"The EU must phase out development aid to emerging countries, such as China, to date worth €128m for the period 2007-2010", said Filip Kaczmarek MEP, EPP Group Co-coordinator in the Development Committee of the European Parliament, in reaction to today's presentation by European Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, of his Agenda for Change of EU Development Policy and a new policy for EU budget support.

According to the EPP Group, future development aid spending should be focused on combating poverty in the least developed countries. China is an emerging economy and a major economic player on the world scale. "I presume that in the upcoming reprioritising there will be no place for countries like China to receive EU aid money", said Mr Kaczmarek.

The European Union as a whole (Member States plus EuropeAid, Commission-managed funds) is the biggest donor of official development aid worldwide. In 2010, it provided €53.8 billion (more than 50% of global aid). The European Commission is responsible for the management of €11 billion of aid per year, putting it in second place among donors globally.

For further information:

Filip KACZMAREK MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845317

Eduard Slootweg, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-721280

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 264 Members