Fear EU aid budget could be merged with new foreign policy

IRELAND is one of the countries afraid the European Union will be forced to link its annual €7 billion development aid budget to a new aggressive foreign policy aimed at fighting terrorism and illegal immigrants.

Seven Union members, including Ireland, and supported by 270 non governmental agencies working in development warned that this is what will result from proposals before the Convention on the Future of Europe.

The EU is one of the world's largest aid donors and traditionally has not linked its aid to achieving objectives other than respect for human rights.