In a meeting held in Brussels on 17 and 18 April 2013, the ACP Ministers in charge of the ACP-EU Development Finance have expressed their regret for the 10% decrease of the EU financial envelope allocated to the cooperation with the ACP in the framework of the 11th EDF European Development Funds (2014-2020), compared to the EC initial proposal.

The main item in the meeting’s agenda of this meeting chaired by the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives of Mauritius, M. Jangbahadoorsing Iswardeo Mola Roopchand SEETARAM, was the allocation of 11th EDF. The exact distribution rate between the aid to the ACP, the support to Overseas countries and Territories (OCT’s) and the running cost for the European Commission, is not yet known. But it is clear that on an annual basis, the final figure of the part earmarked for the ACP will decrease.

The ACP want to ensure that:

  • No measures will be taken that could have a negative impact on the efforts undertaken in the framework of regional integration;
  • Commitment of resources under the RIPs will be accelerated before the sunset clause;
  • Consideration will be given to the fact that climate change is a factor of vulnerability of countries, particularly fragile states, landlocked states, LDCs, small islands, countries in post-conflict situations. There is a need to allow them greater access to resources;
  • The amounts decommitted under previous EDFs and the 10th EDF (2008-2013) will be made available to ACP countries and regions to cover the transitional period between the 10th and the 11th EDF. These amounts should not be treated as an advance on the 11th EDF, but added to it;
  • The ACP countries will have ownership in the choice of core sectors during the joint programming exercise and they will be consulted before any new eligibility criteria are established.
  • No country receives less NIP resources under the 11th EDF than the initial amount obtained under the 10th EDF.

As regards the “differentiation” considered by the EU Commission the ACP Ministers stressed that in the 2nd Revised Cotonou Partnership Agreement, there is no legal provision for such a measure. Its application could lead to a sharp reduction in EU bilateral development aid and. It could be a kind of penalty for the countries which are progressing along their development path.

The ACP Ministers have also discussed the new policy on budget support to ACP countries under the 11th EDF: Implementation of the Millennium Development goals MDGs in ACP countries and post-2015 prospects; Mobilisation of internal resources in ACP countries; the South-South Cooperation.