WRITTEN QUESTION E-0970/01 by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission. Assessment of the budgetary resources of the MEDA Programme and of the financial instruments for the Mediteranean strategy.
Date: 2001-03-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Union for the Mediterranean, budget appropriation, cooperation policy

C 318 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

The basis for the decision taken by the Union was the non-respect of article 9 of the Cotonou agreement,
in particular democratic principles; the calculation method used for the senatorial election implied the
non-consideration of more than 1 million votes.

A reassessment of the political situation must be undertaken before the end of the year 2001 on the basis
of which a new decision on the appropriate measures may be taken. The Commission hopes that the
Haitian authorities will have taken by then corrective measures in order to restore democracy that would
enable the Union to re-establish full co-operation.

In the case of Haiti, the basis of the decision was not only election procedures but a number of
irregularities and the non respect of basic democratic principles during the legislative but also the
presidential elections including fraud, intimidation, and a non representative Electoral Council.

(2001/C 318 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0970/01

by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Assessment of the budgetary resources of the MEDA Programme and of the financial instruments

for the Mediteranean strategy

At its meeting in Brussels on 8 and 9 February 2001, the second session of the Euro-Mediterranean Forum
adopted a Final Declaration which calls for an assessment to be carried out of the partner countries(cid:146)
capacity to absorb the budgetary resources allocated under the MEDA Programme and of the financial
instruments of the new European strategy for the Mediterranean (point 33 of the Final Declaration).

With regard to this specific request, what steps does the Commission intend to take in order to address the
concern of the Forum at the earliest possible date? When does the Commission plan to present the results
of such a request to the European Parliament, so that budgetary resources may be allocated on the basis of
a comprehensive evaluation of the EU action?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2001)

The concerns expressed by the Euro-Mediterranean Forum are addressed in the context of the reform of
the management of the Commission(cid:146)s financial and technical co-operation with third countries. This is one
of the key priorities of the Commission, as confirmed in the Commission(cid:146)s annual workprogramme for
2001 (1). This involves the creation of the new EuropeAid Office on 1 January 2001, as well as the
development of a more strategic approach and consolidated programming procedures vis-(cid:224)-vis third
countries. In addition, the reform of the external services will lead to a substantial strengthening of staff
resources in the Commission(cid:146)s delegations. This should also contribute to a speedier implementation of its
financial and technical co-operation with third countries.

the provisions of

the Council regulation (EC) No 2698/2000 of 27 November 2000 (2)
Moreover,
amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1488/96 introduce a number of specific amendments that will lead
to greater efficiency and speed in the implementation of the MEDA programme.

Lastly,
it should be recalled that partner countries also have to play an important role in the
implementation of the MEDA programme. Sufficient resources for administering MEDA resources have
to be made available by them. The Commission will monitor this carefully in the context of bilateral
contacts with partner countries.

The Commission will report on the issues mentioned above in the context of its regular dialogue with the
European Parliament,
the annual MEDA report, as well as in the context of the reporting on the
implementation of the reform of the management of the financial and technical co-operation with third
countries.

(1) COM(2001) 28 final.
(2) OJ L 311, 12.12.2000.