The UK and the European Union
As a Member State and contributor to the European Community budget, the UK is an equal partner within the EU family. The UK is subscribed to the development goals spelled out in the 2005 European Consensus on Development and shares responsibility for meeting those commitments.
The European Union Department within the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK government, leads on working together on international development policy with the European Union institutions, member states and civil society.
UK contribution to EC budget
In 2006-2007 the UK provided £964 million to the European Commission for development assistance. The UK contributes 17% of the European Commission's main budget and will provide 14% of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF), which provides assistance to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. DFID's contribution to these programmes totals some 21% of DFID's overall aid budget.
DFID papers on working with the EU
In the summer of 2008, DFID published its Institutional Strategy Paper for Europe, Europe for Development: Working with the European Union. The strategy outlines DFID's vision for working more closely on international development policy with the other EU member states, the European Commission, European Parliamentarians and with civil society.
The importance of influencing EU development policy, budgeting and implementation in line with the UK Government's priorities is reflected in the 2006 DFID White Paper Making Governance Work For The Poor.
UK and the European Parliament
Each region of the United Kingdom has between three and ten MEPs, all of whom represent the constituents of their whole region. Most of the 78 UK MEPs sit in multinational political groupings in the European Parliament alongside Members from other countries who hold broadly similar views.
Find out who your local MEP is and how to contact your MEP through the UK office of the European Parliament or contact the Bond Europe team to know which MEP is working on the issue you are concerned about.
