§ Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Minister for Trade if he will take steps to ensure that United Kingdom principals secure a proper share of European Economic Community technical assistance projects.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe Community funds its techical assistance projects from the European development fund and its other development aid programmes. The share of technical assistance projects financed by the European development fund is governed by a quota system which is in line with each member State's contribution. The United Kingdom contribution to the fourth EDF was 18.7 per cent. and our cumulative share of technical assistance contracts at 31 March this year has risen to 16.01 per cent. It is the intention of the Commission to arrive at a balance between the two.
For other European Community technical assistance projects financed under the Mediterranean protocol agreements and/or the non-Associates programme there is no set quota arrangement, but the Commission similarly seeks to achieve an appropriate balance along the lines of that for the EDF quota.
The world aid section of the Department of Trade obtains information about such projects and those financed under EDF and publishes it through the export intelligence service; officials from the section also encourage and assist United Kingdom principals to compete for these contracts through such means as participation in Conferences and Seminars, briefings and the provision of advice.