13 Gender equality in development cooperation
| (24807)
11923/03
COM(03) 465
| Draft Council Regulation on promoting gender equality in development cooperation
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| Legal base | Article 179 EC; co-decision; QMV
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| Department | International Development
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 31 January 2004
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 63-xxxii (2002-03), para 24 (17 September 2003)
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important.
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| Committee's decision | Cleared (decision reported on 17 September 2003)
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Background
13.1 The proposed Regulation would replace an existing Regulation
((EC) No. 2836/98), which expired on 31 December 2003. The purpose
is to continue measures to promote gender equality in Community
development co-operation policies.
13.2 The 1998 Regulation set out a dual approach,
combining "mainstreaming" of gender equality across
the whole development programme with specific measures to promote
gender equality funded from a separate budget allocation. An
evaluation by the Commission in March 2003 concluded that the
objectives were still valid but that a revised legal instrument
was necessary to improve implementation.
13.3 When we considered the proposal on 17 September,
we noted that the Government supported the Regulation but was
not in favour of a separate budget line being retained. However,
we considered that it was likely to provide greater transparency.
We asked to be kept informed of progress.
The Minister's letter
13.4 The Secretary of State for International Development
(Mr Hilary Benn) says that Member States have generally welcomed
the proposed Regulation. There was some acknowledgement of the
Government's concern that the continuation of a separate thematic
budget line was inconsistent with the agreed policy of mainstreaming
gender issues across all the Community's development programmes.
However, Member States generally felt that a separate budget
line would act as
a catalyst for activities to promote gender equality and it had
therefore been agreed that it should continue.
13.5 Member States have also emphasised the need
for a parallel institutional and cultural change in the Commission
to ensure that gender equality is effectively promoted across
all its programmes.
13.6 The Minister says that the main outstanding
point at issue with the European Parliament (EP) is its proposed
increase in the financial provision of the budget line from €9
to €11 million for the period 2004 to 2006. The Commission
and Member States jointly rejected this amendment, on grounds
of lack of funds. The EP rejected a compromise proposal from
the Italian Presidency and maintained its demand for increased
financial provision. The Minister comments that the Irish Presidency
will now have to consider a possible way forward. The UK opposes
the proposed increase, for which no justification has been provided.
13.7 Progress on the negotiation of the draft Regulation
has been slower than expected as a result of uncertainty in the
EP over which Committee should lead on this Regulation. As a
result of this delay the co-decision process with the EP has still
not been completed although the previous Regulation lapsed at
the end of 2003. The Minister says that agreement has been reached
in the Development Cooperation Working Group on a draft Council
Common Position and he expects the proposal to be considered by
the Council shortly. He will keep us informed of progress.
Conclusion
13.8 We thank the Minister for bringing us up
to date on this proposal and for his undertaking to continue to
keep us informed. We ask, in particular, to be told what agreement
is reached on the budget, noting that the European Parliament
has provided no justification for the increase which it proposes
from €9 to €11 million.
13.9 We cleared the document on 17 September 2003.
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