Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions - A twelve-point EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals {SEC(2010) 418} {SEC(2010) 419} {SEC(2010) 420} {SEC(2010) 421} {SEC(2010) 422}
Date: 2010-04-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: AIDS, development plan, development policy, environmental protection, hunger, infant mortality, international cooperation, poverty, primary education, sexual discrimination

EN 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 21.4.2010 
COM(2010)159 final 

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

A twelve-point EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals 

{SEC(2010) 418} 
{SEC(2010) 419} 
{SEC(2010) 420} 
{SEC(2010) 421} 
{SEC(2010) 422} 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

2.5. 

2.6. 

2.7. 

2.8. 

2.9. 

2010 a key year for action and accountability ............................................................. 3 

EU Action to speed up progress on the MDGs ............................................................ 4 

A credible pathway to delivering aid commitments in 2015 ....................................... 4 

Using aid effectively: better leverage of ODA, better value for aid ............................ 5 

A European MDG fast track ........................................................................................ 6 

A proactive Work Programme on Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) ........... 8 

Mobilising domestic resources through better taxation ............................................... 8 

Enhancing regional integration and trade to boost growth and jobs............................ 9 

Using Innovative sources of financing to tackle global challenges ........................... 10 

The test case of climate change.................................................................................. 10 

Development and security.......................................................................................... 11 

2.10.  Global governance architecture.................................................................................. 11 

3. 

The way forward ........................................................................................................ 12 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
 
1. 

2010 A KEY YEAR FOR ACTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY 

The  Commission  recently  set  out  in  the  2020  Strategy  its  vision  for  the  EU  in  the  years 
ahead1. Within that context, EU Development policy will focus on a renewed effort to reach 
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. 

Ten  years  ago,  world  leaders  agreed  to  take  decisive  action  to  combat  world  poverty  in  its 
different dimensions. Using time-bound and measurable targets, they agreed that by 2015:  

–  Poverty and hunger should be reduced by one half,  

–  Full primary education for all should be ensured,  

–  Gender disparity should be eliminated,  

–  Maternal  and  child  mortality  should  be  reduced  by  two  thirds  and  three  quarters 

respectively, 

–  The  spread  of  HIV/AIDS  and  incidence  of  malaria  and  other  major  diseases  should  be 

halted, 

–  Environmental sustainability should be ensured, 

–  A Global Partnership for Development should be developed. 

The  MDGs  constitute  the  first  ever  set  of  shared  development  goals  at  international  level. 
They have contributed to build an unprecedented level of consensus and should continue to 
guide and mobilise international support. They emphasise the importance of a Human Rights 
based approach to development. 

With only five years remaining before the agreed 2015 deadline, world leaders will gather in 
New York on 20-22 September 2010 for the UN MDG Review High Level Plenary Meeting 
(HLPM). Their aim is to ensure a comprehensive review of successes and gaps, and agree on 
concrete action to speed up progress. 

The present situation is patchy. Progress has varied greatly both between MDGs and between 
regions,  with  economic  growth,  good  governance  and  quality  of  domestic  policies  as  key 
variables  for  progress.  Globally,  there  has  been  strong  and  sustained  progress  in  reducing 
extreme  poverty  as  well  as  on  other  goals  such  as  universal  primary  education,  gender 
equality in primary education and access to water. But, around 1.4 billion people still live in 
extreme poverty (51% of them in Sub-Saharan Africa) and one sixth of the world’s population 
is  undernourished.  There  has  been  almost  no  progress  in  reducing  maternal  and  child 
mortality and prospects for access to sanitation are also bleak. 

Indeed, as 2010 is the ‘European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion’, the challenge of 
poverty  does  not  stop  at  the  EU’s  borders,  nor  can  its  solution  be  found  only  inside  those 
borders.  The  recent  succession  of  global  crises has  shown  how  interconnected  the  world  is: 
financial crises, pandemics, climate change affect all countries, often with greatest effects in 

1 

COM(2010) 2020. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
poor  countries.  To  build  a  secure  environment  for  all,  globalisation  has  to  become  more 
sustainable and equitable. 

