2012/2002(INI)
Agenda for change: the future of EU development policy
| AFET | DEVE | ENVI | INTA | |
| Lead Rapporteur | GOERENS Charles (ALDE) | |||
| Opinion Rapporteur(s) |
Legal basis: RoP 048
Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion | AFET | ||
| Lead | DEVE | GOERENS Charles (ALDE) | |
| Opinion | ENVI | ||
| Opinion | INTA |
Legal Basis RoP 048
Activites
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2012/10/23
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
- T7-0386/2012
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2012/10/22
Debate in Parliament
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2012/10/22
Prev DG PRES
- DG {u'url': u'http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/', u'title': u'EuropeAid Development and Cooperation'}, PIEBALGS Andris
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2012/07/16
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
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A7-0234/2012
summary
The Committee on Development adopted the own-initiative report by Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU) on an Agenda for Change: the future of EU development policy in response to the Commission Communication on the subject. Whilst praising the innovative nature of the Agenda for change, the report deplores the lack of political dialogue between institutional actors, noting that the Commissions communication failed to put forward proposals to implement Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) in practice by linking development aid with other EU policy areas, notably the trade policy, agricultural policy and fisheries policy of the Union. Members ask the Commission to provide further information regarding how the blending mechanism serves the purpose of a development policy based on ODA criteria and how the power of scrutiny of Parliament will be exercised. Redistribution of aid: Members note that the Commissions intention to promote inclusive and sustainable growth in the service of human development, but regrets that the document does not contain any references to the need to promote better redistribution. The report emphasises that, from a development perspective, this new instrument should have no objective besides that of poverty reduction and the fight against inequality. It warns that exclusive attention to economic growth and excessive confidence in the effects of automatic redistribution of development in the private sector could lead to unbalanced, non-inclusive growth without having a real impact on poverty reduction. Members want the EU to reconsider this policy in favour of sustainable development policies including fair trade, redistribution of wealth and social justice. Members further note that the Commission makes poverty a central issue in its new policy of differentiation. They observe, however, that 70% of people whose income is below the poverty threshold live in middle-income countries, many of whom remain fragile and vulnerable, notably the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). They call on the Commission to set, for the implementation of the differentiation concept, vulnerability criteria in the common programming guidelines of the new DCI and the 11th EDF currently under discussion, and to take account of the realities of poverty, human development and inequalities inside a country, and not only of national GNI. The report goes on to state that it is essential for middle-income countries to commit an increasing proportion of their revenue to social purposes, particularly through developing taxation systems and other internal redistribution and social protection systems, thereby enabling the EU to gradually scale back its current development programmes so as to benefit the poorest countries while maintaining a close partnership with middle-income countries, in particular in areas of social policy. Members reaffirm their commitment to social inclusion, as well as to the decision to allocate at least 20% of EU aid in its entirety to basic social services as defined by the UN in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Agenda for Change: the report also considers that the Agenda for Change should: bring about a real policy shift, by focusing on a rights-based policy approach fulfilling individual and collective rights of the population in developing countries; ensure that secure land rights systems are in place in developing countries and that they are monitored accordingly; implement Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which recognises the need to make international cooperation accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities, since 82 % of people with disabilities in developing countries live below the poverty line; ensure a clearer and more focused strategy on nutrition, tackling food security governance and reducing food price volatility by the end of 2012; specify the important and independent role of regional and local authorities and civil society, not only in implementing development programmes and projects, but also as fundamental players in the process of developing evidence-based development policies; include the obligations and duties of foreign investors operating in developing countries to respect human rights and environmental and ILO core labour standards; considers that EU companies should be legally liable in their home countries for violation of these obligations and duties by their subsidiaries abroad and for the entities they control. Members call on the Commission, EEAS and the EU as appropriate to: negotiate a roadmap for the gradual reduction of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the case of middle-income countries and to involve them progressively in NorthSouthSouth triangular cooperation arrangements; ensure this gradual reduction be carried out in all cases taking account of the principle of aid predictability; consider means of cooperating directly with the regional clusters of poverty in the middle-income countries; live up to their pledge of a human rights-based approach across the entire development cooperation process, since Members regret that in the Commission communications human rights mainly appear as part of a broader good governance conditionality, which seems to have only instrumental value for development; undertake additional efforts in order to more effectively mainstream human rights and democracy across development cooperation; ensure that budget support should be more closely linked to the human rights record and governance situation of recipient countries; clarify the development-migration nexus; pay particular attention to the rights of minorities, and ensure that non-negotiable human rights and non-discrimination clauses be inserted into development programmes; ensure that if innovative sources of development financing are to be widely promoted they must be additional, must be used on the basis of a pro-poor approach, and cannot be used to replace ODA in any circumstances; recognise the right of developing countries to regulate investment, favour investors who support the partner countrys development strategy, and give preferential treatment to domestic and regional investors in order to promote regional integration. The committee encourages the Council to take action on the Commissions proposal for an effective financial transaction tax designed to raise revenue in order to meet inclusive global development priorities. Governance: on governance, the report: emphasises the need to strengthen the political dialogue, particularly among the three EU institutions, in order to reinforce the existing levels of consensus and involvement regarding the adoption of the European Consensus on Development in 2005, which should remain the doctrinal framework for PCD; calls on the High Representative to add her signature to the European Consensus on Development, since the European External Action Service over which she presides has significant programming responsibilities. Members regret that the Commission has only called on the Council to approve its Agenda for Change, despite the circumstance that democratic control, as provided for in the Treaty of Lisbon, should be fully applied in the field of development policy implementation. They stress that all changes in the geographic, thematic and sectoral development priorities of the Union must be decided through codecision by Parliament and the Council within the framework of instruments for the financing of development cooperation which fall within the ordinary legislative procedure. The report goes on to recall the need for a consistent approach by the 28 actors that have already been united by the Consensus, and calls for a common reading of the situation and the creation of an independent think-tank, administratively linked to the Commission, with the objective of developing analytical and advisory abilities for all European cooperation actors. Lastly, the reports invites representatives of the national parliaments of Member States to hold structured annual meetings with the European Parliament in order to ensure consistency in the spending of development aid and strengthen PCD.
