140 million euros for the period 2005-2007: that’s the allocation decided by the EU Commission last week, in the course of the meeting that formally adopted the first EU strategy for a world campaign against land mines. Hitherto the EU commitment, though substantial (700 million), had not been inserted in any coordinated action plan and more especially had not been supported by all member states. The Union now intends to pursue its efforts in various fields: direct de-mining operations in the countries concerned, aid to local efforts to combat the use of land mines, and efforts to crack down on the production of land mines and destroy those produced but not “used”. Last but not least, Brussels will reinforce support to the victims of mines by promoting their social and economic re-integration in collaboration with local governments. The decision of the Commission is a corollary to the first Conference for the re-examination of the Treaty on the banning of land mines now underway in Nairobi, Kenya.