Promoting development is thus part and parcel of Europe’s reply to today’s global challenges. 
2010 is a ‘year of opportunity’ for the EU, at all levels, and its partners to make a revitalised 
and concerted effort to achieve the MDGs. It is also a ‘year of accountability’, with a number 
of intermediary targets and milestones set for the MDGs, including those in the EU Agenda 
for Action2, and for official development assistance.  

Last year, the EU agreed on a series of actions to support developing countries in coping with 
the  crisis3.  Many  of  these  have  already  been  or  are  being  implemented4,  such  as  the 
Vulnerability  Flex  mechanism.  Others  are  revived  hereunder.  This  is  not  just  about 
distributing  aid:  it  is  about  mutual  trust  in  a  global  partnership.  MDG  8  singles  out  the 
importance  of  strengthened  international  cooperation  that  is  needed  to  reach  all  the  other 
MDGs. The EU will continue to be a driving force for global development by showing how 
its promises are kept. The EU has every interest to ensure that a strong political and financial 
focus on the MDGs is maintained in the policies of donors and partner  countries alike. The 
entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty marks a new era in EU Development policy, with the EU 
and its Member States set to coordinate their policies more closely. 

This  Communication  presents  an  EU  action  plan  with  a  number  of  specific  medium-term 
actions  in  support  of  the  MDGs.  It  is  accompanied  by  five  Staff  Working  Documents5, 
respectively on the MDGs, Aid Effectiveness, Financing for Development, Aid for Trade and 
the  Policy  Coherence  for  Development  Work  Programme  2010-2013,  which  provide  more 
details  on  the  various  proposals  contained  in  this  Communication.  This  EU  action  plan  is 
intended to: 

–  Constitute a unified EU contribution to a UN action oriented outcome on MDGs for 2010-

2015; 

–  Provide a basis for outreach and dialogue, before and beyond the HLPM, with our key and 
strategic  partners,  whether  in  the  G8/G20  context,  or  in  fora  such  as  the  Asia-Europe 
Development  Conference  Meeting  (26-27  May  2010),  the  EU  –  LAC  Summit  (18  May 
2010), and the 3rd Africa-EU Summit (29-30 November 2010); 

–  Feed into the Europe 2020 strategy. 

The following actions are proposed for the EU and Member States. 

2. 

EU ACTION TO SPEED UP PROGRESS ON THE MDGS 

2.1. 

A credible pathway to delivering aid commitments in 2015 

Official  Development  Assistance  (ODA)  is  essential  for  development.  The  crisis  has  shown 
that  it  often  functioned  as  a  safety  net,  proving  a  stable  source  of  financing  at  a  time  when 

2 
3 
4 
5 

Council Conclusions 11096/08, 24.6.2008. 
COM(2009) 160 and Council Conclusions 10018/09, 18.5.2009. 
See the Commission Staff Working Document on Financing for Development - SEC(2010) 420. 
SEC(2010) 418; SEC(2010) 419; SEC(2010) 420; SEC(2010) 421 and SEC(2010) 422. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
                                                 
private flows diminished. This allowed developing countries to maintain basic social services, 
general functioning of the state and to generate basic economic activity. As such it is a good 
investment in regional and global stability. 

The EU remains collectively by far the world’s biggest donor, providing almost 56% of global 
assistance. EU ODA has almost doubled since the adoption of the MDGs, amounting to €49 
billion in 2009. Although a decrease from 2008 levels, it corresponds to 0.42%of EU GNI and 
is a strong outcome compared to other major donors, despite tight budget situations in most 
Member  States.  Nevertheless,  the  EU  is  behind  the  schedule  to  reach  the  collective  EU 
intermediate  target  of  0.56%  of  GNI  by  2010,  as  a  step  towards  devoting  by  2015  0.7%  of 
GNI to ODA.  

