(2004/C 33 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3311/02

by Regina Bastos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 November 2002)

Subject:   EU financing for the United Nations Population Fund

Following the decision by the US to suspend its financial contribution (to the sum of USD 34 million for 2002) to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Danish presidency of the EU has reaffirmed its support for the work of that organisation, and has stated that the EU will replace the US funding with its own.

Can the Commission confirm that the EU will provide funding for the UNFPA in replacement of the former US contribution?

If so, can the Commission give information on:

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2003)

The Development Council of the Union, at its meeting on 30 May 2002, issued a statement underlining the importance of the work of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) and calling on all donor countries to pursue their support of the Fund. The statement also welcomed the Commission's intention to strengthen its cooperation with UNFPA.

The Commission has repeatedly expressed its disappointment at the decisions by the American administration to withdraw funding for UNFPA. The Commission considers that the resulting gap in UNFPAs Core budget will seriously weaken the organisation mandated by the international community to lead implementation world-wide of the Programme of Action adopted by consensus at the UN International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, September 1994). The Commission has not pledged to replace the US contribution to UNFPA's Core budget. Rather, in the light of the decisions by the American government, the Commission will increase its programme support to UNFPA and the IPPF to implement reproductive health activities in developing countries.

On 10 September 2002, the Commission signed the financing agreement for the 8th European Development Fund (EDF) EU 32 million programme, to be implemented by UNFPA (two-thirds) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF, one-third) in 22 of the poorest African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. This programme aims at improving the capacities in ACP countries to deliver basic reproductive health services to vulnerable and under-served communities. The Commission expects that the contracts with UNFPA and IPPF will be signed in the near future, and that programme implementation will commence early in 2003. Additional support for UNFPA to implement reproductive health activities is envisaged under the 9th EDF.