Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee - Policy Coherence for Development -  Accelerating progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals {SEC(2005) 455}
Date: 2005-04-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, EU financial instrument, cooperation policy, developing countries, development aid

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 12.4.2005 
COM(2005) 134 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE 

Policy Coherence for Development 

Accelerating progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals 

{SEC(2005) 455} 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Policy coherence for development ............................................................................... 3 

Coherence commitments.............................................................................................. 4 

Turning EU policy commitments into action............................................................... 6 

3.1. 

Trade ............................................................................................................................ 6 

3.1.1.  Doha Development Agenda (DDA)............................................................................. 6 

3.1.2.  Bilateral and unilateral measures ................................................................................. 7 

3.2. 

Environment................................................................................................................. 8 

3.2.1.  Sustainable consumption and production..................................................................... 8 

3.2.2.  Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)........................................................ 9 

3.2.3.  EU Initiatives for Sustainable Development................................................................ 9 

3.3. 

Security ........................................................................................................................ 9 

3.3.1.  European Security Strategy.......................................................................................... 9 

3.3.2.  Governance, state fragility, conflict prevention......................................................... 10 

3.3.3.  Arms trade, non-proliferation of weapons and conventional disarmament................11 

3.4. 

Agriculture ................................................................................................................. 11 

3.4.1.  Common Agricultural Policy ..................................................................................... 11 

3.4.2.  Food Aid..................................................................................................................... 12 

3.4.3.  Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary measures ....................................................................... 12 

3.5. 

3.6. 

3.7. 

3.8. 

3.9. 

Fisheries ..................................................................................................................... 13 

Social dimension of globalisation, promotion of employment and decent work....... 13 

Migration.................................................................................................................... 15 

Research and innovation ............................................................................................ 15 

Information society .................................................................................................... 16 

3.10. 

Transport .................................................................................................................... 17 

3.11. 

Energy ........................................................................................................................ 17 

4. 

Implementation and monitoring................................................................................. 18 

Annex 1 - Acronyms ................................................................................................................ 20 

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1. 

POLICY COHERENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT 

Better  development  cooperation,  including  more  finance  and  improved  aid  delivery,  is 
extremely  important,  but  in  itself  not  sufficient  to  enable  the  developing  world  to  reach  the 
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015. It is generally acknowledged that 
the  effective  improvement  in  the  coherence  of  developed  countries’  policies1  would  put 
developing countries in a much better position to achieve the MDGs. 

Against this background, the Council decided that the common structure of the national MDG 
reports and the EU synthesis report should contain a separate section on policy coherence for 
development2.  European  Council  conclusions  of  June  20043  reiterated  that  the  EU  ‘will 
strongly  support  UN  attempts  to  accelerate  progress  towards  the  achievement  of  the 
Millennium  Development  Goals’.  With  reference  to  this  commitment,  the  Council 
conclusions  of  November  20044  welcomed  the  Commission  offer  to  “prepare  specific  and 
ambitious  proposals  for  action  on  the  way  towards  2015  in  the  areas  for  finance  for 
development, policy coherence for development and focus on Africa”. 

This Communication presents the Commission proposals on the subject of policy coherence. 
The other two elements mentioned in the Council conclusions (finance for development and 
focus  on  Africa)  are  discussed  in  separate  Communications5.  Together  they  provide  the 
package  of  Commission  proposals  for  an  EU  contribution  to  the  MDG  Review  at  the  UN 
High Level Event of September 2005. 

The EU commitment towards policy coherence is not only a key political commitment in the 
context of the MDGs. It also has a firm legal basis in the EC Treaty (Art. 178). The new EU 
Constitution6  upholds  this  commitment  to  coherence  in  even  stronger  terms  (Art.  III  -  292, 
Art. III - 316). 

Within the broad context of EU policy making coherence is a multidimensional commitment 
which  needs  to  take  place  within  the  overall framework  of  the  EU  sustainable  development 
strategy.  Non-development  policies  should  respect  development  policy  objectives  and 
development cooperation should, where possible, also contribute to reaching the objectives of 
other EU policies. In general – and including in the context of the forthcoming development 
policy review - this broad definition applies. However, within the specific framework of this 
Communication  a  more  targeted  approach  is  adopted.  When  exploring  ways  to  accelerate 

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6 

The OECD has proposed to define the concept of policy coherence for development (PCD) as follows: 
‘Policy  Coherence  for  Development  means  working  to  ensure  that  the  objectives  and  results  of  a 
government’s  development  policies  are  not  undermined  by  other  policies  of  that  same  government 
which  impact  on  developing  countries,  and  that  these  other  policies  support  development  objectives 
where feasible 
Common  structure  for  reporting  to  the  2005  MDG  Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDGs) 
stocktaking exercise, approved in June 2004. 
The  European  Council  furthermore  confirmed  that  ‘The  Union  must  continue  to  strengthen  its 
leadership role in the fight against global poverty’, Conclusions European Council, June 2004. 
GAERC Conclusions, November 2004. 
‘Accelerating progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals - The European Union's 
contribution’ - COM(2005) 132; and ‘Financing for Development and Aid Effectiveness’ - COM(2005) 
133. 
The  Treaty  establishing  a  Constitution  for  Europe  has  been  signed  in  Rome  on  29  October  2004  and 
shall enter into force on 1 November 2006 if all Member States have ratified it. 

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progress  towards  achieving  MDGs  the  EU  is  committed  to  look  beyond  the  frontiers  of 
development  cooperation,  and  consider  the  challenge  of  how  non-aid  policies  can  assist 
developing countries in attaining the MDGs. 

