WRITTEN QUESTION E-3244/03 by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission. Policy Coherence for Development Network.
Date: 2003-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, European cooperation, development policy, exchange of information

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/137

A bill abolishing the Death Penalty in the Philippines has been tabled at both the House of Representatives
and the Senate and, after having been finalised at committee level in May 2003, is ready to be discussed at
both chambers of Congress. However, and although the groups lobbying for the abolition of the death
penalty seem to have gathered enough support to pass the bill in both chambers, the likelihood of this
happening decreases as the elections in May 2004 approach, since the death penalty remains a
controversial issue in the Philippines.

(2004/C 88 E/0144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3244/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Policy Coherence for Development Network

(3 November 2003)

On a Netherlands initiative, a Policy Coherence for Development Network was recently set up for the
purpose of promoting information-exchanges between EU Member States on maintaining policy
consistency.

1.

Can the Commission state how the network operates?

2. What have been the initial results of information-exchanges?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2003)

At the meeting of Union Directors General for Development Cooperation on 2/3 October 2003, the Dutch
Director General tabled a proposal to set up a senior level informal network on coherence, which would
foster capacity building, co-ordination and set concrete targets for work on coherence. The participants
would alert each other on policy initiatives with implications for development co-operation and spot
incoherence where it exists.

The prime objective of the network would be to improve co-ordination between the Member States.
On key issues of policy coherence, Member States would communicate and co-ordinate more intensively:
exchange information about pending decisions, share analyses of development aspects, draft positions and
where possible co-ordinate strategies. It was argued that such an exchange would help to ensure that the
development perspective is effectively taken into account in decision making at Union level.

The proposal was warmly welcomed.

The Commission will participate as one of the members of this network.

At this stage the network is still in its inception phase. Member States are designating co-ordinators for
information exchange and collaboration between Member States and with the Commission concerning
coherence issues. A list of priority issues is being prepared.

(2004/C 88 E/0145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3252/03

by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: International Criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

The External Relations Council of 13 October, expressing deep concern that certain Western Balkan
countries were still failing to cooperate sufficiently with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), reiterated the need to intensify efforts to bring Radovan Karadzic, General Mladic and
General Gotovina to the ICTY.