European Union
Overall
Policy Coherence for Development
Contact
Overall
Bond welcomes the fact that the UK recognises the importance of the EU as a development actor and that the EU is the UK's best opportunity ‘to make an impact on global challenges' (6.21). The White Paper commits to increasing aid channelled through the EC which is positive.
The commitment to ensure that good progress in the performance of European Commission projects is maintained (6.26) is positive although Building our Common Future does not clarify how this will be carried out.
Institutional reforms
We welcome the commitment to push for a single European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, with a strong voice within the Council of Commissioners and for a more efficient and coherent administrative structure dealing with all developing countries (6.29). We also welcome the recognition of the need for development experts to be placed in different Commission's Directorates General (DGs).
Policy Coherence for Development
The White Paper says the UK will work to make sure poverty eradication is the primary aim of EU external policies, not only of development policies, effectively promoting policy coherence for development (6.23). This is a very positive statement, although Bond notes that it remains to be seen whether this is matched by EU policies on the actual external policies (trade, climate, peace and security) and whether they are really coherent and support development policies.
EC aid
Bond endorses the White Paper reaffirmation of the UK commitment to continue pressing other EU member states to meet their aid promises and to continue the EU political leadership on aid (6.30).
Likewise, we also welcome the commitment to provide an additional £200 million for MDG contracts to ensure funding predictability and the support to "the European Commission proposal to deliver additional EU assistance to African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to protect social spending".
The European Investment Bank
The White Paper proposes to boost the role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) (6.27) in international development. This is worrying if the issues around transparency and accountability of the EIB are not tackled and it is particularly concerning that the White Paper does not mention the need of reforming this Bank.
MDGs
The reaffirmation of UK commitment to the MDGs and acknowledging the need for improved monitoring mechanisms is positive and welcomed by Bond.
"The UK will use its position in the G8, Europe, and the UN to continue to press other countries to deliver their promises on financing, and to accelerate progress towards the MDGs. We will push for a mechanism in the G8 through which countries report on what they have delivered and in the EU we will support reporting by the European Commission on progress by member states".
Contact
For any comments on this analysis or the new White Paper in general, please get in touch with Romina Vegro, Bond EU Policy Officer.