The impact of EU non-aid policies on developing countries should not be underestimated, and 
neither  should  their  potential  to  make  a  positive contribution  to  the  development  process  in 
these countries. EU policies in areas such as trade, agriculture, fisheries, food safety, transport 
and energy have a direct bearing on the ability of developing countries to generate domestic 
economic  growth,  which  is  at  the  basis  of  any  sustained  progress  towards  the  MDGs.  EU 
migration  policy,  through  its  impact  on  migrant  remittances  flows,  has  an  influence  on  the 
balance  of  payments  position  of  many  developing  countries.  EU  environmental  policy  not 
only directly affects global progress towards ensuring environmental sustainability (MDG7), 
but  has  consequences  for  virtually  all  other  MDGs,  through  the  close  links  between 
environment  and  poverty,  natural  resources  access  and  management,  the  role  of  women, 
health, child mortality and school attendance. EU policies on research and information society 
have great potential for improving access to health and education in developing countries. EU 
approaches  towards  globalisation  and  fragile  states  are  essential  to  creating  a  conducive 
political  context  for  attaining  the  MDGs.  All  these  EU  policies  should  furthermore  have  a 
proper  gender  equality  perspective,  to  avoid  them  losing  half  of  their  potential  impact.  And 
they should be embedded in a stable and secure environment, as there can be no development 
without peace and security; and no peace and security without development.  

As part of a comprehensive “better regulation package”7, the Commission has introduced in 
2002  the  tool  of  Impact  Assessment,  applicable  to  all  major  proposals  envisaged  by  its 
services. It contributes to improved coherence of measures under preparation, as it associates 
all  relevant  Commission  services  to  the  analysis,  and  consults  potentially  affected 
stakeholders as regards different scenarios for the policy goals to be achieved. 

2. 

COHERENCE COMMITMENTS 

In  reply  to  the  Council  request  to  look  at  options  in  the  area  of  policy  coherence,  the 
Commission  has  identified  priority  areas,  where  the  challenge  of  attaining  synergies  with 
development policy objectives is considered particularly relevant. All these areas have a direct 
relationship  with  one  or  more  MDGs.  They  are  either  at  the  core  of  an  MDG  (trade, 
environment) and/or have the potential to contribute to them.  

For  each  of  these  priority  areas  the  Commission  has  defined  general  orientations,  or 
‘coherence for development commitments’, that would contribute to a possible acceleration 
of progress towards the MDGs, provided also that – at the level of developing countries - the 
right  policies  and  adequate  governance  and  satisfactory  progress  towards  full  respect  for 
human rights are in place. In all these policy areas, a gender equality perspective will be taken 
into account.  

The  Commission  invites  Council,  European  Parliament  and  the  European  Social  and 
Economic Committee to confirm its acceptance of these commitments, as a joint engagement 
of  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  towards  improved  coherence,  and  a  substantial  EU 
contribution towards the MDGs. 

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COM(2002) 278. 

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EU Coherence for Development Commitments 

Trade: The EU is strongly committed to ensuring a development-friendly and sustainable outcome of 
the Doha Development Agenda and EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). The EU will 
further  improve  its  Generalised  System  of  Preferences,  with  a  view  to  effectively  enhancing 
developing countries’ exports to the EU. The EU will continue to work towards integrating trade into 
development  strategies  and  will  assist  developing  countries  in  carrying  out  domestic  reforms  where 
necessary. 

Environment:  The  EU  will  lead  global  efforts  to  curb  unsustainable  consumption  and  production 
patterns.  The  EU  will  assist  developing  countries  in  implementing  the  Multilateral  Environmental 
Agreements (MEAs), and will work to ensure that the capacities of developing countries are taken into 
account  during  MEA  negotiations.  The  EU  will  continue  to  promote  pro-poor  environment-related 
initiatives and policies. 

Security: The EU will treat security and development as complementary agendas, with the common 
aim of creating a secure environment and of breaking the vicious circle of poverty, war, environmental 
degradation and failing economic, social and political structures. The EU will enhance its policies in 
support of good and effective governance and the prevention of state fragility and conflict, including 
by strengthening its response to difficult partnerships/failing states. The EU will strengthen the control 
of its arms exports, with the aim of avoiding that EU-manufactured weaponry be used against civilian 
populations or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in developing countries. The EU will promote 
cooperation in fighting corruption, organised crime and terrorism. 

Agriculture:  The  EU  will  continue  its  efforts  to  minimise  the  level  of  trade  distortion  related  to  its 
support  measures  to  the  agricultural  sector,  and  to  facilitate  developing  countries’  agricultural 
development. 

Fisheries:  The  EC  will  continue  to  pay  particular  attention  to  the  development  objectives  of  the 
countries  with  which  the  Community  will  engage  into  bilateral  fisheries  agreements.  Within  the 
context of the new EC policy on fisheries partnership agreements with third countries which is being 
implemented since 2003, the EC will continue to encourage the conclusion of fisheries agreements in 
order  to  contribute  towards  rational  and  sustainable  exploitation  of  the  surplus  of  coastal  States’ 
marine resources to the mutual benefit of both parties.  

Social  dimension  of  globalisation,  employment  and  decent  work:  The  EU  will  contribute  to 
strengthening the Social Dimension of Globalisation with a view to ensure maximum benefits for all, 
both men and women. The EU will promote employment and decent work for all as a global goal.  

Migration:  The  EU  will  promote  the  synergies  between  migration  and  development,  to  make 
migration a positive factor for development. 

Research  and  innovation:  The  EU  will  promote  the  integration  of  development  objectives,  where 
appropriate, into its RTD and Innovation policies, and will continue to assist developing countries in 
enhancing their domestic capacities in this area.  

Information society: The EU will address the digital divide by exploiting the potential of Information 
and Communication Technologies as a development tool and as a significant resource for attaining the 
MDGs. 

Transport:  The  EU  will  address  the  special  needs  of  both  land-locked  and  coastal  developing 
countries  by  promoting  the  intermodality  issues  for  achieving  network  interconnectivity  as  well  as 
security and safety issues. 

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Energy: The EU is strongly committed to contribute to the special needs of developing countries by 
promoting  access  to  sustainable  energy  sources  and  by  supporting  establishing  interconnection  of 
energy infrastructures and networks. 

3. 

TURNING EU POLICY COMMITMENTS INTO ACTION 

To a considerable extent the above coherence commitments already steer EU policies. A lot of 
action has already been undertaken, and many new actions have already been planned.  

What  provides  the  raison  d’etre  for  this  Communication,  is  that  these  commitments  and 
actions  are  assessed  within  the  framework  of  global  efforts  to  achieve  the  MDGs.  By 
recognizing that these policy objectives should be considered as Coherence for Development 
Commitments in the context of the MDGs, the EU reconfirms and strengthens its engagement 
to  effectively  deliver  on  these  orientations,  against  the  background  of  the  given  MDG 
timeframe between now and 2015.  

