European Consensus on Development

European Consensus on Development
Name	European Consensus on Development
Adopted	2005
Revised	2017
Issuer	European Commission; Council of the European Union; European Parliament
Scope	Overseas development cooperation of the European Union and Member States
Related	Cotonou Agreement; Lisbon Treaty; Millennium Development Goals; Sustainable Development Goals

Contents

European Consensus on Development The European Consensus on Development is a joint statement setting out the shared vision of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on development assistance and external action. It frames the relationship between the European Union and developing countries within the context of international agreements such as the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals and later the Sustainable Development Goals. The Consensus informs policy instruments including the Cotonou Agreement, the European Development Fund, and bilateral programming by France, Germany, and other Member States of the European Union.

Background and Origins

The Consensus emerged from policy debates involving the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Council summits, and negotiations among institutions including the European External Action Service, the European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), and the European Parliament Committee on Development. Influences included historic agreements such as the Cotonou Agreement between the European Community and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the OECD Development Assistance Committee, and commitments made at the United Nations Millennium Summit. Key actors in the drafting process included representatives from France, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, the Polish government, non-governmental organizations such as Oxfam International and Save the Children, and development scholars from institutions like the London School of Economics and Sciences Po.

The Consensus sits alongside primary law instruments such as the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and it complements sectoral policies like the Europe 2020 strategy and the EU Global Strategy. It interacts with multilateral frameworks including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Trade Organization, and the Paris Agreement. The Consensus guides funding instruments including the European Development Fund, Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI). Judicial and parliamentary oversight involves the Court of Auditors, the European Court of Justice in matters of competence, and scrutiny by the European Parliament Committee on Budgetary Control.

The Consensus articulates objectives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and principles like poverty eradication, human rights, and sustainable development as reflected in documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It emphasizes partnerships with regional organizations including the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Pacific Islands Forum, and prioritizes areas such as health referenced to institutions like the World Health Organization, education linked to the UNESCO, and humanitarian action coordinated with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Consensus highlights cross-cutting commitments to gender equality resonating with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to climate resilience within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and to democratic governance echoing principles endorsed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Implementation rests on programming cycles governed by the European Commission and delivered through channels including the European Development Fund, European Investment Bank, and partnerships with United Nations Development Programme and World Bank Group entities such as the International Finance Corporation and the International Development Association. Funding mechanisms link to national budgets of Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom (pre-Brexit), and contributions from donor coalitions coordinated via the OECD Development Assistance Committee. Operational delivery involves implementing partners such as ActionAid International, CARE International, Mercy Corps, and private sector actors including multinational firms regulated under frameworks like the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Monitoring and evaluation draw on methodologies used by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and independent auditors including the European Court of Auditors.

Supporters cite achievements in areas where the Consensus informed EU programs tied to the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals, with measurable outcomes in sectors engaged by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Critics from NGOs such as Amnesty International and academic commentators at University College London, Harvard University, and The London School of Economics and Political Science argue that the Consensus sometimes prioritizes donor interests, trade objectives reflected in World Trade Organization negotiations, and geopolitical aims associated with the Common Foreign and Security Policy over local ownership advocated by regional bodies like the African Union Commission. Debates involve concerns raised by institutions including the European Court of Justice on legal competences, by think tanks such as the European Council on Foreign Relations and Chatham House, and by advocacy groups connected to Human Rights Watch.

The Consensus was revised in 2017 to align more closely with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and evolving EU external action after the Treaty of Lisbon and the creation of the European External Action Service. Future directions include integration with the European Green Deal, strengthened links to the Global Gateway initiative, coordination with multilateral development banks such as the African Development Bank and Asian Development Bank, and continued scrutiny from the European Parliament and civil society networks including CONCORD. Ongoing policy dialogues involve stakeholders from Member States of the European Union, recipient countries represented by the African Union, ASEAN, and the Caribbean Community, and international institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

Category:European Union external relations Category:International development