GAERC (10–11 April): the Council of Ministers discussed policy coherence and adopted the Commission communications on aid effici

General Affairs and External Relations Council accepted, in its meeting in Luxembourg, the Commission working paper “Policy Coherence for Development” for the working programme 2006-2007. The Commission will prepare the official working programme on the basis of the working paper by July. So that it can be adopted by the Council in July. The Secretary General of KEHYS Rilli Lappalainen is content with the initiatives taken to promote policy coherence. However, she requires of all the institutions an approach as concrete as possible to develop follow-up and evaluation mechanisms.

The Council also adopted in Luxembourg the Commission proposal package on improving the efficiency, coherence and impact of the EU development aid. Lappalainen sets great store by the fact that the development aid funding is directed to those who need it the most in stead of exaggerating the aid given, for example by including the debt relieves in development aid given by the member states.