In December, the European Commission unveiled its package of legislative proposals on the EU’s external action instruments for the period 2014-20 as part of the negotiations on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s spending review. Mikaela Gavas has written an ODI Background Note analysing the changes introduced by the instruments of direct relevance to international development.
February 17, 2012
The European Commission’s legislative proposals for financing EU Development Cooperation
Posted by edcsp under Research | Tags: European development policy, legislative proposals, MFF, Mikaela Gavas, multi-annual financial framework |Leave a Comment
February 14, 2012
Simon and Siân give evidence to the IDC inquiry on EU development assistance
Posted by edcsp under Events, Facts, News | Tags: "Simon Maxwell", European development policy, IDC, International Development Committee, Sian Herbert |Leave a Comment
The International Development Committee recently called Simon Maxwell and Siân Herbert to give oral evidence at a session for the inquiry into EU development assistance.
The session covered a vast array of issues including:
- The EU’s new development strategy – An Agenda for Change;
- The comparative advantages of the EC, compared to both bilateral and multiateral donors;
- The differences between the EU’s central development instruments, and the European Development Fund (EDF);
- How the EU should deal with middle-incomes countries;
- Administration costs – looking at the tricky task of comparing DFID to the European Commission’s development projects; and
- Policy coherence for development.
Click here for a transcript of the session.
February 10, 2012
The EU’s policy on differentiation: Tackling poverty and global challenges?
Posted by edcsp under Events, News, Presentation | Tags: differentiation, European development policy, MICs, poverty, Sian Herbert |Leave a Comment
On 2 February, Siân Herbert gave a presentation at a workshop in Copenhagen, discussing the EU’s new policy on ‘differentiation’ (‘Differentiation’ means reassessing aid to middle income countries). The workshop was hosted by Concord Denmark, the Danish NGO platform for EU development work, and attended by a variety of Danish NGOs.
The objective of the workshop was to define a common position on differentiation. The NGOs present were open to the changes proposed by the European Commission, and support revaluating aid to MICs. At the end of the workshop, the decision was taken that Concord Denmark will not engage with the debate regarding the proposed criteria for aid allocation, but will instead focus on where the funds should be redirected. Concord advised that they are engaged in discussions with the European Commission, ahead of the release of a communication on CSOs later this year.
The EU’s policy on differentiation has also been discussed recently by Andy Sumner, Andris Piebalgs and Simon Maxwell.
Siân’s presentation is available here.
February 5, 2012
EDCSP visit the European Parliament
Posted by edcsp under News | Tags: "Simon Maxwell", European development policy, European Parliament, Mikaela Gavas |Leave a Comment
Simon Maxwell and Mikaela Gavas recently spent two days at the European Parliament, meeting MEPs and Committee Secretariat staff. Their objectives were (a) to understand better how the EP works, (b) to map who is doing what on the current EU agenda, especially the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, (c) to exchange views on the MFF, and (d) to explore the potential for a European Think-Tanks Group initiative linking the EP and national parliaments.
Read more in this trip report.
December 19, 2011
‘Modernising European Development Policy’ at the European Development Days
Posted by edcsp under Events | Tags: "Simon Maxwell", Andris Piebalgs, Baroness Lindsay Northover, European development policy |Leave a Comment
On 16 December, EDCSP jointly hosted a panel debate, as part of the European Think-Tanks Group and with French research institute Ferdi, looking at ‘Modernising European Development Policy’, at the European Development Days conference in Warsaw.
To watch a video of the debate, click here.
December 10, 2011
EDCSP update – December 2011
Posted by edcsp under News, Newsletter | Tags: development, EDCSP, EU, European development policy, ODI, policy |Leave a Comment