This  chapter  lists  the  main  actions  and  considerations  that  underpin  the  EU  Coherence  for 
Development Commitments.  

3.1. 

Trade  

Trade policy is a powerful tool that contributes to MDG objectives such as poverty reduction 
and sustainable development. This section looks in particular at commitments and actions at 
the multilateral, bilateral and unilateral level. The issue of Trade Related Assistance (TRA) is 
covered in more detail in the ‘Financing for Development’ Communication.  

3.1.1.  Doha Development Agenda (DDA) 

The EU is strongly committed to ensuring a development-friendly and sustainable outcome of 
the Doha Development Agenda. 

The  EU  has  been  a  major  proponent  of  making  development  the  key  issue  in  the  ongoing 
round of WTO negotiations. The EU has made a substantial concession to getting the DDA 
back on track by committing to phase out its export subsidies as long as all forms of export 
subsidisation are eliminated. 

•  The  DDA  end-result  should  provide  for  improved  market  access  for  agricultural  and 
industrial goods as well as services, which will provide benefits for developing countries, 
as well as stronger multilateral rules.  

•  New  commitments  and  rules  should  provide  the  necessary  flexibility  (Special  and 
Differential  Treatment  (SDT))  for  developing  countries,  notably  the  LDCs  and  the  small 
and vulnerable economies.  

•  In the area of industrial tariffs, the EU commits itself to full elimination of all remaining 
tariff escalation, high tariffs and tariff peaks, as well as a sectoral liberalization by all WTO 
members  on  products  of  interest  for  developing  countries,  bringing  duties  on  textiles, 
clothing and footwear as close as possible to zero 

•  With reference to the EU ‘Everything but Arms’ initiative, the EU will pursue its efforts to 
persuade  other  developed  countries  to  follow  up  on  their  commitments  towards  LDCs, 

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made at the LDC III Conference (Brussels 2001) to grant duty and quota free treatment to 
all  LDC  exports,  as  well  as  to  encourage  the  more  advanced  developing  countries  to 
increase South-South market access on a multilateral basis. 

•  The EU also acknowledges the need to take into account in the negotiations the legitimate 
concerns  faced  by  developing  countries  in  relation  to  trade  adjustment,  including  those 
resulting  from  the  erosion  of  preferences.  The  EU  will  assess  through  its  Sustainable 
Impact  Assessment  (SIA)  the  differentiated  impact  of  trade  liberalisation  amongst 
developing countries. 

•  The  EU  will  work  for  an  outcome  in  the  services  (GATS)  negotiations  that  provide 
meaningful new market access opportunities in sectors and modes of supply important for 
developing  countries,  including  GATS  Mode  4  (dealing  with  foreign  service  supply 
through  the  temporary  movement  of  natural  persons).  The  outcome  of  the  negotiations 
should  respect  the  right  of  developing  countries  to  safeguard  public  services,  and  should 
promote  access  to  technology  and  opportunities  for  investments  in  key  infrastructure 
services such as telecommunications, transport, energy and water-related services, as well 
as in financial services. 

•  The  EU  is  determined  to  give  full  effect  to  the  Doha  Declaration  on  TRIPS  and  Public 
Health  and  the  related  WTO  Decision  of  30  August  2003,  and  will  support  developing 
countries  in  the  implementation  efforts  as  part  of  the  strategy  to  facilitate  access  to 
affordable medicines.  

•  The EU is ready to support the introduction of a system that would oblige patent applicants 

to disclose the source of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. 

•  The EU will support further strengthening of WTO rules, particularly in the areas of anti-
dumping and fishery subsidies which are of particular interest to developing countries.  

•  The  EU  is  committed  to  ensuring  the  development  of  customs  and  trade  facilitation 
measures  in  developing  countries  through  the  DDA  agenda.  Simpler  procedures  could 
facilitate  developing  country  exports,  ease  transit  for  landlocked  countries  and  improve 
revenue collection. 

•  The EU is the main driver in the WTO trade and environment negotiations, which inter alia 
would  involve  the  liberalisation  of  trade  in  environmental  goods  and  services  and 
clarification of trade rules in relation to the environment. 

3.1.2.  Bilateral and unilateral measures 

The EU is strongly committed to ensuring a development-friendly and sustainable outcome of 
the  EU-ACP  Economic  Partnership  Agreements  (EPAs)  (as  well  as  the  negotiations  with 
Mercosur & Central America, the Andean Community and the Mediterranean region).  

The EU will further improve its Generalised System of Preferences, with a view to effectively 
enhancing developing countries‘ exports to the EU.  

The EU will continue to work towards integrating trade into development strategies and will 
assist developing countries in carrying out domestic reforms where necessary. 

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•  The  EU  will  work  towards  concluding  the  negotiations  for  Economic  Partnership 
Agreements  (EPAs)  with  all  six  ACP  regions  by  2007.  Promoting  South-South  trade, 
strengthening  regional  markets  and  integration  are  the  prime  objectives  of  this  process. 
Negotiations  will  take  sustainable  development  aspects  into  account  on  the  basis  of 
Sustainability Impact Assessments.  

•  Implementation of the EPAs will be supported by development cooperation, in particular 
through reinforcing supply-side capacity and competitiveness. In this context, the EU will 
monitor the roll-out of EPA related assistance. EPAs will lock-in reforms in key areas such 
as 
taxation,  employment,  social  and 
environmental policies.  

investment,  customs  and 

trade  facilitation, 

•  The  EU  is  committed  to  addressing  agriculture  as  a  key  area  in  the  EPA  negotiations. 
Access for ACP agricultural products to the EU market will be part of the talks. The EU 
has proposed that ACP market openings will be asymmetrical and progressive. Sufficient 
transition  periods  will  be  granted  which  may  extend  beyond  ten  years  depending  on  the 
development needs of the ACP. In addition, flexibility will be guaranteed by introducing 
appropriate safeguard and food security clauses.  