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A7-0234/2012
summary
- 2012/07/10 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
- 2012/06/06 Amendments tabled in committee
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2012/05/31
Deadline Amendments
- #3166
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2012/05/14
Council Meeting
- 2012/03/15 Committee draft report
- 2012/01/19 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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2012/01/12
EP officialisation
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2011/10/13
Date
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2011/10/13
Non-legislative basic document
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COM(2011)0637
summary
PURPOSE: to equip the EU with high-impact development policy up to 2015 and bring about faster progress towards poverty reduction. BACKGROUND: as specified in the Lisbon Treaty, supporting developing countries efforts to eradicate poverty is the primary objective of development policy and a priority for EU external action in support of EU's interests for a stable and prosperous world. Development policy also helps address the MDGs and contributes to the EU-2020 Strategy. Yet severe poverty persists in many parts of the world. As the worlds population continues to grow, more action is needed to tackle global challenges like conflict prevention, security, environmental protection, climate change, and to deliver global public goods such as food security, access to water and sanitation, energy security and migration. The EU has already done much to help reduce poverty, and is not simply the 28th European donor. While the Commission implements 20% of the collective EU aid effort, it also acts as coordinator, convener and policy-maker. To be fully effective, the EU and its Member States must speak and act as one to achieve better results and to improve EU's visibility. Difficult economic and budgetary times make it even more critical to ensure that aid is spent effectively, delivers the best possible results and is used to leverage further financing for development. With this new context in mind, the Commission proposes a policy framework to strengthen the impact of European development policy. CONTENT: basing this Communication on the results of the 2010 consultation on EU development policy, which confirmed the relevance of the existing policy framework, while agreeing on the need to increase impact of European development aid, the Commission proposes changes to EU development policy on a number of fronts. In particular, the EU must seek to focus its offer to partner countries where it can have the greatest impact and this should be accompanied by: · differentiated development partnerships; · coordinated EU action; · improved coherence among EU policies. The Commission proposes an Agenda for Change that would lead to: · an increased share of EU country and regional cooperation programmes dedicated to certain policy priorities which include human rights and good governance on the one hand and inclusive and sustainable growth on the other; · the concentration of EU activities in each country on a maximum of three sectors; · an increased volume and share of EU aid to the countries most in need and where the EU can have a real impact, including fragile states; · enhanced importance of human rights, democracy and good governance trends in determining the mix of instruments and aid modalities at country level; · continued support for social inclusion and human development through at least 20% of EU aid; · a greater focus on investing in drivers for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, providing the backbone of efforts to reduce poverty; · a higher share of EU aid through innovative financial instruments, including under facilities for blending grants and loans; · a focus on helping reduce developing countries' exposure to global shocks such as climate change, ecosystem and resource degradation, and volatile and escalating energy and agricultural prices, by concentrating investment in sustainable agriculture and energy; · tackling the challenges of security, fragility and transition; · joint EU and Member States response strategies based on partners' own development strategies, with a sectoral division of labour; · a common EU results reporting framework; · improved Policy Coherence for Development, including through new thematic programmes that build synergies between global interests and poverty eradication. The proposed Agenda for Change does not seek to re-write basic policy principles. There will be no weakening of the EUs overarching objective of poverty elimination in the context of sustainable development, as set out in the European Consensus on Development. EU commitments on financing for development, MDG achievement and aid effectiveness remain firm, as do its ambitions as a political leader and key donor. The EU is seeking greater reciprocal engagement with its partner countries, including mutual accountability for results. Dialogue at country level within a coordinated donor framework should determine exactly where and how the EU intervenes. More effective collaboration within the multilateral system will also be pursued. The main priorities. 1) Human rights, democracy, and other key elements of good governance: EU support for governance should feature more prominently in all partnerships. EU action should centre on: · democracy, human rights and the rule of law : the EU should continue to support democratisation, free and fair elections, the functioning of institutions, media freedom and access to internet, protection of minorities, the rule of law and judicial systems in partner countries ; · gender equality and the empowerment of women as development actors and peace-builders will be mainstreamed in all EU development policies through its 2010 Gender Action Plan ; · public-sector management, where the EU should support national programmes to improve policy formulation, public financial management, including the setting up and reinforcement of audit, control and anti-fraud bodies and measures, and institutional development, including human resource management ; · tax policy and administration; · help its partner countries tackle corruption through governance programmes that support advocacy, awareness-raising and reporting and increase the capacity of control and oversight bodies and the judiciary ; · strengthen its links with civil society organisations, social partners and local authorities, and support the emergence of an organised local civil society able to act as a watchdog and partner in dialogue with national governments ; · natural resources, through backing governance reforms that promote the transparent management of natural resources, including raw materials and maritime resources, and ecosystem services, with particular attention to the dependence of the poor on them, especially smallholder farms ; · ensure a development-security nexus, so that objectives in the fields of development policy, peace-building, conflict prevention and international security are mutually reinforcing. 