Brussels (dpa) - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday pledged continuing aid to Afghanistan, including funds for monitoring parliamentary elections in September.

Barroso, who met Afghan President Hamid Karzai for a working breakfast, told reporters the European Union had earmarked 1.8 million euros (about 2.2 million dollars) for an E.U. mission to oversee the September polls.

An additional 3 million euros had been put aside to build key Afghan institutions, he said.

"Afghanistan still needs our support...it is an important priority for the E.U.,'' Barroso underlined, adding that assistance to the country would continue beyond 2007, under a new E.U. financial blueprint.

Karzai, on the second day of an official visit to E.U. and NATO, said international help for Afghanistan - including aid to fight narcotics production - would remain crucial for several years.

The Afghan leader said he was confident there would be a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in poppy cultivation this year but said donors should help provide "alternative livelihoods'' to Afghan farmers. dpa si emc