Select Committee on European Scrutiny Eleventh Report


13 Gender equality in development cooperation

(24807)

11923/03

COM(03) 465

Draft Council Regulation on promoting gender equality in development cooperation

Legal baseArticle 179 EC; co-decision; QMV
DepartmentInternational Development
Basis of considerationMinister's letter of 31 January 2004
Previous Committee ReportHC 63-xxxii (2002-03), para 24 (17 September 2003)
To be discussed in CouncilNo date set
Committee's assessmentPolitically important.
Committee's decisionCleared (decision reported on 17 September 2003)

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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Prepared 11 March 2004