2) Inclusive and sustainable growth: the EU should encourage more wealth and job creation, decent work, guarantee of rights at work, social protection and social dialogue. It should also focus on the environment, biodiversity and natural resources and increases the exposure/vulnerability to natural disasters. The EU should focus its support for inclusive and sustainable growth on: · those sectors which build the foundations for growth and help ensure that it is inclusive, notably social protection, health and education; · the enabling vectors for inclusive and sustainable growth, notably a stronger business environment and deeper regional integration; · those sectors that have a strong multiplier impact on developing countries economies and contribute to environmental protection, climate change prevention and adaptation, notably sustainable agriculture and energy. Differentiated development partnerships: the EU must seek to target its resources where they are needed most and development assistance should be allocated according to: · country needs: assessed taking into account, inter alia, vulnerability and fragility indicators. · capacity of a countrys ability to generate sufficient financial resources, and its access to other sources of finance such as international markets, as well as absorption capacities; · country commitments and performance: positive account should be taken of a countrys investment in education and health, its progress on democracy and good governance, and the soundness of its financial management; · potential EU impact: assessed through increasing the extent to which EU cooperation could support policy reforms and through increasing the leveraging effect of that EU aid. Coordination and improved coherence: the Communication stresses the need for joint programming of EU and Member States aid, which would reduce fragmentation and increase its impact proportionally to commitment levels. The aim is for a simplified and faster programming process, to be largely carried out on the ground. Operationally, the EU and Member States should make use of aid modalities that facilitate joint action such as budget support (under a single EU contract), EU trust funds and delegated cooperation. With regard to coherence of policy objectives, the Communication states that the future MFF should reinforce the Policy Coherence for Development. Thematic programmes are envisaged as instruments to tackle global concerns and will both project EU policies into development cooperation and help eradicate poverty.
- DG {u'url': u'http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/', u'title': u'EuropeAid Development and Cooperation'}, PIEBALGS Andris
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COM(2011)0637
summary
Documents
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2011)0637
- Committee draft report: PE485.931
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE491.146
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A7-0234/2012
- Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0386/2012
Votes
A7-0234/2012 - Charles Goerens - § 31
| Position | Total | ALDE | ECR | EFD | GUE/NGL | NI | PPE | S&D | Verts/ALE | correctional |
| For | 495 | 32 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 7 | 218 | 154 | 51 | 1 |
| Against | 112 | 26 | 42 | 15 | 1 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Abstain | 24 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
A7-0234/2012 - Charles Goerens - Résolution
| Position | Total | ALDE | ECR | EFD | GUE/NGL | NI | PPE | S&D | Verts/ALE | correctional |
| For | 540 | 70 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 222 | 161 | 56 | 1 |
| Against | 36 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Abstain | 65 | 3 | 35 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A7-0234/2012 - Charles Goerens - Resolution
| Position | Total | ALDE | ECR | EFD | GUE/NGL | NI | PPE | S&D | Verts/ALE | correctional |
| For | 540 | 70 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 222 | 161 | 56 | 1 |
| Against | 36 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Abstain | 65 | 3 | 35 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 119 |
2012/2002(INI) Agenda for change: the future of EU development policy
2012/06/06
DEVE
119 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 1 a (new) - having regard to the Council’s conclusions on: ‘Increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’1, __________________ 1 3166th Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 14 May 2012: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/c ms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/13024 3.pdf
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 2 a (new) - having regard to the Council’s conclusions on: ‘The Future Approach to EU Budget Support to Third Countries’2, __________________ 2 3166th Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 14 May 2012: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/c ms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/13024 1.pdf
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 2 b (new) - having regard to the Council’s conclusions on: ‘Policy Coherence for Development’3, __________________ 3 3166th Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 14 May 2012: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/c ms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/130225 .pdf
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 2 c (new) - having regard to the Joint Communication of 12 December 2011 entitled ‘Human Rights and Democracy at the Heart of EU External Action - towards a more effective approach’ (COM(2011) 886),
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 7 a (new) - having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council Directive on a common system of financial transaction tax and amending Directive 2008/7/EC (COM (2011)0594),
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 8 a (new) - having regard to its resolution of 15 June 2010 on progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals: mid-term review in preparation of the UN high-level meeting in September 20104, __________________ 4 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0210
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 a (new) - having regard to its Resolution of 27 September 2011 on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges5, __________________ 5 Texts adopted on this date, P7_TA(2011)0410
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 b (new) – having regard to its resolution of 25 October 2011 on the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness6, __________________ 6 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2011)0410
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 c (new) - having regard to the DAC Peer Review of the Development Cooperation Policies and Programmes of the EU, published on 24 April 2012 by the Development Aid Committee (DAC) of the OECD7, __________________ 7 http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/61/46/5015 5818.pdf
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the European Consensus for Development, signed by the European Commission, the Council and the Parliament is an acquis, and recalling the importance and the scope of this document, which enshrines the European Roadmap for development, as well as the acquis and the guidelines arising from it,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas 2015 is the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas globalisation, a major source of wealth, particularly in middle-income countries, has not, however, contributed sufficiently to reducing insecurity or indeed poverty, a stark demonstration of which is the increase in absolute number of hungry and malnourished people in the world including in many middle-income countries,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas globalisation, a major source of wealth, particularly in middle-income countries, has not, however, contributed sufficiently to reducing insecurity or indeed poverty,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the Commission communication states that respect for human rights and good governance continue to be preconditions for development,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the Commission communication states that respect for human rights and good governance continue to be preconditions for development, which