•  The  EU  is  about  to  conclude  its  review  of  the  tariff  preferences  that  it  grants  under  the 
Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) on an autonomous basis. The new GSP for 2005-
2008 will target countries most in need and will be simpler, more transparent and stable. 
Moreover, 
to  encourage  sustainable 
development  and  good  governance.  The  EU  is  also  examining  possibilities  for 
simplification  and  appropriate  relaxation  of  the  rules  of  origin  applied  in  its  preferential 
trade regimes to target them better to the needs and constraints of developing countries.  

it  will  provide  additional 

tariff  preferences 

•  To strengthen developing countries’ capacities to seize improved trading opportunities, the 
EU will continue to work towards integrating trade into its development strategies, and will 
assist developing countries in carrying out the necessary domestic and structural reforms to 
address supply side constraints and adjustment costs.  

3.2. 

Environment 

It is generally recognised that the world is far from being on track on MDG7, which aims to 
ensure  environmental  sustainability.  More  needs  to  be  done  to  take  environmental  concerns 
into account if the Millennium Development Goals, including MDG7, are to be reached. 

3.2.1. 

Sustainable consumption and production 

The EU will lead global efforts to curb unsustainable consumption and production patterns. 

The  challenge  for  the  EU  is  first  of  all  to  address  the  impact  of  its  own  production  and 
consumption  patterns  on  the  global  environment  (the  EU’s  “footprint”).  Economic  growth 
needs to be de-coupled from environmental degradation. A broad mix of policies and tools to 
promote sustainable consumption and production, addressing both the supply and the demand 
side, is already in place in the EU. 

•  The  EU  is  committed  to  developing  a  10  year  framework  of  programmes  on  sustainable 
consumption and production, globally and at home. The upcoming thematic strategy on the 
sustainable use of natural resources will also contribute to this objective. 

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•  Efforts to reduce the EU global footprint must be pursued and strengthened, especially in 

sectors where trends are worsening. 

3.2.2.  Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)  

The EU will assist developing countries to implement the MEAs, and will work to ensure that 
the capacities of developing countries are taken into account during MEA negotiations. The 
EU will continue to promote pro-poor environment-related initiatives and policies. 

In the context of Multilateral Environmental Agreements developing countries are taking on 
important  obligations.  The  EU  provides  significant  resources  to  help  these  countries  to 
implement  their  commitments  and  understands  the  need  for  MEAs  to  evolve  over  time  as 
developing countries gain experience and the capacity needed to fulfil their obligations. 

•  Developing  countries  are  particularly  vulnerable  to  climate  change.  Global  efforts  to 
reduce  climate  change  -  a  priority  for  the  EU  -  directly  benefit  them.  The  Clean 
Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol should also bring substantial benefits 
to developing countries by increasing resources for sustainable development. 

•  The  EU  aspires  to  a  leading  role  in  the  implementation  of  the  Convention  on  Biological 
Diversity  (CBD)  and  the  World  Summit  on  Sustainable  Development  (WSSD)  target  on 
biodiversity.  The  EU  should  enhance  funding  earmarked  for  biodiversity  and  strengthen 
measures to mainstream biodiversity in development assistance. 

•  In  the  field  of  chemical  safety,  the  EU  will  continue  to  promote  mechanisms  to  protect 
developing countries from hazardous substances and waste, ridding the world of its most 
harmful man-made substances, which are particularly damaging in developing countries. 

3.2.3.  EU Initiatives for Sustainable Development  

•  The  EU  Action  Plan  for  Forest  Law  Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade  (FLEGT) 
promotes  a  licensing  scheme  to  ensure  that  all  timber  exports  to  Europe  are  lawful,  and 
encourages reforms in forest harvesting countries.  

•  The  EU  Water  Initiative  and  ACP-EU  Water  Facility  (funded  under  the  European 
Development  Fund  (EDF)  with  €  500  million)  are  major  contributions  towards  the 
achievement of the MDG and WSSD targets for water and sanitation, within the context of 
an  integrated  approach  to  water  resources  management  at  the  basin  level.  Together  they 
aim to increase the efficiency of EU assistance and close the financing gap for achieving 
the targets.  

•  The EU Energy Initiative and the ACP-EU Energy Facility (proposed to be funded under 
the  EDF  with  €  250  million)  aim  to  facilitate  access  to  modern  energy  services, 
implementing  the  WSSD  commitments  which  established  the  link  between  energy  and 
achieving  the  MDGs.  The  EU  also  supports  the  Johannesburg  Renewable  Energy 
Coalition, a platform for policy co-operation on renewable energy. 

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3.3. 

Security 

3.3.1.  European Security Strategy 

The EU will treat security and development as complementary agendas, with the common aim 
of  creating  a  secure  environment  and  of  breaking  the  vicious  circle  of  poverty,  war, 
environmental degradation and failing economic, social and political structures. 

The European Security Strategy adopted by the European Council in December 2003 argues 
for an integrated approach to conflict prevention and crisis management, as well as to other 
security threats. None of the new threats are purely military, and each needs to be tackled by 
using a mixture of civilian and military instruments. 

•  The EU will enhance consistent and effective implementation of EU/EC external action in 
the  area  of  security  and  development  through  the  promotion  of  an  integrated  policy  and 
instrument mix. 

•  The  EU  will  balance  short-term  responses  to  crises  with  longer-term  strategies,  without 
creating  a  hierarchy  of  policy  areas.  While  strengthening  the  political  dimension  of  its 
partnership, the EU will seek to avoid increasing political conditionality and/or a diversion 
of development resources from the prime development objective of eradicating poverty. 

•  The EU aims to export stability and security to other countries, safeguarding at the same 

time the protection of individual rights and freedoms. 

3.3.2.  Governance, state fragility, conflict prevention 

The  EU  will  enhance  its  policies  in  support  of  good  and  effective  governance  and  the 
prevention of conflict  and  state fragility, including by  strengthening its  response to difficult 
partnerships/failing states. 

The  number  of  states  that  can  be  classified  as  difficult  partnerships,  failing  or  fragile  states 
has  increased  substantially  over  the  last  years,  representing  a  tremendous  challenge  for  the 
international community. The MDGs will not be achieved without progress in these countries, 
which account for nearly 30% of people living on less that one dollar a day8. 

