WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1610/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Coordination between EU and Member State aid in Latin America
Date: 1996-06-24
Institutions: European Parliament, HOWITT
Subjects: Costa Rica, Peru, aid programme, coordination of aid, education, environmental policy, exchange of information, health policy, poverty













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91996E1610

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1610/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Coordination between EU and Member State aid in Latin America  


Official Journal C 365 , 04/12/1996 P. 0014 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1610/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (24 June 1996)Subject: Coordination between EU and Member State aid in Latin AmericaWhat are the results so far of the pilot project on aid coordination in Peru and Costa Rica, and which documents are available to the European Parliament in this respect?How have the lessons learnt been applied in other EU aid programmes to Latin America?Does the Commission plan any new initiatives in this respect?Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (10 July 1996)The resolution of the Council on the procedures for co-ordination between the Community and its Member States at policy and operational level of 2 December 1993, completed by the Council's conclusions of May 1994, selected Costa Rica and Peru among six developing countries to develop a pilot coordination exercise during 1995.To implement this resolution, specific guidelines were formulated in the framework of the Council's development co-operation group. Following these guidelines in these two Latin American countries, this pilot exercise has strengthened the operational co-ordination in the areas identified by the Council (poverty alleviation, health, food security, education).In Peru during the first coordination meeting the sector 'micro and small-sized enterprises' has been added to these areas. The leadership in each area in Peru has been assumed by Germany (education and training), France (health), Spain (micro and small-sized enterprises), and the Commission (fight against poverty). In Costa Rica the leadership has been assumed by France (education), Spain (health), and the Commission (rural development).The measures been taken during 1995 to improve operational on-the-spot co-ordination included the exchange of information.Scheduled specific meetings to develop a common database of aid programmes (Member States-Commission) were held in each country. Regular meetings between representatives of Member States and the Commission Delegation were held once a month at the invitation of the 'chef de file' sectorial co-ordinator. Specific meetings have taken place in order to co-ordinate the identification of a number of co-operation programmes in Peru, namely in the sectors of education and training and the fight against poverty, and in Costa Rica in the environmental sector. Joint studies have been prepared in areas chosen in the sectoral 'working group', for example diagnosis of the sectors 'poverty alleviation' and the 'health sector' in Peru. These documents have been planned and carried out with the aim of achieving a common approach on a sectoral basis, by the Community and Member States.The Commission has reported on a regular basis to the Council on the progress of operational co-ordination. In general terms, the exercise has been quite satisfactory, an overall result of this pilot exercise being the improvement of dissemination of information and exchange of expertise between Member States and the Commission activities and aid programmes.The Commission will follow the initiatives launched in the framework of the Council's development cooperation group.