European Parliament Sends a Positive Message to Developing Countries

KEHYS is pleased with the fact that the European Parliament voted for a separate funding instrument for development cooperation on 18 May. The Parliament wants to divide the instrument for development and economic cooperation in two contrary to the original proposal of the Commission.

“We are one step closer to an instrument, which is meant solely for EU development cooperation,” Rilli Lappalainen, the Secretary General of the KEHYS, says with content.

The new funding instrument is a part of the structural reform of the EU budget, which is set to simplify the managing of external relations and rationalize the functioning of different aid programmes. The original proposal of the Commission contains six instruments one of which is divided between development and economic cooperation. It includes the cooperation with both industrial and developing countries. European NGOs have campaigned against the joint instrument because a separate instrument for development cooperation is an important tool in promoting poverty eradication.

“For the credibility of the EU, it is very important that the development cooperation of the Union is implemented according to its objectives and this can be ensured only by a separate instrument for development cooperation. Today’s vote of the Parliament gave a clear message to the Commission and the Member States about the Parliament’s expectations for the future,” Lappalainen emphasizes.