•  The  EU  will  aim  to  contribute  to  improving  governance,  fighting  corruption  and 
transnational organised crime and preventing state fragility and conflict. It will also aim at 
more  consistency  in  defining  its  policies  towards  cooperative  and  non-  cooperative 
financial and tax havens9. 

•  The EU will support the strengthening of early warning systems and institutional capacity 
building  of  partner  countries  and  regional  organisations  to  enable  them  to  engage 
effectively in prevention of state fragility and conflict. Furthermore, the EU will strive for 
improved  analysis  of  state  fragility,  joint  monitoring  and  assessments  of  difficult 
partnerships/failing states.  

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9 

‘Why we need to work more effectively in fragile states’, DFID, January 2005 
See Communication on Preventing and Combating Corporate and Financial Malpractice -COM(2004) 
611, 27.9.2004. 

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•  The EU considers that dialogue between cultures and peoples is an essential component of 
the global strategy towards peaceful coexistence, and therefore towards development. The 
EU  will  aim  to  develop  or  strengthen  intercultural  dialogue  in,  between  and  with 
developing countries within the framework of the existing partnerships. 

•  The  EU  will  actively  contribute  to  ensuring  that  women  are  fully  involved  in  conflict 

resolution and peace building. 

3.3.3.  Arms trade, non-proliferation of weapons and conventional disarmament  

The  EU  will  strengthen  the  control  of  its  arms  exports,  with  the  aim  of  avoiding  that  EU-
manufactured weaponry be used against civilian populations or aggravate existing tensions or 
conflicts in developing countries. 

The EU continues to be one of the world’s leading weapon manufacturers and exporters. This 
raises clear issues of policy coherence, particularly as most of these weapons are actually used 
in developing countries. The EU should hence strengthen the mechanisms designed to control 
transfers of Arms. 

•  The  EU  will  contribute  effectively  to  the  non-proliferation  of  weapons,  focusing 
specifically  on  Small  Arms  and  Light  Weapons  (SALW),  Anti-personnel  Landmines 
(APL)  and  Explosive  Remnants  of  War  (ERW).  These  weapons  can  perpetuate 
humanitarian  crises,  threaten  peace  processes,  fuel  crime  and  terrorism,  put  national  and 
regional  security  at  risk,  undermine  conflict  prevention  programmes  and  adversely  affect 
social and economic rehabilitation and sustainable development. 

•  Against  this  background,  the  EU  should  strengthen  regulation  and  control  of  physical 
exports, licensed overseas production, brokering, transit and transhipment of arms. It will 
step up its efforts as part of the UN Plan of Action on SALW, should consider reinforcing 
the  implementation  of  the  European Code  of  Conduct  on  Transfers  of  Arms  and  support 
negotiations on an International Arms Trade Treaty. 

•  The  EU  will  further  its  support  for  conventional  weapons  disarmament  through  a  wide 
range  of  measures  (local  capacity  building,  weapons  collection  and  destruction,  border 
controls  and  cross-border  co-operation  programmes,  etc.),  which  should  be  both 
specifically targeted as well as be integrated within conflict prevention, crisis management, 
post conflict reconstruction and long term stabilization and development. 

3.4. 

Agriculture 

Agriculture  is  a  key  sector  for  economic  growth,  as  well  as  for  food  security,  in  many 
developing  countries.  The  EU  supports  the  development  of  agriculture  and  rural  areas  in 
developing  countries,  including  through  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Action  Plan  on 
agricultural  commodities.  The  Commission  also  realises  that  international  and  EU  policies 
and  rules,  such  as  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy,  food  aid  disciplines,  and  sanitary  and 
phytosanitary  standards,  must  play  a  positive  role  in  creating  a  supportive  international 
environment  for  agriculture  and  rural  areas  in  developing  countries.  Improving  policy 
coherence for development has also wider dimensions when it comes to issues such as food 
security, rural development, land use, access to land or sustainable use of natural resources. 
These are to be addressed in a coherent, interlinked and global way.  

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The EU will continue its efforts to minimise the level of trade distortion related to its support 
measures  to  the  agricultural  sector,  and  to  facilitate  developing  countries’  agricultural 
development. 

3.4.1.  Common Agricultural Policy 

The  reforms  of  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP)  agreed  in  2003  and  2004,  make  a 
strong  contribution  to  reducing  trade-distorting  effects  of  EU  support  to  agriculture  and 
enhancing  positive  social  and  environmental  effects.  In  order  to  sustain  progress  in  that 
direction and in relation to development concerns: 

•  The  EC  will  complete  the  CAP  reform,  notably  in  the  sugar  sector,  with  a  view  to 
achieving  domestically  an  across-sector  implementation  of  reform  and  improving  CAP 
coherence  with  the  Doha  development  agenda.  The  EU  will  implement  an  Action  Plan 
with accompanying measures for Sugar Protocol ACP countries, aimed at supporting these 
countries in their adaptation to the reform of the EU sugar regime. 

•  In  accordance  with  the  Johannesburg  Plan  of  Implementation,  CAP  is  being  increasingly 
adapted  to  sustainability  goals.  CAP  objectives  include  helping  agriculture  to  fulfil  its 
multifunctional role in society: producing safe and healthy food, contributing to sustainable 
development  of  rural  areas,  and  protecting  and  enhancing  the  status  of  the  farmed 
environment and its biodiversity. 

•  All CAP measures are regularly evaluated on the basis of a rolling plan and CAP reform 
proposals are subject to extensive impact assessments. The Commission is also committed 
to establish a monitoring system of the policy reform in the cotton sector, with a view to 
analysing its impact on production and trade, with a report in 2009. 

•  In  the  context  of  the  DDA  commitment  on  parallel  elimination  of  all  forms  of  export 
subsidies, the EC envisages eliminating export refunds on agricultural and food products. 

3.4.2.  Food Aid 

The EU believes that food aid should not be used as a tool for agricultural surplus disposal, 
with  the  effect  of  depressing  local  production  and  normal  commercial  transactions.  This  is 
fully  reflected  in  its  food  aid  policy,  which  aims  at  sustaining  agricultural  development  in 
developing  countries,  promoting  regional  trade  and  solving  food  crises  without  disrupting 
markets. 

•  To attain developmental goals and to make development policy more efficient, the EU is in 
favour  of  establishing  WTO  disciplines  on  food  aid.  It  has  succeeded  in  including 
disciplines on food aid as a subject for discussion at the DDA (export competition). 