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas development cooperation consists of promoting human development and the fulfilment of human beings in all their dimensions, including their cultural dimension,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas in most developing countries family plays a vital role in helping the most vulnerable members of society to cope with their difficult situation,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D c (new) Dc. whereas reinforcing synergies and establishing a strategic link between humanitarian aid and development aid is a necessary condition for developing resilience and initiating a process of sustainable development in fragile or transition countries whose populations are among the poorest and most vulnerable,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D d (new) Dd. whereas, pursuant to Article 2(3) of the Treaty on European Union, one of the aims of the Union is to encourage a sustainable social market economy and this approach applies to both development policy and neighbourhood policy,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas, in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon, the implementation of development policy should be cohesive, and the measures aimed at encouraging economic growth in developing countries should contribute, first and foremost, to combating poverty and exclusion, particularly through access to education and healthcare,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas, in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon, the implementation of development policy should be cohesive, and the measures aimed at encouraging economic growth and wealth creation in developing countries should contribute, first and foremost, to combating poverty and exclusion,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. Whereas any attempt to broaden the ODA definition designed to include the ‘Whole of the Union’ and ‘ODA+’ approaches recently proposed by the European Commission, as well as non-aid items such as financial flows, military spending, debt cancellation, particularly cancellation of export credit debts, money spent in Europe on students and refugees needs to be rejected,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E b (new) Eb. recalling the willingness of the Commission to cease ODA to middle- income countries within the scope of the differentiation as provided for in the Agenda for Change,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E c (new) Ec. Whereas many middle-income countries, notably Small Island Developing States (SIDS) rely on economies which remain fragile and vulnerable to the major adjustments demanded by economic globalization, as well as climate change and natural disasters,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E d (new) Ed. whereas since the objective of the Agenda for Change proposed by the Commission is to strengthen the impact of current development policy, achievement of the Europe 2020 strategy and the other interests of the European Union in the area of the Union’s external activity should be planned in accordance with the objectives of its development policy,
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E e (new) Ee. whereas at international level, particularly within the G20, there is a democratic deficit in decision-making structures based on a form of governance that excludes the poorest developing countries,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E f (new) Ef. having regard to the Commission’s analysis of the current deficiencies in development policy (fragmentation of aid and duplication, since the division of labour among donors is far from ideal),
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E g (new) Eg. whereas the new Agenda includes a limited number of priorities, making it better able to meet new challenges, including the impact of the financial crisis, climate change, energy problems and recurring food crises,
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Considers that the Agenda for Change is innovative in that it focuses, inter alia, on harnessing budgetary resources, combining subsidies and loans and promoting the private sector; considers that the use of these mechanisms should contribute, principally, to lifting the inhabitants of developing countries out of extreme poverty and dependence and to the dissemination and application of principles of good administrative and fiscal governance;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Considers that the Agenda for Change is innovative in that it focuses, inter alia, on harnessing budgetary resources, combining subsidies and loans and promoting the private sector; considers that the use of these mechanisms should contribute, principally, to lifting the inhabitants of developing countries out of extreme poverty and aid dependence;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Con
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Believes that the Agenda for Change is innovative by focusing, among other things, on the use of budget support, on combining grants and loans and on promoting the private sector; believes that using these mechanisms should essentially contribute to lifting the citizens of developing countries out of extreme poverty and dependence;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Regrets that the Agenda for change failed to put forward proposals to implement Policy Coherence for Development in practice by linking development aid with other EU policy areas, such as agriculture, fisheries, trade, tax, climate change, investment, access to raw materials;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Observes that the blending mechanism, as it stands now, is proposed to mix public grants with financial institutions loans and other risk-sharing mechanisms, in a time of financial crisis implying budget constraints for development; therefore requests the Commission to provide clear information on how this mechanism serves the purpose of a development policy based on ODA criteria and how the scrutiny power of the EP will be exercised;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Notes the Commission’s intention to promote ‘inclusive and sustainable growth in the service of human development’, but regrets that the document does not contain any explicit references to the need to promote more equitable distribution of the wealth produced and emphasises that, from a development perspective, this new instrument should have no objective besides that of the economic and social advancement of the most deprived;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Notes the Commission’s intention to promote ‘inclusive and sustainable growth in the service of human development’, but emphasises that, from a development perspective, this new instrument should have no objective besides that of the economic and social advancement, and the fight against inequality, of the most deprived;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Notes the Commission’s intention to promote ‘inclusive and sustainable growth in the service of human development’, but emphasises that, from a development perspective, this new instrument should have no objective besides that of the economic and social advancement of the most deprived; stresses that the European Consensus for Development and Article 208 TFEU should remain the doctrinal framework for Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) and that a revision of the basic orientations and principles for the Union’s development policy should involve the institutions that were involved in their creation;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Regrets that the Commission maintained its inclusive growth policy, while evidence has shown that economic growth can take place in a country without having a real impact on poverty reduction; requests the EU to review this policy in favour of sustainable development policies including fair trade, redistribution of wealth and social justice so as to improve the living