Back-loading aid increases would mean back-loading progress on the MDGs. In the current 
financial  and  economic  crisis,  it  may  not  be  easy  to  keep  our  collective  promises  to  devote 
0.7% of our GNI to ODA by 2015, and to direct 50% of the ODA increase to Africa, but it is 
still feasible and necessary. It is a question of foresight and political will. All donors need to 
contribute to the common goal on the basis of fair global and EU internal burden-sharing. At 
the UN HLPM, the EU needs to show how it will keep its promises, proving that developing 
countries  can  trust  us.  This  includes  tackling  new  global  challenges  by  providing  financing 
from resources additional to ODA. 

(1) 

On ODA: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Call for fair international burden-sharing with other international donors – including 
emerging – to raise their level of ambition in line with that of the EU; 

Establish realistic, verifiable annual action plans for reaching individual targets6 and 
publish the first plans before September 2010; 

Strengthen  EU  accountability  mechanism:  based  on  Member  States’  annual  action 
plans  and  the  Commission’s  monitoring  report,  the  Council  should  hold  an  EU-
internal  ‘ODA  Peer  Review’  and  report  the results  to  the  European  Council.  These 
action  plans  need  to  outline  at  least  the  planned  ODA  spending  for  the  next 
budgetary year and estimates for the remaining years until 2015; 

Consider enacting national legislation for setting ODA targets, based on experience 
in Belgium or the United Kingdom. 

2.2. 

Using aid effectively: better leverage of ODA, better value for aid 

Estimates7 point to possible efficiency gains of between € 3 and € 6 billion annually if the EU 
and Member States were to better implement the aid effectiveness principles they have agreed 
to  in  the  Paris  Declaration  and  the  Accra  Agenda  for  Action.  The  EU  has  to  step  up 
implementation  of  these  commitments  in  order  to  show  concrete  results  ahead  of  the  fourth 

6 

7 

0.33%  of  GNI  for  the  Member  States  that  joined  the  EU  since  2004;  0.7%  of  GNI  for  the  other  EU 
countries,  while  Member  States  which  have  achieved  that  target  commit  themselves  to  remain  above 
that level. The Commission Staff Working Document on Financing for Development outlines different 
options for going forward, SEC(2010) 420, chapter 4.5. 
Study  commissioned  by  the  European  Commission,  ‘Aid  Effectiveness:  Benefits  of  a  European 
Approach’, HTSPE Limited, October 2009. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
High  Level  Forum  on  Aid  Effectiveness  in  Seoul  in  2011.  Coordinating  European  actions 
upstream has more impact than taking corrective measures downstream. 

(2) 

On Aid effectiveness: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Progressively  bring  together  the  timing  of  national  and  EU  programming  cycles  at 
partner  country  level  by  2013  and  use  the  joint  programming  framework  to  share 
development  priorities  and  objectives  in  developing  countries  to  avoid  duplication 
and overlap; 

Use the common timing and build upon the joint programming framework to develop 
European country strategy papers and multi-annual programmes, as has been done by 
the EU for Haiti, thus  meeting our commitment  to  deliver on aid  effectiveness and 
predictability to partner countries; 

Within the existing Aid Effectiveness Operational Framework, improve EU Division 
of  Labour  not  just  in,  but  also  across  recipient  countries  (notably  by  ensuring  its 
neutral impact on aid volumes, addressing the orphan's gap issue8, and introducing a 
systematic  process  for  sharing  information);  and  establish  a  common  EU  approach 
for  implementing  commitments  on  mutual  accountability  and  transparency,  to  be 
then promoted broadly; 

Encourage  other  donors  –  including  emerging  –  to  apply  the  aid  effectiveness 
agenda.  

2.3. 

A European MDG fast track 

2.3.1.  Targeting the most MDG off-track countries 

To support achieving the MDGs, the EU should pay particular attention to the goals furthest 
from  being  achieved.  However,  the  MDGs  must  not  be  seen  as  a  collection  of  separate 
sectoral  targets  and  indicators.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  interconnected  and  mutually 
reinforcing and should be addressed as such. 

