Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position on the EU's development policy given that this policy creates a situation whereby allocation criteria only applies after an overall amount is decided for a given region; the difficulty that this policy in its present guise will not be effective in responding to the need to potentially re-examine the EU's policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9844/05]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress being made and that has been made in updating EU development policy; his views on whether hunger and food security aspects should be included in the European Commission's needs indicators for development aid, which they currently are not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9845/05]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reasons underpinning the European Commission's development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument in the context of the EU 2007-2013 financial perspectives budgetary framework, in view of the fact that this mechanism does not involve developing countries in southern and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean; if he has suggestions for amelioration of the instrument to include such countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9850/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 to 104, inclusive, together.

The allocation criteria for Community development aid is one of the policy issues to be resolved in the negotiation of the development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument in the context of the ongoing financial perspectives 2007-2013 debate.

On 26 January 2004, the General Affairs and External Relations Council held the fourth annual policy debate about the effectiveness of the European Union's external action. The Council adopted conclusions inviting the Commission, in the light of experience and best international practice, to present proposals on extending the use of standard, objective and transparent resource allocation criteria, based on need and performance, to all EC external assistance.

Subsequently, on 22 October 2004, former Commissioners Nielson and Patten wrote to EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs and development co-operation transmitting ideas for a common approach for future resource allocation, which should apply to all developing and transition countries to be covered by the future development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument. The commissioners indicated that they wished to leave it to the incoming Commission to develop appropriate allocation approaches for the countries to be covered by other relevant instruments. The Commission has yet to make a proposal regarding allocation criteria in the external relations chapter of the financial perspectives. Ireland regards this as a priority and will continue to call for the earliest possible submission of a proposal.

The General Affairs and External Relations Council considered the external relations chapter of the financial perspectives proposal at its meeting on 22 November last and concluded that delegations in general agreed with the proposed scope of the three geographic financing instruments for external relations. The Minister for Foreign Affairs on that occasion underlined the need to have the development components of funds under the European neighbourhood and partnership instrument ring-fenced for official development assistance, ODA, objectives and this remains Ireland's position.

In the continuing discussions of the development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument at Council working group level, Ireland and a number of other delegations have pressed for poverty reduction, sustainable economic and social development and the smooth and gradual integration of developing countries into the world economy to be given concrete expression in the instrument's articles. Ireland is also seeking to ensure it should incorporate best development practice, such as partner country ownership, alignment with partner country strategies and harmonisation of donor aid delivery approaches.

The Commission has proposed dealing with the countries in southern and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean in the pre-accession and European neighbourhood and partnership instruments. These, together with the development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument, constitute the three primary instruments for external relations' spending. The Commission proposal for the European neighbourhood and partnership instrument is based on the Union's commitment to strengthening co-operation with its neighbouring countries on the basis of partnership and joint ownership and the building on shared values of democracy and human rights.

The 2000 Council-Commission development policy statement is to be revised this year. The Commission will shortly submit a formal proposal to the Council setting out its views on what form this should take. Food security has traditionally played a very important role in the anti-poverty strategies of the Community. The Community subscribes to the undertakings entered into at the 1997 World Food Summit and its 2002 follow-up conference.