•  The EU also succeeded in opening the re-negotiation of the Food Aid Convention, with a 
view to defining clear and coherent commitments on the part of its members. The EU will 
take all necessary steps to ensure that the new Agreement includes a "code of conduct" on 
food  aid  policies,  which  would  include  practices  with  beneficial  aspects  in  relation  to 
development goals. 

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3.4.3. 

Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary measures 

The  EU  will  actively  assist  developing  countries  in  order  to  facilitate  them  meeting  the 
Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) standards, so as to increase their exports of agricultural and 
fisheries products (including processed products). 

•  The Commission will consider a systematic evaluation of the impact of its SPS measures 
on  developing  countries  and  possible  assistance.  This  will  in  turn  be  used  to  actively 
identify appropriate measures or actions targeted at developing countries. 

•  Because  of  the  perishable  nature  of  food  and  feed  products,  and  the  short-term  supply 
rigidity, a rapid intervention facility to deal with SPS problems should be developed, and 
the appropriate resources should be identified.  

3.5. 

Fisheries 

The  EC  will  continue  to  pay  particular  attention  to  the  development  objectives  of  the 
countries with which the Community will engage into bilateral fisheries agreements. Within 
the  context  of  the  new  EC  policy  on  fisheries  partnership  agreements  with  third  countries, 
which  is  being  implemented  since  2003,  the  EC  will  continue  to  encourage  the  conclusion  of 
fisheries agreements in order to contribute towards rational and sustainable exploitation of the 
surplus of coastal States’ marine resources to the mutual benefit of both parties.  

The EC has started to implement a new policy towards partnerships with third countries in the 
area of fisheries agreements since 2003. Against this background the EU will undertake the 
following actions: 

•  In accordance with the 2002 reform of  the Common  Fisheries Policy (CFP),  the EC will 
progressively transform the previous fisheries access agreements into Fisheries Partnership 
Agreements  (FPAs)10.  All  fisheries  access  agreements  that  involve  the  payment  of  a 
financial contribution by the Community to a third country will be replaced by partnership 
agreements by 2008 at the latest. 

•  Fisheries Partnership Agreements will continue to be established with a view to effectively 
promoting sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources in the partner countries. In the 
negotiations  of  FPAs  the  EC  and  the  concerned  third  country  will  seek  to  ensure  that  an 
ambitious level of efforts are dedicated by the concerned country to promote the rational 
and sustainable exploitation of its resources and to improve its domestic fisheries policies. 
The  EC  will  reinforce  the  linkages  between  the  development  policy  and  the  fisheries 
partnership agreements in order to improve the management of fisheries resources in third 
countries waters and the implementation of a sustainable fisheries policy.  

•  The  EC  will  launch  an  Action  Plan  to  improve  the  quality  and  availability  of  scientific 
advice on fish stocks in non-EU countries’ waters not later than 2006. Improved stock data 
will be used as a basis for future FPA negotiations. 

•  Should the Council of Ministers decide so, the current bilateral approach of FPA may be 

complemented, where appropriate, by a regional approach. 

10 

In conformity with the Council Conclusion of July 2004. 

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•  The  EC  will,  in  the  context  of  WTO,  aim  at  agreeing  a  balanced  multilateral  fisheries 

subsidies regime.  

3.6. 

Social dimension of globalisation, promotion of employment and decent work  

The EU will contribute to strengthening the Social Dimension of Globalisation with a view to 
ensuring maximum benefits for all, both men and women. The EU will promote employment, 
equitable economic growth and decent work for all as a global goal.  

The Report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation called for fair 
globalisation,  which  would  bring  benefits  for  all11.  The  Commission  adopted  a 
Communication on this issue12 in May 2004. The EU is committed to mobilise all its policies, 
including  its  trade,  development  and  external  relations  policies  and  instruments,  to  better 
address  the  globalisation  challenge.  The  EU  will  cooperate  to  this  end  with  national 
authorities and social partners. 

•  The  EU  will  promote  efforts  to  ensure  policy  coherence  between  the  international 
institutions  and  the  dialogue  and  cooperation  between  WTO,  the  Bretton  Woods 
institutions and ILO. 

•  The  EU  will  promote  the  development  of  a  pro-active  approach  to  address  the  social 
consequences  of adjustments and restructuring related to globalisation, including through 
co-operation with the ILO on the impact of trade policy on employment and social issues. 

•  The EU supports the incorporation of employment and decent work13 issues, in particular 
for  young  people,  within  the  forthcoming  review  of  the  MDGs  and  Millennium 
Declaration.  To  this  end,  the  EU  will  in  particular  cooperate  with  UN,  ILO  and  other 
international organisations.  

•  The EU will support initiatives aimed at promoting productive employment, investment in 
human  resources,  redistribution  mechanisms,  social  protection,  gender  equality,  social 
dialogue and effective application of rights at work. This could also involve training and 
volunteering  initiatives  for  young  people  in  order  to  allow  them  to  gain  more  autonomy, 
new experiences and eventually qualify for jobs. 

•  The EU will encourage good governance in the financial, tax and judicial areas.  

•  The EU will enhance its support for Fair Trade, as a tool for sustainable development and 

poverty reduction. 

•  The EU will continue to promote the European strategy on Corporate Social Responsibility 
(CSR)14  as  a  relevant  business  contribution  to  sustainable  development  and  to  poverty 

11 
12 

13 

14 

Report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, February 2004. 
Communication on the Social Dimension of Globalisation - COM(2004) 383, May 2004. The report of 
the World Commission and the Communication were welcomed by the European Council of December 
2004 and by the Employment and Social Affairs Council conclusions of March 2005. 
The concept of decent work encompasses the promotion of (productive) employment, social protection, 
rights  at  work  (including  Core  Labour  Standards)  and  the  strengthening  of  social  dialogue  such  as 
supporting capacity building initiatives for employer's organisations and workers.  
COM(2002) 347. 

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reduction. Special attention will be given to better defining the development dimension of 
CSR, with respect to (a) the implementation of the major international environmental and 
social conventions, (b) the supply-chain in developing countries and (c) the participation of 
non-EU stakeholders. 