While  the  EU  must  be  active  in  all  developing  countries,  action  must  be  prioritised  in 
countries where most progress is to be made. Targeted interventions should focus on the most 
vulnerable, including women, children and people with disabilities, through support to wide-
coverage social protection systems which are a key element of social cohesion and stability. 

Poverty prospects are of particular concern in least developed countries (LDCs) and countries 
in  situations  of  fragility9.  Fragile  states  have  made  considerably  less  progress  towards  the 
MDGs than other developing countries, and many of them are also ‘aid orphans’. To rectify 
this, donors should do more and in a more coordinated way in fragile states10.  

(3) 

On fragile states and most off-track countries: 

8 
9 
10 

So-called ‘aid orphans’ are countries with few active international donors and low aid levels. 
SEC(2007) 1417 and Council Conclusions 15118/07, 20.11.2007. 
European  Report  on  Development  2009,  ‘Overcoming  fragility  in  Africa  –  Forging  a  new  European 
approach’, http://erd.eui.eu/erd-2009. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
                                                 
– 

– 

Ensure EU coordination mechanisms for taking decisions and organising the division 
of labour in fragile states in the short term. This has started with Haiti; 

Keeping  an  appropriate  balance  between  rewarding  performance  and  responding  to 
needs,  re-allocate  funding  to  the  most-off  track  countries,  taking  into  account 
national policies and capacities. At EU level, the Commission will propose this in the 
framework of the 2010 mid term review of ACP programmes, as well as propose to 
increase country allocation for the period 2011-2013 in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

2.3.2.  Targeting the most off-track MDGs 

Reviews  of  five  crucial  sectors  for  the  MDGs  have  recently  been  proposed,  namely  for 
health11, education12, humanitarian food assistance13, food security14 and gender15. These are 
an integral part of the overall EU action plan to foster progress towards the MDGs.  

As an overarching principle, the EU and Member States should always use as a first option 
partner countries’ own strategies and systems16 in order to strengthen country ownership. This 
should preferably be done through Budget Support and MDG Contract type of programmes.. 
If aid is delivered outside of country systems, the reason should be transparently stated, and 
capacity development for improving the quality of country systems should be supported. 

(4) 

On improving the impact of policies in key sectors: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 

In education and health, concentrate EU and Member States action in those countries 
where need is greatest and sustainable policies can be supported. The list of priority 
countries will be prepared ahead of September; 

In health, through enhanced policy coherence and further EU political and financial 
involvement  in  the  ‘Global  Fund  to  fight  Aids  Tuberculosis  &  Malaria’  and  the 
‘Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation’, ensure that they act as a platform 
for  aid  effectiveness,  adhere  to  the  International  Health  Partnership  principles  and 
contribute to strengthening of health systems; 

In  education,  increase  support  for  national  education  sector  plans  that  will  achieve 
quality education, through bilateral and multilateral channels as well as through the 
Education For All Fast Track Initiative; 

Address all aspects of food security, focusing on ecologically efficient agriculture, on 
smallholder farmers, supporting sustainable national and regional policies (including 
through  increased  financial  support  to  the  ‘Comprehensive  Africa  Agriculture 
Development  Programme’  and accelerated  implementation  of  the  African  Land 
Policy  Guidelines),  and promoting  better  integration  of  nutrition,  particularly  in 
South Asia; 

COM(2010) 128. 
SEC(2010) 121. 
COM (2010) 126. 
COM(2010) 127. 
SEC(2010) 265. 
In  particular  for  public  financial  management,  accounting,  auditing,  procurement,  results  frameworks 
and monitoring. 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
                                                 
– 

– 

Improve the accountability and monitoring of gender equality through the use of the 
OECD  policy  marker  in  all  MDG-related  actions  (with  a  view  to  applying  it  to  at 
least 80% of EU and Member States’ actions); 

Continue to prioritise actions to tackle Global health, agriculture and Food security 
within the EU research framework programmes. 

