Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-11-Speech-3-022"
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"en.20050511.3.3-022"2
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".
Mr President, I would like to start by thanking the honourable Members for this extremely interesting debate and for the very useful messages that they have given not only to the Council but also to the Commission. I would like to single out two or three issues, and I will start with the influence of the EU in the financial institutions, and particularly within the World Bank. Let me speak for a moment on behalf of the Presidency and not as a representative of the Council.
It is true that, if we were share-holders in a private company, we would be managing our share in that company’s capital very badly. However, as you know, it is a bit more complicated than that, and we are not in that situation. We are in a different situation, which is political in nature. Nevertheless, I must say that the message that the European Union must improve coordination of its positions within those organisations, and particularly within the World Bank, is based on absolute necessity since, as several of you have said, we are far from exercising our full influence, not only in financial terms, but also politically.
On that subject, I would like to point out that there may be an article in the Treaty that we should take a second look at and possibly take advantage of to follow up this morning’s debate. I am referring to Article 99 of the Treaty – which is also included in the draft Constitution – and which provides that Member States may, on the basis of a proposal, improve coordination of their positions within financial institutions and international financial conferences. I therefore think that the question of representation of the EU in international circles – and especially in international financial circles – remains to be answered. I do not need to return to the difficulties associated with it.
The second issue that you raised, which is perhaps linked somewhat to the first, is the reform of the international financial institutions, and in particular the World Bank. I think that, on this point, the European Union’s role is extremely important. We do need – and this was, in part, the aim of the informal meeting with Mr Wolfowitz – to urge the new President of the World Bank to pursue reform, not only of the operation of the World Bank, but also of its policies. I think that, here too, the European Union could have an even greater role if it spoke with one voice. This brings us back somewhat to the issue of the influence of the EU in the international institutions. It is certain that, within those institutions, it is necessary to take better account of new balances of power in the world, and to integrate better a number of new international players, new economic powers, without forgetting the developing countries.
The final point relates to development aid policy. The Commissioner also provided a certain amount of information in that regard. The European Union is the biggest donor, giving more than 50% of development aid. I must say that we have started to look into new forms of development aid financing. The most recent Ecofin Council worked on these methods of financing. You are all aware of the idea that was put forward of creating certain taxes specifically in order to meet, or increase, levels of development aid, and I can tell you that, during its informal meeting that will take place on 13 and 14 May in Luxembourg, Ecofin expects to return to these new methods of financing development aid, particularly with a view to ensuring compliance with the objectives of the Millennium Summit which will be held in September."@en1
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