•  In  promoting  CSR,  Commission  and  Member  States  should  consider  making  access  to 
public procurement conditional on adherence to and compliance with the OECD guidelines 
for multinational enterprises. 

3.7.  Migration 

The EU will promote the synergies between migration and development, to make migration a 
positive factor for development. 

The EU will continue to foster its positive approach towards the migration and development 
nexus,  building  on  the  principles  set  out  in  the  Communication  on  Migration  and 
Development  of  December  200215.  Further  proposals  in  this  area  will  be  contained  in  a 
Communication to be presented later this year. They will draw on best practices and should 
address the following issues in particular: 

•  The  EU  will  promote  well-managed 

international 
development of an EU policy on economic migration16. 

labour  migration 

through 

the 

•  The EU will seek to promote – in cooperation with relevant international organisations and 
agencies  –  cheap  and  secure  channels  for  private  migrant  remittances,  and  will  explore 
mechanisms to create opportunities for these private financial flows to act as a catalyst for 
development-oriented investments. 

•  The  EU  will  also  elaborate  further  –  in  cooperation  with  relevant  international 
organisations and agencies – how to turn ‘brain drain’ into ‘brain gain’17. As a part of this 
approach,  it  will  encourage  EU  Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders  to  refrain  from 
‘active recruitment’ in sectors that are key to societies and the further development of third 
countries,  including  the  medical  and  research  sectors  in  under-serviced  regions  in  those 
developing countries that suffer from significant shortages. 

•  The  EU  will  explore  the  possibilities  of  supporting  and  strengthening  the  efforts  of 
transnational communities to  promote the socio-economic  development of their countries 
of origin, also by fostering circular migration (e.g. through an appropriate visa policy). 

•  The EU will explore ways to enhance the development impact of South-South migration, 

including though its development assistance. 

15 
16 
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EN 

COM(2002) 703. 
Green Paper on an EU approach to managing economic migration - COM(2004) 811. 
Examples 
Development that offers various international mobility schemes taking account of this challenge. 

the  Community  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Technological 

include 

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3.8. 

Research and innovation 

The  EU  will  promote  the  integration  of  development  objectives,  where  appropriate,  into  its 
RTD  and  Innovation  policies,  and  will  continue  to  assist  developing  countries  in  enhancing 
their domestic capacities in this area.  

Innovation  is  a  main  driver  of  improved  human  welfare.  Improving  economic,  social  and 
environmental  conditions  of  developing  countries  is  a  knowledge  intensive  process  that 
benefits  from  the  support  of  research.  The  EU  supports  research  in  developing  countries, 
through  its  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Technological  Development.  In  this 
context; 

•  The EU will collaborate with developing countries in order for them (a) to promote science 
and  technology,  and  the  role  of  small  and  medium  enterprises  in  this  endeavour;  (b)  to 
improve their research, technological and higher education infrastructure; (c) to boost their 
human  resource  S&T  capacities  through  various  international  mobility  schemes  while 
avoiding  “brain-drain”;  and  (d)  to  earmark  resources  to  higher  education  for  youngsters, 
especially girls. 

•  The EU will continue building the European Research Area and enhance its international 
dimension to serve development priorities. The EU will continue to support collaborative 
research  on  priority  problems  of  developing  countries.  The  numerous  MDG-related 
projects  funded  through  EU  Member  States  and  the  Community  Research  Framework 
Programme,  as  well  as  other  related  research  efforts  (e.g.  research  component  of  the  EU 
Water  Initiative),  aim  at  strengthening  co-ordination,  developing  new  partnerships  and 
increasing the impact of on-going and future knowledge-intensive actions, while providing 
scientific underpinning to new challenges.  

•  The  EU  will  encourage  where  appropriate  the  integration  of  development  issues  into  the 
various  Technology  Platforms  and  Partnerships  (forestry,  biotechnologies,  water  supply 
and sanitation, health research, etc.) with a view to increasing mutual benefits for Europe 
and  developing  countries,  as  initiated  through  the  European  and  Developing  countries 
Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the Global Animal Health Technology Platform. 

•  The EU will support initiatives to improve access to and use of earth observation data to 
enhance planning and inform development policy-making in developing countries. In this 
context,  the  incorporation  of  the  African  States  in  GEOSS  will  directly  benefit  their 
development policies. 

•  The  EU  will  support  capacity  building  at  the  local  and  regional  level  through  integrated 
research,  demonstration  and  training  activities  involving  relevant  stakeholders  from  both 
developing and developed countries, in particular in the context of the cooperation between 
UN-HABITAT and the European Commission. 

3.9. 

Information society 

The EU will address the digital divide by exploiting the potential of ICTs as a development 
tool and as a significant resource for attaining the MDGs. 

Information  and  Communication  Technologies  (ICTs)  are  pervasive  in  all  socio-economic 
sectors. ICTs contribute to a more efficient delivery of public services. They foster economic 
growth,  enhance  good  governance  and  play  an  important  role  in  the  promotion  of  public 

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interest  objectives  such  as  cultural  diversity.  In  the  context  of  its  ICT  policy  the  EU  will 
undertake the following actions.  

•  The  EU  will  provide  technical  assistance  in  the  regulatory  field  by  promoting  capacity 
building, supporting regional regulatory harmonisation, setting up dialogue on e-strategies 
and  exchanging  best  practices  and  benchmarking,  including  through  the  setting  up  of 
stakeholders networks. 

•  To  effectively  promote  universal  access  to  ICTs,  notably  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa,  the  EU 
will  consider  supporting  nationally  owned  strategies  that  add  public-sector  resources  to 
private sector investments. In the context of these strategies, the EU will also promote ICT 
applications such as e-Inclusion, e-Government, e-Learning, e-Health and e-Business. 

•  The EU has opened its Research and Development Framework Program to participation by 
developing  countries,  also  in  Information  Society  projects.  This  allows  for  testing  of 
innovative  pilot  projects  and  scaling-up  up  of  the  most  successful  local  initiatives,  and 
facilitates extension of networks for education and research. 

3.10.  Transport 

The EU will address the special needs of both land-locked and coastal developing countries 
by  promoting  the  intermodality  issues  for  achieving  network  interconnectivity  as  well  as 
security and safety issues. 

