Monday

27th Mar 2023

UK charity slams Brussels for slow aid distribution

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.

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  • 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.

'Final warning' to act on climate change, warns IPCC

The United Nations's report — synthesising years of climate, biodiversity, and nature research — paints a picture of the effects of global warming on the natural world, concluding there is "no time for inaction and delays."

EU launches critical raw materials act

The EU presented its strategy to ensure access to critical raw materials needed for clean technologies. No country should supply more than 65 percent of any key material. Currently, China dominates almost all rare earth metal markets.

'The race is on', EU Commission warns on green tech

The EU Commission is expected to detail its plans on Thursday as part of the Net-Zero Industry Act on industrial incentives, and the Critical Raw Materials Act, which seeks to reduce EU over-reliance on China.

Opinion

EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict

Solar panels, wind-turbines, electric vehicle batteries and other green technologies require minerals including aluminium, cobalt and lithium — which are mined in some of the most conflict-riven nations on earth, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, and Kazakhstan.

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