Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-03-13-Speech-3-380"
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"en.20020313.16.3-380"2
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"Mr President, the European Parliament was behind the creation of a budget heading for decentralised cooperation in the 1990s. The Lomé Convention Section 4a also incorporated this idea, thus departing from the principle of cooperation between States. Now, according to the Commission, the concept has gained ground and proved that it is valid and effective.
The Commission is therefore proposing that its application should be extended by two years. We can only approve that proposal, although we have reservations regarding its form. As well as the fact that it is transitory, the Regulation remains vague. It contains a little of everything: decentralised cooperation, civil society and NGOs. Could it be that there is a lack of Commission strategy in this area? In the same way, the Cotonou Agreement dedicates the participation of civil society in the ACP countries to the partnership, at the expense of decentralised cooperation, which seems to have disappeared.
The communication on civil society in developing countries promised by the Commission several months ago should have clarified these notions and set out a coordinated approach for the European Union in this area, but we are still awaiting it.
The two areas of ‘aid for decentralised cooperation’ and ‘aid for civil society’ go hand in hand. In both cases, the goal is to support local dynamics, avoiding the cumbersome nature and sometimes the lack of transparency of implementing national programmes.
The Commission appears to have realised this, as it plans to merge these two budget headings, but the limited adjustments that are being made, without consulting the European Parliament, are not sufficient. The transfers of funds from one budgetary heading to another demonstrate a lack of an overall perspective and show little consideration for the budgetary authority.
We are, of course, in favour of direct aid to projects on the ground. But we are somewhat irritated with last minute action. This reform of the budget can only be done as part of a thorough review of the concept of decentralised cooperation and of relations with the NGOs of the North and the South. These two extra years should therefore be used for in-depth discussion on the European Union’s cooperation with local players in developing countries and their contribution to sustainable development.
We should look at the definitions: what is decentralised cooperation, cooperation between sub-national entities in the North and South or aid to local and regional authorities in developing countries? What is civil society? This question is becoming increasingly urgent with the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement. The real question is in fact the more general one of governance and democracy. In order for the countries of the South to develop they will have to become democratic, which means that citizens need to become involved in directing the country.
They can take part in several ways: by voting for local, regional or national governments. In this respect, support for elections and increasing institutional capacity at the different levels of decision-making and administration are essential. They can also take an economic and social role in companies or associations. Direct aid to NGOs and SMEs is therefore equally important.
These two aspects are not contradictory but do in fact complement each other. The Commission must continue the debate and continue to push it forward as it is high time that we provided the local populations with the resources for development."@en1
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