29/2/2008
MEPs Call to step up "quantity and quality" of EU aid to Iraq

 The Council should become more actively engaged in assistance to Iraq and also improve the transparency of its aid to the country, says a Foreign Affairs Committee report on the EU's role in Iraq. It calls on the Council to "step up the quantity, but especially the quality, of EU support for UN efforts to build a safe, stable, unified, prosperous and democratic Iraq."

In a report, drawn up by Ana Maria Gomes (PES, PT) this week, the committee enumerates several areas in which it believes EU assistance should be concentrated. These include support for the rule of law and justice reforms, amelioration of the electoral process, and capacity building in the health care sector. MEPs also called on the Council to ensure that "substantive EU assistance is directed towards improving public finance management and budgetary control, with the aim of ensuring that the Iraqi government is better able to disburse the substantial and increasing public funds now available to it." 
 
The report also urges the Council to make "extensive use of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights in providing technical and financial assistance to civil society organisations," especially with the view to improving the rights of women, children and minorities, and fighting against torture and the death penalty. Finally, Members emphasised the need for the Council to urge the Commission to "ensure the transparency and efficiency of EU assistance for Iraq."

 
Security matters
 
Members urge Turkey "to respect the territorial integrity of Iraq and not to react to terrorist actions through military actions on Iraqi territory", while also calling on the Iraqi authorities not to allow its territory to be used as a base for terrorist actions against Turkey.
 
The report also advocates "making the EU code of conduct on arms exports legally binding", and urges the Council to help the security situation in Iraq "by improving EUFOR Althea's oversight of stockpiles in Bosnia-Herzegovina, by accelerating the destruction of stockpiles in the Balkans, and by helping the Iraqi authorities to 'mop up' surplus SALW [Small Arms and Light Weapons] through a large-scale disarmament, demobilisation and integration." 
 
MEPs also demand "clear guidelines for the use of private military and security companies by EU institutions",  and call on the Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) to "account for the situation of the over 24 000 detainees held in MNF-I custody, so as to ensure respect for due process and their basic human rights". 
 
Iraqi refugees
 
The report asks the Council to "urge the Commission to alleviate the plight of Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Syria and in other countries in the region", and to "improve the possibilities for Iraqi refugees to find refuge in EU Member States".