WRITTEN QUESTION E-0939/04 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. Ethiopia.
Date: 2004-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ECHO, EU aid, Ethiopia, aid policy, development aid, food aid, hunger

C 88 E/552

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

obligations arising from this Directive, especially the application of the principle that prices must be geared
to costs. The obligations contained in Article 14 of the Directive as regards the transparency of accounts
are intended to allow the regulators to enforce this principle. The Irish regulator Comreg thus has the tools
it needs to ensure that An Post’s prices reflect its costs and to ensure that when those costs go down as a
result of An Post’s ability to deduct VAT, the savings are in fact reflected in the operator’s prices.

(1) Sixth Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States
relating to turnover taxes (cid:1) Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment, OJ L 145,
13.6.1977.

(2) Directive 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 on common rules for the
development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service,
OJ L 15, 21.1.1998.

(2004/C 88 E/0563)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0939/04

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject: Ethiopia

It appears that the crisis continues in Ethiopia and shows little sign of improvement.

Would the Commission indicate the current EU contributions in food and development aid and whether it
feels this is adequate?

Would the Commission also indicate whether its discussions with the Ethiopian Government on food
security have made any progress?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 2004)

The Commission addresses issues such as long term food security and the threat of famine by means of all
its funding and policy instruments. This provides a coherent package of assistance to Ethiopia.

2003 has been a particularly difficult year: indeed, it has triggered an unprecedented response on behalf of
the Commission, essentially through the Food Aid Budget Line. Over 400 000 tonnes of cereals were
allocated in 2003, (of which 360 000 were delivered), amounting to more than EUR 120 million to help
alleviate the needs of approximately 13 million people living in conditions of severe food insecurity.
Afterwards, the main harvest (Kremt) from September to November was exceptionally good in 2003, thus
improving the availability of food in the country, at more affordable prices. Large marketable surpluses of
cereals have been identified (estimated at around 1,1 million tonnes according to the SIDA/WFP/EC (1)
Cereal Availability Survey). However, despite this, vulnerability remains high: over seven million people
will require almost one million tonnes of food aid in 2004. In this year of surplus production, it will be
important to import as little food aid as possible in order to avoid disincentive effects on local producers.

The Commission intends to cover approximately 20 % of the identified needs for 2004, and in order to
avoid market distortions it will buy food products predominantly from local markets.

Furthermore, while the Commission’s short-term response to the food crisis in 2003 has been very
effective,
it is increasingly concerned that a large section of the population in Ethiopia has become
vulnerable and increasingly destitute. Although food aid saves lives, it does not save livelihoods, and every
recurring crisis plunges increasing numbers of people into destitution and chronic food insecurity.

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The Commission’s dialogue with the Ethiopian Government, the Member States and other Donors has
been under way since 1996 but has moved up a gear in the last couple of years. This dialogue has
highlighted the need to address chronic food insecurity through different means, and to develop a long
term Food Security strategy. The Commission has been financially supporting these efforts since 1998 with
three programmes for a total of EUR 46 million.

Over the past year, the Government’s strategic work has led to ‘The new Coalition for Food Security in
Ethiopia’
initiative. A cornerstone of this new programme is creating safety nets for the structurally
vulnerable/chronically food insecure share of the population, with the aim of progressively replacing
emergency systems. It is relevant to point out in this regard that this strategy will require convincing all
donors, including the United States and some non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to amend their
food aid programme in favour of a more structural approach to food security.

The Commission has agreed to allocate EUR 120 million in support of a multi-annual Food Security
strategy, in particular in support of safety nets EUR 60 million from the European Development Fund/
National Indicative Programme (EDF/NIP) funds of the 9th EDF and EUR 60 million from the Food Security
Budget Line). These funds are expected to be allocated during 2004 through a budget support programme.

Finally, with regards to the Humanitarian Aid Office’s (ECHO) aid, EUR 4 million was allocated during
2003 in response to the drought crisis to complement the food aid response. This was largely for livestock
support to pastoralists to maintain their staple diet of milk from their animals. In addition, therapeutic
feeding was provided for the severely malnourished. In November 2003, EUR 2 million was allocated to
the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide health and Geneva Convention protection
assistance for one year to victims of
In March 2004 a further
EUR 1 million was allocated to victims of drought in Ethiopia. ECHO continues to closely monitor the
humanitarian situation, always ready to respond to non-food emergency needs.

inter-ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia.

(1) Swedish International Development Authority/World Food Programme/European Commission.

(2004/C 88 E/0564)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0946/04

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject: School milk in Portugal

I have learned that in Portugal, a significant number of Portuguese schools are being supplied with milk
provided by Spanish companies, although Portuguese production is adequate to the task and Portugal is in
economic recession.

In view of the difficulties of Portuguese milk producers in selling their product, is it not possible for the
‘milk for schools’ programme to make preferential use of nationally produced milk, and thus participate in
protecting small milk producers and family farms, since there is no question of the specific nature of
Portuguese agriculture?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission, while emphasising the value of
the scheme for children from disadvantaged
backgrounds, considers that the actual operation of the EU School Milk Scheme should be consistent
with horizontal internal market policies, notably competition policy.