On Wednesday 17 March, the Development Committee of the European Parliament reserved a slot for four leading European research institutes to present their recent report on the future of EU Development Cooperation. Their presentation informed an exchange of views with Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and the Members of the Committee.
Our organisation, together with three other leading European development cooperation institutes (German Development Institute in Bonn, Overseas Development Institute in London and La Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior in Madrid), recently published a Memorandum titled ‘New Challenges, New Beginnings: Next Steps in European Development Cooperation’. By publishing the report, we aim to make practical recommendations to the new European Commission that can help to move Europe’s international engagement forward, based on an analysis of the current state of play and the key challenges Europe and the world at large is faced with. The report deals with a range of topics in twelve different chapters, including peace and security, migration, climate change, trade, development finance, and policy coherence for development.
Following the publication of the Memorandum, the Development Committee of the European Parliament took the initiative to reserve time during its meeting of March 17 to allow the four institutes to present the report’s recommendations as a basis for an exchange of views with Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and the Members of the Committee.
Commissioner Piebalgs welcomed the publication as a product that would be of use for his work. However, he raised a note of caution that development policy today appears to “cover everything”, and that regardless of all the relations with other policies it is important that development remains a policy in its own right. He called on the EU to put its money where its mouth is and ensure adequate funding to actualise the commitments made, and to act in a concerted and coordinated manner. He also identified strengthening governance as a central challenge to EU development cooperation and underscored the importance of EU development policies contributing to poverty reduction worldwide, including in fragile situations.
During the discussions, MEPs commented on issues including the importance for development to prioritise wealth creation, the comparative advantages and subsidiarity considerations in relation to EU development cooperation, Overseas-Countries and Territories, and that continuing incoherence of other EU policies such as fisheries could delegitimise the EU’s development efforts.
Addressing the four institutes specifically, MEPs challenged us to continue providing input to policymakers and also look into issues such as formalising land and businesses in developing countries, tax evasion and capital flight, and job losses in the South as a result of European policies. While noting the importance of venturing further in such areas, MEPs recognised that they should not be regarded as ‘golden eggs’ or ‘miracle solutions’. Rather, they illustrate that a comprehensive and inclusive approach is needed, and that improving dialogue and feedback from the South on the impact of EU policies is critical in finding the best ways forward.
In relation to the External Action Service discussions, Commissioner Piebalgs emphasised that the letter and spirit of the Lisbon Treaty needs to be shown in the outcome of this discussion, which revolves around (1) a single voice in EU foreign policy, (2) development policy as a policy in its own right, and not subordinate to others, (3) poverty eradication as the goal of this policy and (4) the Commission managing its own operational development budget. Whatever the outcome of the discussion, these elements should be respected.
Following the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it is an uncertain but exciting transition period to work on European development cooperation, and I am optimistic that the changing roles and responsibilities for development in the European institutions, but also the new leadership at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels, will result in important contributions to further improving and sustaining global development.
Paul Engel
Director ECDPM
