Debt Relief

John Bowis helped to draft the European Parliament’s Resolution on Debt Relief for Developing Countries, adopted at the January 2005 Plenary. Read the resolution by clicking here.

In January 2004 John addressed the Irish Development Minister, Tom Kitt, on debt relief for low income countries, when the Minister introduced his priorities for the Irish Presidency of the EU to the European Parliament in Brussels (January 2004). He reiterated his appeal to the Irish Taoiseach when he came to the Parliament on 14th January 2004.

John Bowis called for the launch a new and imaginative initiative. He suggested a ten year programme whereby EU Member States would individually and collectively return debt repayments to the country concerned for investment into agreed Millenium Development Goals initiatives. This, he said, would be a programme to excite European constituents and provide effective aid to the poorest countries.