and working conditions of the whole population, both in urban and in rural areas;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Considers that, from a financial, regulatory, administrative, and social point of view, the setting up of micro- businesses and SMEs in developing countries in order to boost entrepreneurship and development of the private sector, is essential to create favourable business environments in developing countries; considers that. the EU should focus on lifting excessive regulatory burdens from SMEs and micro-businesses, and in this context, should encourage and further strengthen access to micro-credit and micro- financing;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Considers that the Agenda for change should bring a real policy shift, by focusing on a rights based policy approach fulfilling individual and collective rights of the population in developing countries, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the Right to Development, as well as the Treaties to protect the environment;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 d (new) 2d. Considers that effective land rights systems in developing countries are essential to the eradication of poverty and for creating a fair and inclusive society; to this end, one of the objectives of the Agenda for Change should be to ensure that secure land rights systems are in place in developing countries and that they are monitored accordingly;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Reaffirms its commitment, in this regard, to social inclusion, and the decision to allocate at least 20 % of EU aid in its entirety to basic social services as defined by the United Nations in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Observes that around 82% of persons with disabilities in developing countries live below the poverty line; therefore considers it essential that the Agenda for Change should implement Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), already signed by the EU, which recognizes the need to make international cooperation accessible and inclusive of persons with disabilities;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Warns that exclusive attention to economic growth and excessive confidence in the effects of automatic redistribution of development in the private sector could lead to unbalanced, non-inclusive growth;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Invites representatives from national parliaments of EU Member States to have structured annual meetings with the European Parliament to ensure consistency in the spending of development aid and to strengthen Policy Coherence for Development;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Notes that the Commission makes poverty a central issue in its new policy of ‘differentiation’; observes, however, that 70 % of people whose income is below the poverty threshold live in middle-income countries, and hence deplores the fact that the poor in those countries continue to be deprived of access to education, healthcare and the benefits of economic growth;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Notes that the Commission makes poverty a central issue in its new policy of ‘differentiation’; observes, however, that 70 % of people whose income is below the poverty threshold live in middle-income countries, many of whom are vulnerable, and hence deplores the fact that the poor in those countries continue to be deprived of the benefits of economic growth;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to live up to their pledge of a ‘Human Rights based approach’ across the entire development cooperation process;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Emphasises the responsibility of all state and non-state actors to focus their strategies on eliminating poverty; stresses, on the one hand, the responsibility of the EU to meet its target of 0.7 % by 2015 and, on the other, the essential fight against poverty in emerging economies using means relevant to their internal solidarity; in this regard, welcomes the conclusions of the Council, which encourage the Union to ‘continue its political dialogue on poverty reduction and the fight against inequalities with more advanced countries’;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Emphasizes the importance of solidarity between generations; in this respect, invites the Commission to adopt family mainstreaming as a universal guiding principle for achieving the EU development goals;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 d (new) 5d. Calls on the Commission to set, for the implementation of the differentiation concept, vulnerability criteria in the common programming guidelines of the new DCI and the 11th EDF currently under discussion, and to take into account the reality of poverty, human development and inequalities inside a country, and not only the national GNI;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 e (new) 5e. Calls for the further development of a clear linkage between relief, rehabilitation and development, particularly in light of the continuing nutrition crisis, and underlines the need for an effective and sustained assistance through a combination of Public-Private Partnerships and Corporate Social Responsibility; renews the European Parliament and Council's call to the European Commission for a clearer and more focused strategy on nutrition tackling food security governance and reducing food price volatility by the end of 2012;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 f (new) 5f. Calls for the further development of a clear linkage between relief, rehabilitation and development, particularly in light of the continuing nutrition crisis, and underlines the need for an effective and sustained assistance through a combination of Public-Private Partnerships and Corporate Social Responsibility ; renews the European Parliament and Council’s call to the European Commission for a clearer and more focused strategy on nutrition tackling food security governance and reducing food price volatility by the end of 2012;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 g (new) 5g. Considers that addressing the issue of malnutrition is of critical importance as it continues to be a major health burden in developing countries; to this end, calls for specific investments in food, health and nutrition, recognising that improving the nutrition of mothers and children, particularly during the first 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday, is key to eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable growth;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Believes it essential for middle-income countries to commit an increasing proportion of their revenue to social purposes, thereby enabling the European Union to gradually scale back its current development programmes to benefit the poorest countries while maintaining a close partnership with middle-income countries in areas of social policy;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Believes it essential for middle-income countries to commit an increasing proportion of their revenue to social purposes, thereby enabling the European Union to gradually scale back its current development programmes; additionally, calls on the EU to consider means of cooperating directly with the regional clusters of poverty in the middle-income countries, ranging from grants to specialised knowledge transfer;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Believes it essential for middle-income countries to commit an increasing proportion of their revenue to social purposes, particularly through developing taxation systems and other internal redistribution and social protection systems, thereby enabling the European Union to gradually scale back its current development programmes;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7.
