Our campaign

Our aim during 2003 was to get Ireland to make the debt crisis a priority during the EU Presidency. In the run up to the Presidency our specific focus was on MEPs - urging them to get their political groupings at the European Parliament to raise questions about Ireland's plans on resolving the debt crisis.

Specific targets were:

• The Taoiseach's presentation of Ireland's overall priorities to a plenary session of the European Parliamentary on January 14th
  
  
• Minister Kitt's presentation of Ireland's development cooperation priorities to the Parliament's Committee on Development and Cooperation, January 20th.

Our campaign took place on two fronts

a) the home front: with cards, letters and emails targeted at Irish MEPs. Many thanks to all of you who contacted your MEPs asking for their support. The feed back from MEPs is that there was a strong flow of messages received.

b) European Front: recognising that we needed the support of other European debt campaigns, we got together with the Dutch, British, and French debt campaigns, the European Network on Debt and Development and the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network. The Dutch take on the EU Presidency after us followed by Luxembourg; and then the British take over in January 2005. This allows us to pass on the baton to the our European colleagues and together we can get debt on the EU agenda.

Our first joint action was to organise a 'European Debt Delegation' to the European Parliament in December. This was very successful, particularly as it resulted in us being invited to address the European Parliament Committee on Development and Cooperation on the 20th January, just before Minister Kitt made his presentation. (see below).

The Taoiseach's Forced to Address the Debt Crisis 14 January 04

In giving an overview of Ireland's priorities for the EU Presidency, Mr. Ahern highlighted the need for the EU to ensure progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. He did not, however, mention the debt crisis.

The good news is that at least three MEPs who responded to the Taoiseach brought up the debt crisis. As MEPs responded in their own languages, we have only been able to monitor the contributions in English so far.

John Bowis (Britain - European People's Party at the European Parliament)
Proinsias de Rossa (Ireland - Socialist Group at the EP)
Patricia McKenna (Ireland - Greens/European Free Alliance at the EP)
all asked questions on how Ireland was going to tackle the debt crisis within its presidency

The Taoiseach was then forced to deal with the debt crisis in his response. He said 'I think you know what the Irish position is on debt but to reiterate, the Irish presidency position is that the EU has been an enormously generous donor for debt relief purposes.' He went on to say 'we will use whatever opportunities arise during our presidency to promote debt relief. We have a particular position, and accordingly we can do many things.'

In spite of the weakness of the commitments made in the Taoiseach's response, we can see this as a positive outcome. Without all our lobbying, the debt issue would almost certainly not have been mentioned during this session at all. MEPs had a wide range of issues to raise and very limited time allotted to them.

Our job now is to seize the opportunities open to Ireland and keep the Taoiseach to his promise to use all opportunities to raise the debt crisis.

'First to Speak' At the European Parliament's Committee on Development and Cooperation, January 20th : European Debt Campaigns

We were delighted to get this opportunity to brief the Committee on our proposals as to how the EU could contribute towards resolving the debt crisis. It was a real achievement to get the floor before Minister Kitt was due to speak. Our case was presented by representatives of Debt and Development Coalition Ireland and Jubilee Netherlands. We were supported by the European Network on Debt and Development and the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network. We got a good hearing with a lively question and answer session with the MEPs.

Our main proposals were:

• That the EU should recognise that the money needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals must be the first call on poor countries' resources. For the poorest countries this will mean 100% debt cancellation.
  
  
• That the EU should press the IMF and World Bank to use their own resources to cancel the debt owed to themselves. [1]

'Second to Speak' Minister Kitt

Minister Kitt covered the debt crisis in his presentation, acknowledging that debt reduction up to now has not allowed the poorest countries to escape the 'debt treadmill'. He stated that 'further initiatives' will be necessary and that 'there is much the Union and Member States can do to relieve the huge burden imposed on the poorest developing countries' by the debt crisis. We would, of course, agree with all of this. But missing from Minister Kitt's speech are specific proposals on how
Ireland plans to promote debt cancellation during the EU Presidency and beyond.

Response to Mr. Kitt from MEPs

Four MEPs raised the debt crisis with Mr. Kitt. The Committee chair, Mr. Max Van den Berg (Netherlands, Socialist Group) explained that the Committee had been discussing the debt crisis with European Debt campaigns. He said he understood that Ireland was going to take an initiative on debt. John Bowis (Britain European People's Party) kept up the pressure stating that although Ireland had 'a bold statement on 100% debt cancellation', there was no mention of this in the Minister's priorities. Mr. Bowis also pointed out that the Taoiseach's response to the questions on debt on 14 January also lacked any proposals. Ulla Sandbaek (Denmark, Europe of Democracies and Diversities) asked whether Ireland was going to coordinate Member States within the IMF and World Bank to get those bodies to cancel their debt so that the resources could go to health and education. Linda McAvan (Britain, Socialist Group) stressed that it was ridiculous that countries were paying out millions of dollars while trying to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Mr. Kitt's Response to the Questions on Debt

Minister Kitt pointed out that while Ireland had a strong position on debt, he was addressing the Committee as part of the EU Presidency and not as an Irish Minister. He made a commitment to raising the debt crisis in his dialogue with his African colleagues at upcoming meetings (see below). He ended by saying 'I will do my best to get this on the agenda. The best I can offer is to keep it on the agenda.'

What did Our Campaign Achieve?

We were very successful in

• Ensuring that MEPs across the European Parliament
  
  
  • are aware of the opportunities to strengthen the EU position on debt under the Irish presidency
    
    
  • are aware that there are still strong campaigns for debt cancellation across Europe, including Ireland.
    
    
• Promoting debate within the Parliamentary Committee on Development and Cooperation on how the EU could help solve the debt crisis.
  
  
• Making Irish MEPs aware of the Irish debt policy and the strength of the call around Ireland for EU action on debt cancellation.

We also brought together debt campaigns across Europe for the first time to directly engage with the European Parliament on debt cancellation.

Because of this, both the Taoiseach and Minister Kitt had to address the debt crisis in their presentations to MEPs.

Where Next?

Clearly both the Taoiseach and Mr. Kitt tried to avoid making any concrete commitments in responding to MEPs questions. However, both made a commitment to use whatever opportunities arise during the Irish EU Presidency to keep debt on the agenda. Mr. Kitt acknowledged that a new initiative is needed on debt.

How can we hold the government accountable on these commitments?

• February 16/19th: Meeting in Ethiopia of MEPs and MPs from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries[2]. Minister Kitt stated that he would raise the debt issue at this meeting. Participants will be able to ask him questions. We are working with our European colleagues to ensure questions are raised by parliamentarians at the meeting. We will keep you posted on the outcome.
  
  
• April 26/27: EU Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs Meeting: Reports covering debt will be on the agenda. This will be an opportunity for us to campaign for the EU to support linking debt reduction to the Millennium Development Goals. Watch this space!
  
  
• 6/7 May: Africa/EU Ministers Meeting in Botswana. Action to follow.
  
  
• June 1st Development Cooperation Ministers meeting in Dublin. This is the government's last chance to put debt on the agenda. We are planning a street event and other initiatives before this to keep up the pressure.

We will be developing actions in relation to these events for everyone to participate in.

Just look at what has been achieved. Campaigning really does work, lets keep motivated and engaged for 100% debt cancellation.

[1] We produced a paper last year 'Can the World bank and IMF Cancel 100% of poor country debts' which showed conclusively that they can!