UK charity slams Brussels for slow aid distribution
By Lisbeth Kirk
The European Commission is the worst performer among development aid donors examined in a report by Save the Children, a UK-based charity.
The EU was disbursing only 17 per cent of its commitments in 2002, rising to 28 per cent in 2003 and 76 per cent the following year, the report revealed according to the FT.
Join EUobserver today
Become an expert on Europe
Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.
Choose your plan
... or subscribe as a group
Don't miss out on
Our exclusive news stories and investigations. Influential. Investigative. Independent.
Why join?
Watch our founder Lisbeth Kirk explain the reasons in this 30-second video.
Already a member?
-
The commission is the world's second largest development aid donor (Photo: Notat)
The commission is the world's second largest donor, giving €7.4 billion in aid in 2004.
The Scandinavian countries were among the best donors in terms of disbursing aid and often paid more out than they pledged, while Japan, Korea and the commission were among the worst.
The commission refused to comment on the report, which it had not seen.
Meanwhile the commission on Monday (10 July) called for a change of UK tax reliefs for gifts to charities.
London allows tax relief for gifts to charities, but only if they are established in the UK.
"The rules of the internal market forbid discrimination of charities in other member states," said EU taxation commissioner Laszlo Kovacs.
"Gifts to bona fide charities in other member states should get the same tax treatment as gifts made to domestic charities."
In a final warning, London was given two months to reply before the case will be referred to the European Court of Justice.
