Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2012)207 - EU position within the ACP-EU Council of Ministers regarding a decision to reassign part of the unallocated resources of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) to Intra-ACP cooperation

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dossier COM(2012)207 - EU position within the ACP-EU Council of Ministers regarding a decision to reassign part of the unallocated resources of the ...
source COM(2012)207 EN
date 08-05-2012
The EU plays an active part in the formulation and implementation of new initiatives to assist developing countries. Such initiatives in favour of ACP countries make a significant contribution to poverty reduction, which is the main objective of both the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement and EU's development policy.

Under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF), Intra-ACP funds have been subject to a multi-annual strategy for the first time. Furthermore, the revised ACP-EU Partnership Agreement stipulates that a Mid-Term Review of the 10th EDF Intra-ACP strategy shall be carried out in the light of needs and performance and in close collaboration with the ACP side.

Since the initial programming of the 10th EDF Intra-ACP allocation in 2008, new proposals have emerged to meet specific needs arising both from ACP countries' existing priorities and from priorities set by the EU in the context of its development policy. The Intra-ACP Mid Term Review, prepared jointly with the ACP Secretariat, confirms the validity of the EU's general approach to Intra-ACP cooperation and therefore does not foresee any major revision of the strategy. However, requests for the financing of new activities within the existing strategic framework have been put forward both by the ACP Group and the EU side. The amount initially allocated to intra-ACP cooperation under the 10th EDF (EUR 2700 million) has proved insufficient to cover these new needs.

In these circumstances, and in accordance with paragraph 6 of Annex Ib to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, the Committee of Ambassadors acting on behalf of the Council of Ministers may reassign funds between the allocations set out in Annex Ib in order to meet programming requirements under one of such allocations. For calendar reasons and due to the urgency to respond to identified needs, this decision ought to be adopted by the forthcoming ACP-EU Council of Ministers in June 2012. The Commission therefore proposes, subject to the agreement of the Council, that the ACP-EU Council of Ministers adopts the attached decision providing for the transfer of EUR 195 million from the unallocated resources of the 10th EDF to the intra-ACP envelope.

The programming of the EUR 195 million is currently subject to discussions between the EU and the ACP sides. The use of the overall additional funds will be approved by the Commission, following the opinion of the EDF Committee.

The Commission proposes that EUR 100 million of such financial reallocation be earmarked for replenishment of the African Peace Facility and, if deemed appropriate by the Council, that Council conclusions be established accordingly.