92000E2545

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2545/00

by José Pomés Ruiz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 July 2000)

Subject: Decentralised cooperation with Latin America

The Commission apparently intends to suspend or phase out the Community programmes for decentralised cooperation with Latin America.

These programmes are currently cornerstones of EU cooperation with Latin America and their ability to involve members of civil society and the results they have achieved have been recognised.

What are the Commission's real reasons for suspending these programmes?

Does it perhaps want to include measures of this kind among its negative priorities?

Could it be that Latin America will in future be one of the Commission's negative priorities?

What political effects does the Commission think that a decision of this kind will have, particularly as regards the European Union's credibility in Latin America?

Does the Commission not consider that its position is inconsistent with the statements made by the Heads of State and Government meeting in Rio de Janeiro in June 1999?

Lastly, is the Commission not breaking the commitment to openness it gave to Parliament and which Mr Prodi endorsed on his appointment?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

The Commission has not taken any decision aimed at suspending or terminating the Latin America decentralised cooperation programmes (AL INVEST, ALURE, ALFA, URB-AL). Rumours to that effect are purely speculative.

It is of course the Commission's duty to evaluate the external aid instruments for which it is responsible in the light of the objectives it is pursuing, the practical results achieved using those instruments and the means at its disposal.

Against that background, it is true that the Commission is now taking stock of the programmes and their prospects. But no conclusions can be drawn at this stage.

Whatever conclusions may be drawn, the Commission is aware of the key role the decentralised programmes play in Latin America as a channel for dialogue with civil society on both sides of the Atlantic.