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Requests the Commission, therefore, to negotiate a roadmap for the gradual reduction of Official Development Assistance (ODA) with middle-income countries; also requests that this gradual reduction is always carried out taking into account the principle of aid predictability;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Considers it essential that an international conference be held with the BRICS countries which would focus, on the one hand, on the future financing of the MDGs, and, on the other hand, promote triangular cooperation arrangements involving one northern country donor, one emerging country and one developing country; points out that the concept of ‘development effectiveness’ is not only useful for measuring Policy Coherence for Development (PCD), but also provides an opportunity to deepen the dialogue with the BRICS countries as this is the concept preferred by emerging donors in development co-operation;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Considers it
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Welcomes the special relevance assigned to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the Agenda for Change; urges the EU to undertake additional efforts in order to mainstream more effectively human rights and democracy across development cooperation and ensure that EU development programmes contribute to the fulfilment by partner countries of their international human rights obligations;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Notes the increasing influence of China in many developing countries; asks the Commission to analyze this phenomenon and to report to the Parliament and Council how it is affecting EU relations with these countries;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Supports the Commission’s desire to allocate budget aid to partner countries as soon as they have made a commitment, as part of a political dialogue, to refocus their budget priorities onto development objectives in basic social sectors; takes the view that budget support should be more closely linked to the human rights record and governance situation of recipient countries; reiterates its call for establishing more detailed criteria in this respect for the award of budget support;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. While recognising the development- security nexus, is convinced that the EU budget for development should remain separate from the financing of security related issues, which is a matter of home affairs;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 b (new) 9b. Requests the Commission to clarify the development-migration nexus and insists that development budgets in this field should only support the purpose of an integrated regional development plan on the main immigration areas, such as job creation, installation of infrastructure for drinking water, electricity, health centres, schools ...etc;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that the conditions for the use of ODA in general, and budget support in particular, must go hand-in-hand with the democratic oversight of budgets by parliaments, budgetary control organisations, local and regional authorities and civil society in partner countries;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that the conditions for the use of ODA in general, and budget support in particular, must go hand-in-hand with sound operational institutions and the democratic oversight of budgets by parliaments, budgetary control organisations and civil society in partner countries;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 b (new) 10b. Insists that national parliaments play a leading role, as they are the best placed to identify priority sectors for budget allocation, demands therefore that national parliaments adopt Country Strategy Papers and multiannual budget allocations in consultation with civil society, prior to a policy dialogue with EU in order to empower parliamentary scrutiny and to make ownership a reality;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 c (new) 10c. Calls on the European Commission, the European Council and the Member States to pay particular attention to the rights of minorities and insists that non- negotiable human rights and non- discrimination clauses are inserted into development programmes, inter alia with regard to discrimination based on gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and towards people living with HIV/AIDS;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 d (new) 10d. Notes the rise of the number of atrocities against Christians in some developing countries; urges the Commission to use all means necessary to stop and/or prevent violence against Christian communities in the developing world and to support dialogue between religious and cultural communities;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 e (new) 10e. Agrees with the Council’s call for the adoption of a rights-based approach to development, through which the European Union recognises, in particular, the right to universal, non- discriminatory access to basic services, participation in democratic political processes, transparency and accountability, justice and the Rule of Law, with an emphasis on poor and vulnerable groups;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 f (new) 10f. Regrets, however, that in the Commission communications human rights mainly appear as part of a broader good governance conditionality, which seems to have only instrumental value for development; points out that a human rights-based approach to development cannot be limited to conditionality, and that an integrated understanding of human rights is needed, whereby equal attention is paid to civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights and development is understood in the first place as human development;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 g (new) 10g. Recalls, in this context, the importance of recognition by the EU of the right to development of these partner countries and the obligations arising from this right for donor countries;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 h (new) 10h. In line with the Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo in 1994, calls on the Commission to continue supporting a rights based approach to the population and development agenda, notably through collaboration with CSOs and UN agencies like UNFPA;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 i (new) 10i. Encourages the Council to push forward the Commission’s proposal for a well-designed, effective financial transaction tax which should raise revenue to meet inclusive global development priorities;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 j (new) 10j. Firmly reminds the Commission and the Member States that ODA has to remain the backbone of the European development cooperation policy aiming at eradicating poverty; therefore, underlines that if innovative sources of development financing are to be widely promoted, they must be additional, used in a pro-poor approach and cannot be used to replace ODA in any circumstances;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 k (new) 10k. Believes