WRITTEN QUESTION E-2354/03 by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission. Local government in ACP countries.
Date: 2003-07-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ACP countries, European Development Fund, aid policy, cooperation policy, decentralisation, local government

C 88 E/82

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely and give a detailed assessment in its
Comprehensive Monitoring Report on the status of the implementation of the requirements in the
environment field in Poland and where necessary, will raise issues of concern with the competent Polish
authorities.

(1) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of

certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2) Council Directive 91/156/EEC of 18 March 1991 amending Directive 75/442/EEC on waste, OJ L 78, 26.3.1991.
(3) Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste, OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.
(4) COM(2003) 319 final.
(5) Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(6) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2004/C 88 E/0089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2354/03

by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission

(16 July 2003)

Subject: Local government in ACP countries

Can the Commission supply details of the support that has been provided to local government in ACP
countries for local government institutional development/capacity building in the last 12 months in
response to the recognition given to local government as a state actor under Article 6 of the Cotonou
Agreement?

Have the Commission services, notably AIDCO, instigated any financial or other internal procedures to
ensure that local government, as a state actor, is able to effectively access resources from the national and
regional indicative programmes, and are there specific examples of local government having accessed such
resources to date?

Does the Commission have any plans to meet with representatives of the ACP Local Government Platform,
including the Commonwealth Local Government Forum?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 2003)

The Commission emphasises that it did not await the entry into force of the Cotonou Agreement to
demonstrate its awareness that the local authorities are a partner for the development of the ACP countries
and therefore to increase their capacities and to support them in their efforts to take part in the political,
social and economic life of the country.

The Commission, under the 8th EDF, currently finances projects supporting decentralisation to localised
groups, or decentralised cooperation with the local authorities and elected representatives,
in several
African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Uganda,
Senegal. Moreover, it also supports projects in this field in South Africa. These projects add up to an
amount of EUR 151 million for the European Development Fund and EUR 102 million for South Africa.
The latest project is the programme to support the creation of communes in Benin (Prodecom), for an
amount of EUR 8,85 million.

several National

Indicative Programmes

In addition,
for
decentralisation and for local authorities: Benin, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry,
Mali, Niger, Uganda, Sierra Leone. The projects already identified add up to EUR 93 million. Similarly, the
Indicative Programme (2003-2006) for South Africa also provides for a strengthening of the capacities of
the local authorities under local development projects.

the 9th EDF provided for

support

for

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/83

In accordance with the procedures applicable to the European Development Funds, the financing of
cooperation projects from the resources of the National or Regional Indicative Programmes is done only
on the basis of a request of the Regional or National Authorising Officer. In addition, the Head of
Delegation of the Commission in the ACP partner countries remains the principal
interlocutor in the
implementation of the partnership,
including for the promotion and the facilitation of the dialogue
between the various types of actors (in particular the local authorities), and in financial management. The
projects that
to decentralisation and to the local
authorities ensure that these communities benefit directly from the resources allocated to these projects by
setting up mechanisms allowing the strengthening of their institutional, technical and financial capacities.
Thus, the projects currently in hand to support decentralisation and the local authorities generally envisage
training and technical support for the local authorities and elected representatives, the setting up of
investment funds for communal infrastructures and utilities, or the provision of credit lines to improve the
communal services. Similar procedures are applied in the case of South Africa.

the Commission finances in the field of support

The Commission followed very closely the organisation and the setting up of the Platform of local
governments of the ACP countries and took part in the seminar organised by this Platform on 14 March
2002 in order to review together the possibilities of cooperation with the local authorities in the ACP
countries.

As to the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) the services of the EuropeAid Cooperation
Office have twice met a representative of the CLGF. At these meetings, the Commission has informed the
representative of the CLGF of the efforts made by the Commission in the field of strengthening the
capacities of the local authorities in the ACP countries. In addition, the budgetary financing methods
applicable to the European Development Fund and to the ‘South Africa’ and ‘decentralised cooperation
budget lines’ were explained. It should be noted, in line with the above, that the Commission does not
regard the CLGF to be a necessary interlocutor in our efforts to support local governments in the ACP
countries.

(2004/C 88 E/0090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2363/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 July 2003)

Subject: Research by a Turkish vessel in Greek territorial waters in the Aegean

It is reported in today’s Greek press (8 July 2003) that from 4 to 19 July the Turkish oceanographic
research vessel, the Piri Reis, will conduct research in the Aegean, in particular in Greek territorial waters.
These reports state that the Greek navy has picked up an announcement broadcast by Izmir coastal radio
station concerning the ‘vessel’s oceanographic research’. According to its programme of ‘research’ the Piri
Reis (which,
incidentally, belongs to Izmir University) will carry out research at a distance of up to
5 nautical miles from the rocky islet ‘Kaloyeri’ in the Cyclades and at 25 other spots in Greek territorial
waters.

It should be pointed out that Turkey (an applicant country) has previously dispatched this vessel into the
Aegean with instructions to carry out research in Greek (and therefore Community) waters, thereby
causing tension in Greek-Turkish relations.

Is the Commission aware of the intention of the Turkish authorities? Has the University of Izmir, which
owns the vessel
in question, received funding through any Community initiative (either directly or
indirectly with loans or other Community funds)? What actions can the Commission take forthwith to
prevail upon Turkey not to go ahead with research in the territorial waters of an EU Member State?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 2003)

As regards the activities of the Turkish oceanographic research vessel in question, the Commission is not
aware of the intention of the Turkish authorities. As to the University of Izmir, it has not benefited from
Union funding.