Italy: Eu re-writes cooperation policy to development

More clarity, coherence and effectiveness in the European Union?s humanitarian aid policies: EU Council, Commission and Parliament have found an agreement to create the ?European consensus? for humanitarian aid.

After 50 years of humanitarian policies, the three main institutions of the European Union have decided a common basis of objectives, values and principles for the 25 member States. In this way the political role of the European Union is strengthened as first worldwide donor of funds to development and humanitarian aid.

First objective of the new policy is to eliminate poverty, through an increase of synergies in the different international policies of Brussels. An important agreement has been reached also for the allocation of funds, that will reach unprecedented levels of freedom from ties.

The Commission has recognized that tying the allocation of funds to the purchase of goods and services in the partner countries represents a great obstacle to the effectiveness of the aid itself. The new regulation states that the funds assigned to less developed countries (30% of the EU funds for humanitarian aid) are to be unilaterally free of ties. europa.eu.int/comm/development/index_fr.htm