European Parliament
David Martin (PSE ),
in writing
The Development Cooperation Instrument covers over EUR 16 billion of development spending over the next financial perspective. The Instrument is in two main parts – geographic and thematic. Geographic spending covers the money that will be negotiated between the Commission and partner countries through Country Strategy Papers (CSPs) – almost EUR 11 billion. I welcome the fact that Parliament insisted in negotiations that social services, and particularly health and education, be prioritised by the Commission when drawing up CSPs. Parliament also got a commitment from the Commission that 20 % of spending on geographic programmes would be on basic health and basic and secondary education – an important and longstanding priority of the Socialist Group.

