Commission’s blank check to autocratic Egypt undermines EU's authority

Today, the European Parliament has just voted on the Commission’s proposal on Macro Financial Assistance (MFA) totalling 4 billion EUR to Egypt, as part of a wider package of EU support for the country worth up to 8 billion EUR. The Commission has removed conditionality connected to progress on democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the rollout of MFA for Egypt. The EPP group formed a coalition with the extreme right to even further weaken the Commission proposal.

Vicent Marzà Ibàñez MEP, shadow rapporteur on the file in the INTA Committee, comments,

“The Commission cannot throw democracy and human rights to the wind. Handing tax payers’ money to a military regime without any regard for the rule of law undermines the EU’s standing in the world, is tantamount to endorsing autocracy and will fall short of improving Egyptian people's economic situation.

“The Egyptian authorities routinely crush all forms of opposition, with the widespread use of arbitrary detention and unfair trials. The Commission cannot just close its eyes and ears to the abuse of power. The delivery of EU financial support must be conditional on clear progress on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; not only in Egypt, but for all recipients of Macro Financial Assistance. To drop these basic pre-conditions sets a very dangerous precedent. This money should be tied to economic reform that reduces inequalities and poverty in the country and not just to balance the books.”

Tineke Strik MEP, standing rapporteur for Egypt and rapporteur for the opinion on the file in the AFET Committee and, comments:

“The EU must be a force for democracy and human rights in the world and we cannot allow third countries to enrich themselves and enhance their grip on power with EU funds. Despite existing EU rules requiring beneficiaries of EU money to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, the Commission has thrown these rules to the wind. With this violation, it betrays ordinary Egyptians and leaves human rights defenders and all those who advocate for a stronger democracy and rule of law, out in the cold.

“It’s quite clear that the Commission is laying the groundwork for a dodgy deal with Egypt on migration. If the Commission is willing to give up on human rights and democracy at this stage, then the EU will have no leverage or guarantees for proper access to protection that refugees in Egypt are in desperate need of.

The EU must stand firm in its defence of human rights in any deals it makes with third countries, no matter how desperate the Commission is to please the extreme right and show toughness on migration.”