The European Parliament has withdrawn its threat to freeze the EU’s humanitarian aid budget for next year

Date: 22/10/1998

MEPs had been considering blocking aid funds following revelations of alleged fraud at the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). But in a vote at this week's plenary session in Strasbourg, the Parliament's two largest political groups, the Socialists and the European People's Party, both came out against the move. “We don't think we should penalise those who need this kind of aid by putting the funds into reserve,” explained British Socialist MEP Terry Wynn.