

-  The  provision  of aid  for  information,  awareness  and education  campaigns 

concerning  reproductive  health  and  family  planning; 

-  Schemes  to promote  awareness  of the link between  development  and  population; 
-  The  establishment  and  improvement  of mother and  infant  health  services  and 

family-planning  services; 

-  The  promotion  of education  for  women,  in particular  on  mother  and  infant  health, 

family  planning  and  social  development; 

-  Assistance  for  associations  undertaking  activities in the above  areas; 
-  The  exchange  of experience, information  and equipment, and  support  for 

cooperation  networks  aimed  at promoting  policies  and conducting  operations  in 
those  same  areas. 

Targeted  population 

Men  and  women  in  the  developing  countnes  who. through  the  lack  of  knowledgare 
unable  to  exercise  freedom  of  choice  regarding  the  number  and  spacing  of  their 
children. 

Initiatives  may  come  from  public  authorities  in  developing  countries  and  in  E.U. 
Member  States: International  organisations;  NGOs: Universities, study  and  research 
centres  and  the  like,  whether public  or private:  individuals. 

Indicators 

Some  operations  will  be  conducted  in  close  synergy  with  government  measures, 
others  will  be  monitored  by  means  of  specific  direct  or  indirect  indicators  enabling 
the  results  of the  Community  operation  to be  quantified. 

]AA 

9.2  Grounds  for  the  operation 

Not  only  will  the Community's  action  complement  the Member  States' and  help  the 
developing  countries  cope  with  the  problems  associated  with  high  rates  of 
population  growth,  but  it  will,  above  all,  contribute  to  improving  the  coordinadon 
of  policy  by the Member  States and  the  Community. 

These  measures  will  contribute  to  the  developing  countries'  economic  and  social 
development,  and  in particular to: 

-  reducing  unmet  demand  for family  planning; 
-  reducing  infant  mortality  and  disease. 

Decisions  relating  to  grants  of  more  than  2  mecus  for  individual  operations 
financed  under  this  regulation  and  any  changes  resulting  in  an  increase  of  more 
than  20% in the sum  initially  approved  for  such  an operation  shall  be adopted  under 
the  procedure  of  an  advisory  Committee  made  up  of  representatives  from  the 
Member  States  and  chaired  by  a representative  of  the  Commission  (EDF.  ALA  or 
MED). 

Grants  of  less than  2 mecus are presented  for  an  internal  Commission  selection. 

The  guidelines  for  the  financing  oï  population  related  initiatives  in  developing 
countries  gives  all  the  relevant  conditions  (eligible  applicants,  eligible  initiatives, 
submission  of applications,  admissible  costs,  financing  etc.) 

As  an  example,  the  guidelines  underline  that,  "Priority  shall  be  given  to  initiative 
which  concern:  -  ACP  countries  and  dovetail  with  other  EDF  funded  activities 
(national  or regional), especially  those  implementing  the 4th Lomé  Convention 

-  ALA  or  MED  countries  and  dovetail  with  other  activities 
implementing  the cooperation  ageements  between  the  the  country  or countries  and 
the  Community." 

9.3  Monitoring  and  evaluation  of the  operation 

Performance  indicators  are  to  be  adopted  for  each  project  (e.g.  the  number  of  new 
clients  at a family-planning  centre). 

Depending  on  a project's  nature,  outputs  are  to be  identified  by  ongoing  monitoring 
of  the  project  (technical  assistance). 

A number  of specific  impact studies  will  also  be carried  out.  The  completion  of  the 
main  operations  financed  will  be followed  by an evaluation  report. 

y% 

Country-evaluations  are  carried  out  systematically.  The  Commission  also  takes 
into  account 
the  results  of  evaluations  undertaken  by  other  organisations 
(USAID,ODA,UNFPA,IPPF etc.). 

An  evaluation  of  the cost-effectiveness  of  the  budget  heading  concerned  is  planned 
for  1995,  covering  the  period  1990-1995.  The  results/recommendations  will  be 
integrated  into  the  conditions  for  finbancing  and  others.  A copy  will  be  sent  to  DG 
XIX. This type of evaluation  will be carrieed  out on a five-yearly  basis. 

9.4  Coherence  with  financial  programming 

Provision  has  been  made  for  the  operation  in  DG I's  financial  programming 

1. 
for  the  relevant years. 

2. 
In  DG  Fs  financial  programming,  the  proposed  operations  serves  the  broader 
objective  of  fostering  cooperation  with  the  developing  countries  in  the  matter  of 
birth  spacing. 

•^5 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(95) 295  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

11  13 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-95-322-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-90958-7 

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