The EU will enhance its support to sustainable multi-modal  transport  systems  that  underpin 
regional  integration  strategies  and  regional  trade,  building  on  the  principles  set  out  in  the 
European Transport Policy for 2010 and the Almaty Programme of Action of August 2003. 
Through its transport policy the EU will assist developing countries in the following ways: 

•  The EU will continue to work and assert its influence in international organisations (such 
as  the  International  Maritime  Organisations  and  the  International  Civil  Aviation 
Organisation)  for  effective  and  efficient  air  and  maritime  transport  services,  in  a  safe, 
secure and clean environment that supports sustainable development and regional trade. 

•  The EU will maintain its support to the International Labour Organisation in its promotion 
of  equitable  employment  conditions  for  seafarers  including  in  the  context  of  the 
consolidated  Convention  on  the  Maritime  Labour  Standards,  which  should  be  adopted 
early in 2006.  

•  The EU will enhance its support to international, regional and sub-regional organisations to 

deal with the issue of transit transport facilitation. 

•  The  EU  will  continue  its  support  to  improving  the  security  of  the  international  logistical 
chain, as well as to improving transport security and safety by promoting, at bilateral and 
regional  level,  the  alignment  of  laws  of  developing  countries  with  international  maritime 
and aviation safety and security legislation. 

•  The EU will examine possibilities for extending to developing countries the benefits of the 

European satellite navigation system Galileo. 

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3.11.  Energy 

The EU is strongly committed to contribute to the special  needs  of developing countries  by 
promoting  access 
to  sustainable  energy  sources  and  by  supporting  establishing 
interconnection of energy infrastructures and networks. 

Sustainable,  high-quality,  reliable  and  affordable  access  to  adequate  energy  sources  is 
essential,  both  for  those  currently  without  access  to  energy  services,  and  for  the  future 
productivity  increases  and  economic  development  needed  to  accommodate  the  forecast 
population growth and urbanisation in developing countries. Through its energy policy the EU 
should take the following commitments: 

•  The EU will promote institutional support, technical assistance and networking to give the 
beneficiary  countries  the  capacities  to  implement  their  energy  choices,  e.g.  by  the 
instrument  of  twinning  operations,  which  would  strengthen  the  administrative  and 
regulatory capacities of these countries or/and ad hoc technical assistance mechanisms. 

•  The EU will help developing an appropriate regulatory framework and innovative financial 
mechanisms in order to promote investments in clean technologies in the context of public-
private partnerships. 

•  The  EU  will  enhance  encouraging  regional  cooperation 

in  order 

to  establish 

interconnection of energy infrastructures. 

•  The  EU  will  promote  that  energy  is  integrated  as  a  general  component  of  development 
strategies, including poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs). Programmes and projects 
in the energy sector should systematically include energy efficiency objectives. 

4. 

IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING 

In  December  2004,  in  the  context  of  achieving  the  MDGs,  the  European  Council  called  for 
further  strengthening  of  policy  coherence  for  development  ‘by  making  wider  and  more 
systematic use of existing mechanisms for consultation and impact assessment and procedures 
to screen all relevant policies for their impact on developing countries’18.  

As a follow-up to this statement the EU will, inter alia, look at the existing assessment and 
screening  mechanisms  applied  within  the  European  Commission,  and  consider  expanding 
their approach – in an appropriately adapted format - to the Council and European Parliament. 

In  the  same  spirit  of  strengthening  policy  coherence  for  development,  the  Commission  will 
look  into  ways  and  means  to  further  reinforce  its  existing  instruments,  notably  its  Impact 
Assessment  tool.  The  Commission  will  ensure  that  its  assessment  methods  are  gender 
sensitive and thus measure impact of policies on both women and men. 

The challenge of improving impact screening should be addressed at both the political and the 
technical 
the  area  of  development  cooperation  various  consultation 
arrangements exist to enhance exchange of information and impact analysis and to strengthen 

level.  Within 

18 

European Council Conclusions, December 2004. 

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mutual  co-operation  with  the  aim  of  fostering  policy  coherence  for  development19.  The  EU 
will  consider  reinforcing  and  broadening  these  experiences,  with  the  aim  to  ensuring  that 
policy  coherence  for  development  becomes  the  business  not  just  of  development  policy 
makers but also of policy makers in non-development policy areas.  

As  a  practical  way  forward,  the  Commission  proposes  to  monitor  progress  on  the  EU 
coherence commitments in the context of MDGs.  

EU Coherence for Development Report 

To  further  enhance  EU  policy  coherence  in  the  specific  context  of  supporting  the  MDGs,  the 
Commission  will  compile  a  mid-term  EU  Policy  Coherence  for  Development  Report,  between  now 
and the next international MDG Review, where progress on the coherence commitments proposed in 
this Communication will be reviewed.  

19 

Examples  are  the  informal  EU  PCD  network  and  other  specific  working  arrangements  such  as  the 
Agriculture,  Trade  and  Development  network  and  the  intra-sectoral  collaboration  on  the  EU  Action 
Plan on Agricultural Commodities. 

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ANNEX 1 - ACRONYMS 

ACP 

CAP 

CBD 

CFP 

African, Caribbean and Pacific 

Common Agricultural Policy 

Convention of Biological Diversity 

Common Fisheries Policy 

DDA 

Doha Development Agenda 

EC 

EDF 

European Community 

European Development Fund 

EPAs 

Economic Partnership Agreements 

FLEGT 

Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade 

FPA 

Fisheries Partnership Agreements 

GAERC 

General Affairs & External Relations Council 

GATS 

General Agreement on Tariffs, Trade and Services 

GSP 

ICTs 

ILO 

Generalised System of Preferences 

Information and Communication Technologies 

International Labour Organization 

LDCs 

Least Developed Countries 

MDGs 

Millennium Development Goals 

MEAs 

Multilateral Environmental Agreements 

OECD 

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 

PCD 

Policy coherence for development 

SALW 

Small Arms and Light Weapons 

SDT 

SPS 

TRA 

Special and Differential Treatment 

Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary 

Trade Related Assistance 

TRIPS 

Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights 

WSSD 

World Summit on Sustainable Development 

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