In a report drafted by Thijs Berman (PES, NL), MEPs express serious concern that a majority of the Member States (18 out of 27, especially Latvia, Italy, Portugal, Greece and the Czech Republic) were unable to raise their level of ODA between 2006 and 2007 and that there has even been a dramatic reduction of over 10% in a number of countries such as Belgium, France and the United Kingdom.
MEPs call on Member States to fulfil the ODA volumes to which they are committed; notes with satisfaction that some Member States (Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands) are certain to reach their ODA targets for 2010, and is confident that these Member States will maintain their high levels of ODA.
The House welcomes the fact that the EU met its binding ODA target of the EU average of 0.39% of GNI by 2006, but notes the alarming decrease in EU aid in 2007 from EUR 47.7 billion in 2006 (0.41% of EU collective GNI) to EUR 46.1 billion in 2007 (0.38% of EU collective GNI) and calls upon Member States to raise ODA volumes to achieve their promised target of 0.56% of GNI in 2010.
MEPs insist that reductions in Member States' reported ODA should not take place again; points out that the EU will have given EUR 75 billion less than was promised for the period 2005-2010 if the current trend continues.
Reform of the World Bank
Parliament calls on Member States to undertake a rapid and ambitious reform of the World Bank so that those most directly concerned by its programmes are better represented.
Further information :
- Follow-up of the Monterrey Conference of 2002 on Financing for Development
- Text, as adopted by the EP, will be available here (click on 23 September)
Contact:
Thomas DUDRAP
* Telephone number in Brussels : (32-2) 28 44524 (BXL)
* Telephone number in Strasbourg : (33-3) 881 72850 (STR)
* Mobile number : (32) 498.983.284
* E-mail address : deve-press@europarl.europa.eu
Richard FREEDMAN
* E-mail address : press-EN@europarl.europa.eu
* Telephone number in Brussels : (32-2) 28 41448 (BXL)
* Telephone number in Strasbourg : (33-3) 881 73785 (STR)
* Mobile number : (+32) 498 98 32 39