WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1005/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. EU development programmes in Latin America
Date: 1996-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, HOWITT
Subjects: Latin America, development aid, development plan, economic cooperation, financial cooperation, habitat, political system, poverty, public health, right to education













EUR-Lex - 91996E1005 - EN






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91996E1005

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1005/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. EU development programmes in Latin America  


Official Journal C 280 , 25/09/1996 P. 0111 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1005/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (26 April 1996)Subject: EU development programmes in Latin AmericaWhat proportion of the EU's development cooperation programmes in Latin America in number, by cost, and by percentage are specifically devoted to anti-poverty measures? Given the rising number of people living in absolute poverty in the region, what initiatives will the Commission take to improve the anti-poverty focus of its programmes? What arrangements does the Commission make to ensure consideration of anti-poverty issues in all its development cooperation programmes in the region?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (24 May 1996)The Commission's action is rooted in Regulation (EEC) No 443/92 ((OJ L 52, 27.2.1992. )), according to which aid is aimed chiefly at the poorest sections of the population and the poorest countries. This imperative is reflected in the conclusions of the Madrid European Council, which stated that the Community would attach particular importance and priority to the fight against poverty and social exclusion by stressing the main thrust of the guidelines defined in its communication to the Council and Parliament dealing with the prospects for strengthening the partnership between the European Union and Latin America over the period 1996-2000 ((COM(95) 495 final. )). In fact, the fight against poverty and social exclusion is one of the partnership's main planks and the Commission would stress that this should continue, in financial terms, to be the top priority of development cooperation with Latin America.The Commission can draw on a number of budget headings ((In 1995 these budget headings were B7-3010, B7-3020, B7-5076, B7-5041, B7-5040, B7-5080. )) to carry out anti-poverty schemes. In 1995 commitments from those headings easily topped ECU 300 million.Anti-poverty measures form part of special cooperation programmes, chiefly targeted on health, education or housing. The Commission advocates an integrated approach militating in favour of sustainable development: this entails making the fight against poverty an underlying objective of virtually all its operations. It feels that economic development cannot be divorced from social progress and the fight against poverty and it is against that background that it will carry out the schemes planned as part of the support for economic reforms and enhanced international competitiveness. These include support for institutions and consolidation of the democratic process, on which equitable development hinges.Finally, the Commission feels that operational conclusions must be drawn from the action programme spawned by the Copenhagen social summit of March 1995; it is supporting the debate and mobilization exercise being conducted by Latin American decision-makers under the auspices of the South American Peace Commission, which was assigned the task of formulating a social agenda for Latin America for the next century.