EU savaged over aid package for developing states

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BRUSSELS, April 9 (AFP): Non-governmental organisations lashed out yesterday at the European Union, after its executive arm unveiled a package to help developing nations weather the economic crisis but offered no new money.
The European Commission announced three main measures, saying they were a follow up to the international strategy announced at a summit last week in London of the Group of 20 rich and emerging economies.
The steps were "first, keeping our promises", second paying more quickly old money earmarked last year for developing countries, and third having the commission and member states work more closely together to be more efficient.
Last year, the EU donated around 49 billion euros (65 billion dollars), or 0.4 per cent of the bloc's gross domestic product, to developing nations but it aims to raise that to 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2015.
"We didn't come here to announce to you any huge new sums," EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel conceded during a 40- minute press conference with commission's president, Jose Manuel Barroso.
"Of course our ambitions are limited but we are going to keep putting the pressure on," Michel said. NGOs welcomed the political efforts, but were perplexed by the lack of substance. Campaign group ActionAid said little was offered in terms of solutions to the problems faced by developing countries as a result of EU policies.