Vol. 451 No. 5
24 Mr. Cullen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the attempts by some EU member states to have funding provided under the Lomé Convention included in the general EU budget will be successfully resisted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3764/95]
54 Mr. Cullen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the net cost to the Irish Government if funding provided under the Lomé Convention was to be included in general EU budget policy in view of the fact that this is the preferred option of some EU member states; if he is opposed to such a move; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4422/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 54 together.
Suggestions that funding under the Lomé Convention, provided through the European Development Fund, be incorporated in the EU general budget have been rejected by the Council. As recently as last December, the General Affairs Council concluded unanimously that it would be inappropriate to amend the provisions currently applicable to financing the European Development Fund. This decision reflected the Declaration adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference at the time of negotiating the Final Act of the Treaty on European Union. That Declaration, which is annexed to the Final Act states: "The Conference agrees that the European Development Fund will continue to be financed by national contributions in accordance with the current provisions."
The size of the 8th EDF, to cover the period 1995-2000, is under negotiation among the EU member states. In those negotiations, Ireland offered to increase its contribution from its current £48 million to £60 million, an increase of £12 million over the five year period in question. As regards the cost to Ireland of including the EDF in the general budget instead of the present system of national contributions, the best estimate, on the basis of the latest figures suggested by the Presidency, is that it would cost a further £10 million over the five years.
In view of the current position of the Council on budgetisation, and the implications of the additional costs of budgetisation for Ireland's other aid priorities, I believe that the current EDF arrangements offer the best hope of arriving at a satisfactory amount to meet the European Union's obligations to the developing countries which are parties to the Lomé Convention.
To date, it has not been possible to reach agreement on the size of the 8th EDF because some member states have sought to make significant reductions in their contributions. We will continue to work with the Presidency and other member states to arrive at a realistic and acceptable offer for the 8th EDF.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply and congratulate all concerned on the decision to increase our contribution. When does the Minister of State expect that the final decision will be taken, in view of the niggardly approach of some of the member states who do not want to contribute to the Lomé Convention?
The Presidency is making sustained efforts to negotiate the eighth round. There is a general expectation that it may be possible to reach a conclusion by May. However, a number of countries object to the scale of contribution which they would have to make and a conclusion has not yet been reached. The Presidency has engaged in an extensive round of negotiations to reach agreement, particularly with those countries, and I am hopeful that agreement might be reached some time in May or June.
I encourage the Minister of State in her efforts.
The Lomé Convention is a very important element of the European Union's contribution to the developing world. Many member states share our view that it is important to not only maintain the contribution but, if possible, expand it in terms of the commitment which people in Europe generally have to the concept of co-operation and partnership with the developing world. I thank the Deputy for his comments.