that the imposition of conditions for the use of certain kinds of ODA disbursement should go hand in hand with democratic monitoring of budgets by parliaments, the courts of auditors, civil society and regional and local authorities in recipient countries and with guarantees from the European Union on the continuity and predictability of aid provided by the Union, and welcomes the fact that the Council has included these recommendations in its conclusions; stresses the need to continue and expand the ‘MDG contracts’ system;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 l (new) 10l. Believes that the official ODA publication does not sufficiently reflect the means that are truly available in this regard;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 m (new) 10m. Emphasises the need to strengthen political dialogue, particularly among the three institutions of the EU, in order to strengthen the existing level of consensus and involvement regarding the adoption of the ‘European Consensus on Development’ in 2005; believes, therefore, that the new programme can only be an instrument that is compatible with the ‘Consensus’, leading to a more effective development policy that serves the overarching cooperation development objective of the European Union, which is to eradicate poverty – in particular, through efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the role of healthcare and education – in a context of sustainable development;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 n (new) 10n. Emphasises the need to strengthen political dialogue, particularly among the three institutions of the EU, in order to strengthen the existing level of consensus and involvement regarding the adoption of the ‘European Consensus on Development’ in 2005; believes, therefore, that the new programme can only be an instrument that is compatible with the ‘Consensus’, leading to a more effective development policy that serves the overarching cooperation development objective of the European Union, which is to eradicate poverty – in particular, through efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals – in a context of sustainable development;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 o (new) 10o. Wishes to preserve the consensual character of all EU institutions regarding cooperation development as defined on 20 December 2005 and, in this spirit, calls on the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to add her signature to the European Consensus on Development, since the European External Action Service over which she presides assumes significant programming responsibilities;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that the Union should fully assume the responsibility incumbent upon it as the world’s leading donor of development aid and turn its political potential to better effect and further develop its leading role at international level on development issues, particularly by spreading the principles of good governance and training local actors, by making resolute use of the powers conferred on it by Article 210 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to take every appropriate initiative to foster the coordination of the development cooperation policies of the EU and its Member States and to synchronise their aid programmes;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Regrets that the Commission has only called on the Council to approve its Agenda for Change, despite the fact that democratic control, as provided for in the Treaty of Lisbon, should be fully applied in the field of development policy implementation; stresses that in order to become operational, all changes in the geographic, thematic and sectoral development priorities of the Union must be decided through codecision by the Parliament and the Council within the framework of instruments for the financing of development cooperation which fall within the ordinary legislative procedure;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 b (new) 11b. Welcomes the focus on a greater coordination of Member states through the development of joint programming, single EU contracts for budget support, and common EU frameworks for measuring and communicating results and for human rights conditionality;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 c (new) 11c. Believes that maintaining high levels of funding for development education is crucial as it promotes necessary public awareness of development issues;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 d (new) 11d. Welcomes the Commission’s intention that ‘the EU should strive to help countries in situations of fragility’; notes, however, that a bilateral relationship might not be sufficient to do so given the new budgetary framework and the fact that countries in such a situation often lack a functioning government or legal system; therefore, calls on the EU to work with third countries in the region to support the development and functioning of institutions, the rule of law and judicial systems of the partner country;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 e (new) 11e. Calls on the Commission to develop the tools necessary to guarantee a strategic link between humanitarian aid and development in situations of fragility, crisis and post-crisis, so as to strengthen the resilience of the populations of the countries concerned;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 f (new) 11f. Recalls that, when it comes to the proposal for the 11th EDF, any new political orientation following the adoption of the Agenda for Change, must be compatible with the spirit and the letter of the Cotonou Agreement;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 g (new) 11g. Considers it essential to highlight the comparative advantages of the EU’s development cooperation policy and, in this regard, calls on the Commission, with the aid of the OECD, to define a methodology that will allow it to assess the impact of its own policy and compare it with that of the policies of other actors, particularly the so-called ‘emerging’ economies;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 h (new) 11h. Recalls the need for a consistent approach by the 28 actors that have already been united by the Consensus and calls for a common reading of the situation and a common perception of the strategic issues; believes that, to this end, a strategic think tank at European Union level might be indispensable;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 i (new) 11i. Calls for the creation of an independent think tank, administratively linked to the Commission, with the objective of developing analytical and advisory abilities for all European cooperation actors in order to ensure the added value of a well-coordinated, consistent policy;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 j (new) 11j. Supports the Commission’s intention to focus activities led by the EU in each partner country on a limited number of priority sectors, but recalls that, in order to achieve the best results, it is necessary to identify these priorities in the partnership framework and to respect fully the ownership and priorities of the partner;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12.
