WRITTEN QUESTION E-3857/03 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Development aid programme for India.
Date: 2003-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: India, aid evaluation, aid programme, development aid

C 88 E/652

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Against this background, the Commission welcomed the EFA Fast Track Initiative (FTI) as an opportunity
to increase support for primary education. The FTI will also be taken into account in the next phase of
programming of non-ACP States benefiting from the FTI. Moreover,
the Commission has played a
successful role in the second pillar on the FTI harmonisation of procedures with the other donors
particularly the EU Member States.

Regarding the specific issue of education services and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS),
the Community and its Member States have already taken some commitments within the GATS Uruguay
Round regarding privately funded education services. These commitments cover the possibility for foreign
providers to have access to a certain extent within the territory of the Union, but they have not impaired
in any way the right of the Member States to decide on the most appropriate organisation for the
provision of education services. This is in line with the provisions of the GATS which exclude from its
scope only those services which are provided under governmental authority, while allowing World Trade
Organisation (WTO) Members to retain the necessary flexibility and the right, in the areas falling within its
scope, to decide on the most appropriate structure for the organisation of each sector.

(1) COM(2002) 116 final.

(2004/C 88 E/0669)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3857/03

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 December 2003)

Subject: Development aid programme for India

A series of projects have been financed under the development aid programme for India, which amounted
to EUR 84 million in 2001. Would the Commission state the exact number of projects funded and
whether, in the case of each project, it checked the successful implementation of the costs involved and the
initiatives launched?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 2004)

The amount referred to by the Honourable Member consists of the total disbursements (EUR 84 million)
for India during the year 2001. In comparison, disbursements amounted to over EUR 103 million in 2002
and about the same amount in 2003.

In 2001, the portfolio of the main Community development co-operation activities under implementation
in India can be divided into three broad categories:

(cid:1) twelve agricultural and rural development projects implemented by government agencies;

(cid:1) two sector support programmes (one for education and one for health and family welfare);

(cid:1) four projects

implemented by large non-governmental organisations

(NGOs)

(three on rural

development and one on education).

(Special Report No 10/2003 on the ‘Effectiveness of

the Commission’s
In its most recent report
management of development assistance to India in targeting the poor and ensuring sustainable benefit’),
the Court of Auditors concluded that the Commission’s management has been successful in targeting the
poor and in addressing sustainability. Moreover, the Commission ensures that all its main projects (over
EUR 1million) are subject to an external monitoring at least once a year.