On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, section III - Commission

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SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1. Is alarmed about the rising number of crises worldwide and the highest-ever humanitarian funding gap; is worried that Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe (GE) is stretched to its limits and is not sufficient to address existing needs;

2. Notes that 2022 was the first full year of the implementation of the Global Gateway strategy; underlines that actions bringing together public and private investment must always be guided by development objectives; calls for more transparency and Parliament’s involvement in strategic choices involving Union funds; insists that Global Gateway should not only align with the EU interests but also with the needs of partner countries and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs;

3. Underlines the need to speed up progress on achieving the NDICI-GE spending targets for human development, gender and climate objectives; is worried, in particular, about the Commission’ capacity to ensure reaching the Instrument’s climate target and calls for concrete actions outlining how the climate target is going to be met;

4. Appreciates the role of local NGOs and partners in service delivery; underlines the importance of enhancing their capacity to manage and implement actions financed by the EU and invites the Commission to facilitate adequate training towards this aim; is concerned about the continued difficulties faced by small local NGOs to access Union funding;

5. Stresses the important role of the official development assistance (ODA); calls for a cautious approach to blending and public-private partnerships in fields, such as education or health;

6. Welcomes the finding of the ECA report on the EU budget for 2022 that DG ECHO implemented ECA recommendation and established a procedure ensuring that partner organisations base their allocation of shared costs on expenditure actually incurred.