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Emphasises the importance of promoting and defending good governance; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to support the training programmes for legal professionals and legislation modernisation programmes, in particular for legislation on land use;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 b (new) 12b. Is of the view that sustainable development implies effective domestic tax collection; automatic disclosure of transnational corporations’ profit and tax payment in each individual developing countries where they operate; fight against abuses of tax havens, tax evasion and illicit capital flights; welcomes in this regard the EU draft legislation on country by country and project by project reporting, which should be included in the EU Agenda for Change policy;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 c (new) 12c. Deplores the lack of political dialogue between institutional actors, which is particularly harmful to Policy Coherence for Development (PCD); deplores, in this context, the fact that the Commission’s communication does not include the three policies of the Union that have the greatest impact on developing countries, namely the trade policy, agricultural policy and fisheries policy of the Union; in this regard, agrees with the Council’s observation ‘that close cooperation between the European External Action Service and the European Commission is necessary to ensure greater consistency of EU external action and PCD’;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 d (new) 12d. Believes that the EU Aid for Trade and trade facilitation instruments, which currently target only the export sectors, need to change in order to facilitate trade for local markets;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Recalls that an active civil society is the best guarantee – in the countries of the North and of the South – of good democratic governance, protection of vulnerable groups - in particular disabled people and minorities - private sector responsibility and an improved capacity to distribute the benefits of economic growth;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Recalls that an active civil society is the best guarantee – in the countries of the North and of the South – of good democratic governance, the protection of vulnerable groups of people, particularly persons with disabilities, private sector responsibility and an improved capacity to distribute the benefits of economic growth;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Recalls that an active and inclusive civil society is the best guarantee – in the countries of the North and of the South – of good democratic governance, private sector responsibility and an improved capacity to distribute the benefits of economic growth;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Regrets that the Commission does not put enough emphasis on the gender dimension of poverty; the EU must invest in the specific needs of women and design social protection packages that address the challenges faced by women; emphasizes that gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) are essential to the attainment of international development goals; highlights the fact that the economic and political empowerment of women is not only a driving force for gender equality but it is also fundamental to achieve overall economic growth in developing countries and reduce poverty; urges the Commission to ensure that gender equality and the empowerment of women will be mainstreamed in all EU development policies and programmes through its 2010 Gender Action Plan;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Would like the Agenda for Change to specify the important and independent role of civil society and regional and local authorities, not only in implementing development programmes and projects, but also as fundamental players in the process of developing development policies; highlights the importance of improving cooperation with them and calls for regular dialogue and consultations with them in policy-making; in this regard, underlines the importance of establishing dialogue between the EU and civil society organisations, regional and local authorities;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Would like the Agenda for Change to specify the important and independent role of
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Would like the Agenda for Change to specify the important and independent role of civil society and regional and local authorities, not only in implementing development programmes and projects, but also as fundamental players in the process of developing evidence-based development policies;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Calls for increasing awareness in the new Member States regarding the importance of development aid;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Expresses its hope that development cooperation will be a more prominent topic during the course of 2015, a key year in which deep reflection will be required, particularly with regard to following up on the MDGs; would like to see the Commission name 2015 the ‘European Year for Development’;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 c (new) 14c. Points out that a better understanding of the impacts of non- development policies on development is instrumental in establishing and monitoring an effective development framework; therefore considers it essential that the Agenda for Change moves evidence-based Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) forward;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Demands that any support provided to the private sector in the form of ODA, whether as a gift or in combination with loans, come within the framework of the national plans and/or strategies of the partner countries, and that the amounts allocated be focused on the development of human resources, decent work, the sustainable management of natural resources and the development of high- quality inclusive public services for the benefit of the population; it needs to put in pace safeguards to ensure that private companies respect human rights, decent job and pay their taxes in the countries where they operate;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Demands that any support provided to the private sector in the form of ODA
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Welcomes the proposals of the Agenda for change concerning aid effectiveness; in view of the importance of aid effectiveness in terms of improving quality of life, reducing poverty in recipient countries and achieving the MDGs and urges more resolute EU action in this respect; underlines the importance of implementing swiftly the Busan Partnership for effective development cooperation; takes the view that moving successfully from the concept of effective aid to co-operation for effective development requires strong commitment from the EU and its international partners; hopes for rapid international consensus on the working arrangements for the Global Partnership;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Believes that certain new challenges, particularly climate change and universal access to energy, are not sufficiently covered by the sectors of intervention selected in the Commission’s proposal;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 c (new) 15c. Reiterates its demand to include in the Agenda for Change the obligations and the duties of foreign investors operating in developing countries to respect human rights, environmental and ILO core labour standards; considers that EU companies should be legally liable in their home countries for violation of these obligations and duties by their subsidiaries abroad and for the entities they control;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 d (new) 15d. Calls on the EU to recognise the right of developing countries to regulate investment, favour investors who support the partner country’s development strategy, give preferential treatment to domestic and regional investors to promote regional integration;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 e (new) 15e. Regrets that the Agenda for Change has not addressed the issue of land leasing in developing countries, which threatens local food security; expresses its deep concern about the current farmland acquisition by government backed foreign investors including from the EU, which risks undermining the EU policy to combat poverty;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 f (new) 15f. Stresses the need to take account of the cross-sectional dimension of culture and the importance of including it in all foreign policies of the EU in general and in the development policy in particular;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 g (new) 15g. Believes that the Commission must maintain the monopoly of programming in the area of development and cooperation policies;
source: PE-491.146
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