The European Commission is setting up a new unit to ensure that money for external projects is paid out more quickly

Date: 16/12/1999

External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said this week that the new body would tackle bureaucratic hurdles which had prevented nearly €20 billion of overseas aid being distributed. “This could make a real difference to economic prosperity, democracy and human rights and the rule of law throughout the world,” he said. It currently takes up to four years for an approved project to receive EU funding. Patten said the new unit would aim to cut this by half.