A new strategy for Afghanistan

2.4.2012

Question for oral answer O-000097/2012
to the Commission
Rule 115
Pino Arlacchi, Ana Gomes, Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler, Libor Rouček, Véronique De Keyser, Thijs Berman, Jens Geier
on behalf of the S&D Group

In December 2010 Parliament adopted, by a large majority, a report on a new strategy for Afghanistan. This report outlined a non-military strategy and focused on four main areas: international aid and coordination, the peace process, police training, and the elimination of opium cultivation through alternative development.

The report was the outcome of a full year of work by the rapporteur and a number of other Members involved. It included a set of specific requests addressed to the HR/VP, the Council, and the Commission. It called, among others, for a centralised EU database on the costs and impact of EU aid to Afghanistan and an in-depth evaluation by an independent team of all EU and Member States’ actions undertaken in the country so far. It also called for the intensification of police training and for the amendment of the EUPOL mandate. Last but not least, the report proposed a five-year plan for the elimination of opium production in Afghanistan, to be organised and funded by the EU and the Russian Federation.

The report also underlined the importance of improving transparency, traceability and accountability in relation to the EUR one billion of financial assistance provided every year by the EU and Member States to Afghanistan.

The Parliament reiterated its commitment to the above-mentioned strategy in its report on budgetary control of EU financial assistance to Afghanistan, adopted in December 2011.

In spite of all this parliamentary work, Council and Commission actions in the field of EU policies for Afghanistan seem to have ignored the findings and proposals of these reports as well as the initiative to create an EU-Russia steering committee with the task of drawing up the guidelines for the five-year opium elimination plan.

What concrete measures does the Commission intend to take to solve this serious gap in cooperation with Parliament?

Tabled: 2.4.2012

Forwarded: 4.4.2012

Deadline for reply: 11.4.2012