The EU in 2010 and beyond - Delivering for development
BONB for international development
London, 25th October 2010Church House Conference Centre
The MDGs after the UN Summit and the Policy Coherence for Development EU agenda
CONCORD is the European confederation of relief and development NGOs
Its 25 national platforms and 18 networks represent over 1,600 NGOs which are supported by millions of citizens across Europe.Founded in 2003 - Secretariat based in Brussels.
What is our roleCONCORD leads reflection and political actions and engages in dialogue with the European institutions, the Member States, and other civil society organisations around development issues
The rights-based approach and women’s rights and gender are core principles in CONCORD’s approach to development.
The primary objectives of EU development cooperation are poverty eradication, sustainable development, and attaining the Millennium Development Goals
Achievement of the development objectives agreed at the major UN conferences and summits and bound by treaty law – this includes politically-binding commitments such as on ODA levels (Monterrey)
EU commitment to promoting policy coherence for development – Council of the EU (2005) and Art.208 in Lisbon Treaty
Prioritising support to the least developed and low-income countries
Women empowerment and gender equality should be a core part of all policy strategies
Promote and prioritize respect for human rights and sustainable development, good governance, gender equality, over short-term, elite and narrow interests
Objectives of EU development policy
Policy Coherence for Development, A practical guide, October 2007
CONCORD and Policy coherence for development
Finnish Presidency of the EU (2006)
Swedish Presidency of the EU (2009)
Political momentum…
Spotlight on Policy Coherence CONCORD report
Promote PCD on the EU’s agenda
React to the 2nd EU report
Market the concept within CONCORD / European civil society / Member States level
Highlight the most pressing incoherencies, linking with:
- the context of the report – conjunction of multiple crises
- the institutional processes: CAP reform, regulations on biofuels, Copenhagen, financial regulation, EU migration policy, CSR, domestic tax mobilization, etc.
How our approach differs
A Southern perspective and a rights-based approach
Looking at inter-linkages and interconnected impact of non-development (EU) policies on development
“Coherence is about ensuring that the external impacts of other EU policies – or national policies – do not undermine the aims and objectives of EU development cooperation.”
Facts and figures on incoherencies 200 million environmentally-induced migrants by 2050
the European Agency FRONTEX diverts back migration routes passing by Mauritania lack of EU ambition in Copenhagen
Hectares of fertile land grabbed for externally driven agrofuels production in Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Mozambique…
2008 EU Directive promoting the use of renewable energies in the transport sector put jeopardy on food production in food insecure countries and have social and environmental impacts
FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land
In 2006, Cameroon temporarily stopped imports of frozen chicken in the country to avoid the ruining of its domestic poultry sectorCameroon excluded poultry meat from the IEPA signed in 2008
the extended standstill clause that EU introduced into the signed EPA prohibits Cameroon from using any measures to protect its local markets effectively
Facts and figures on incoherencies
Illicit flows from developing countries – $1 trillion per year –dwarf the €50bn European ODA
permissive Transparency and Savings Tax (EU) Directives exacerbate tax evasion and tax avoidance
Some of the major infrastructure projects financed by the EIB in the name of development happen to have close links with tax havens, which is also the case with financial intermediaries benefiting via the EIB’s Global loans
Projects and beneficiaries funded by EIB money involve tax havens and transnational companies that use them for tax purposes.
2009 EU communication Supporting developing countries in coping with the (financial) crisis states: “Commission will promote good governance in the tax area on international, regional and domestic levels”
Renewed commitments by Member States
‘Operationalizing’ the conceptECDPM Evaluation Study on the EU Institutions & Member States’ Mechanisms for Promoting PCD (2007)Discussion Paper (2010)
OECD Peer Reviews: peer pressure, recommendations
Sharing experiences of frontrunners
Member States reaffirm their commitment to PCD Council Conclusions, Nov 2009
“The EC and the EU Member States should work together to raise awareness, strengthen their staff and organisational capacity and use more effective and ambitious PCD mechanisms.”
Presentations in National Parliaments
Increased awareness
Reinforced role of the European Parliament: Keller report (May 2010) & the new parliamentary tools Working towards: Standing Rapporteur and cross-
committee hearing on the CAP
Linking the EU level with the national frameworks
Encourage Member States to adopt a PCD-approach in their policy-making
Broadened EC work programme on PCD
Levies for a better involvement of partner countries
2nd EU progress report on PCD -2009
EC, DG Development, PCD Unit - assesses the progress made in advancing coherence in 12 policy areas which impact on development
trade
environment
climate change
security
agriculture
fisheries
social dimension, DC, Empl.
migration
R&I
information society
energy
transport
Development objectives and policies
Case study on MDG
1
Case study on MDG
6
Case
study on JAES
New EU approach – 2010-2013Focus on 5 “global
challenges”
PCD Work Programme: ‘Early-warning’ mechanism
List of policy initiatives in 2010-2011 relevant to PCD: - Step-up beyond 20% in the EU Climate change and Energy Package- Future of the CAP- CSR
Trade and finance
Tackling climate change
Global food securityMaking migration work for dev.
Security
PCD has a legal basis in the Lisbon Treaty
External impact of EU policies should not undermine / contradict EU development policies and objectives
External policies should also have an equal footing
• EU institutions have a different understanding; there are committed to ‘policy coherence’
• Narrowed list of priority issues • ’Whole-of-the-Union’ Approach and ODA+ concept
EC Communication (2009)
Setting the EU agenda, a challenge
New interlocutors and new structures:- European Parliament & European Commission (2009)- New institutional architecture: Lisbon Treaty, the set-up of the
External Action Service
An uncertain context: - ODA commitments vs. budgetary constraints- Towards a post-2015 Agenda
EU reforms and initiatives:- Revision of the EU trade policy (2010)- Review of the Common Agricultural Policy (2010)- Emerging political frameworks (Joint Africa-EU Strategy)- Cancun towards a post-2012 climate regime- Financial regulation (G8/G20)
A new environment
To what extent will the future EU external relations architecture and EU policy-making promote better
policy coherence for development?
An architecture that offers a consistent approach
Coherence of EU external action and instruments
Clear messages linking policy with actions
Voice and high political visibility for development
Monitor policy not damaging / hold the institutions to account
Transparency & accountability: towards a complaints procedure role of HR & VP Ashton and President Barroso
What is at stake?