The Spanish minister of foreign affairs asked to keep Colombia, Peru and Ecuador as beneficiaries of developmental aid and tariff preferences during a meeting of European Union (E.U.) foreign ministers on Monday in Luxembourg.
The three Latin American countries are at risk of losing the support from the E.U. after the European Commission proposed to reduce the list of countries that receive financial assistance and benefits by 50% beginning in 2014.
In an effort to make aid more effective, the E.U. plans to focus its support on fewer countries, leaving out states that in recent years have increased their national income and become more globally competative.
“Colombia is struggling to consolidate the rule of law and the removal of the guerrillas, Peru is also in a vulnerable situation and Ecuador has half of the country in immigration,” said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo during the negotiations for the 2014-2020 E.U. budget.
Garcia-Margallo also advocated to change the income requirements for countries to receive aid so that Colombia, Peru and Ecuador remain on the list for 2014-2020.