2.3.3.  Fostering ownership of MDGs in partner countries 

Success  stories  all  point  to  the  importance  of  strong  local  political  engagement.  To  foster 
ownership  by  the  populations  concerned,  donors’  actions  need  to  also  acknowledge  the 
cultural dimension of the development process. 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  must  continue  to  encourage  and  support  country-led 
approaches  for  deciding  priority  investments  in  support  of  the  MDGs,  as  well  as  adapting 
targets  and  indicators  to  country  contexts.  MDG  ownership  should  be  seen  as  part  of  the 
wider  governance  commitments  taken  by  partner  countries,  and  part  and  parcel  of  the  EU 
dialogue  with  them.  High  quality  statistical  data  is  crucial  to  monitor  progress  towards  the 
MDGs at country level, and also to stimulate public accountability and provide the basis for 
rational  policies  and  decision  making,  macro-economic  management  and  the  efficient 
allocation  of  resources.  The  problem  of  the  lack  of  reliable,  accurate  data  to  track  MDG 
progress is particularly acute in Africa.  

(5) 

On enhanced ownership: 

– 

– 

Use  the  Africa-EU  Partnership  on  MDGs  as  a  platform  to  enhance  regional 
coordination  of  MDG  monitoring  in  Africa,  working  together  with  regional 
organisations; 

Promote  the  inclusion  of  MDG  targets  in  developing  countries’  own  development 
strategies. 

2.4. 

A proactive Work Programme on Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) 

The  EU  also  supports  MDGs  by  making  other  policies  beyond  aid  more  supportive  of 
development objectives. Over the last five years, the EU has put in place ex ante and ex post 
mechanisms to this end, including impact assessments which look into the external impact of 
policy  proposals17.  The  PCD  Work  Programme18  sets  concrete  targets  and  indicators  of 
progress  to  implement  the  EU  commitments  on  PCD  across  a  whole  range  of  policies 
impacting  the  following  five  global  challenges:  trade  and  finance,  climate  change,  food 
security, migration, and security.  

(6) 

On Policy Coherence for development: 

– 

17 
18 

Use  the  PCD  Work  Programme  proactively  and  early  on  as  a  tool  to  guide  EU 
decision-making  on  the  broad  range  of  decisions  that  affect  developing  countries 
beyond development assistance. 

SEC(2007) 1202, SEC(2009) 1137, and Council conclusions 16079/09, 18.11.2009. 
SEC (2010) 421. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2.5.  Mobilising domestic resources through better taxation19  

External aid alone cannot drive any country to build a prosperous society. Partner countries’ 
own  resources  are  essential  for  their  development  because  they  increase  state  legitimacy, 
enhance ownership of development policies, and are a stable financing source for provision of 
public goods and meeting the MDGs.  

With a view to significantly raising their tax to GDP ratio20, EU support to the setting up of 
sustainable  fiscal  and  customs  systems  in  developing  countries  should  be  strengthened 
through  a  comprehensive  approach  to  tax  and  customs  administration  and  reforms.  Donors 
should  support  multilateral  and  regional  initiatives,  work  towards  a  transparent,  cooperative 
and  fair  international  tax  environment,  strengthen  monitoring  capacities  in  developing 
countries  to  fight  illicit  financial  flows,  customs  frauds  and  support  the  conclusion  and 
implementation  of  relevant  agreements.  Developing  countries  also  need  to  be  enabled  to 
participate more effectively in international tax and customs cooperation. Improved domestic 
revenue  collection  should  help  plug  the  financing  gaps  for  the  most  off-track  MDGs  at 
country level.  

(7) 

On Tax and development: 

– 

– 

Strengthen the capacities of developing countries for domestic revenue mobilisation 
through tax reforms and administration. Increase capacity of customs administration 
of  developing  countries  to  contribute  effectively  to  national  development  goals. 
Enhance  support  for  initiatives  that  promote  revenue  transparency  and  domestic 
accountability, such as the ‘Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade’ and the 
‘Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’ and improve donor coordination; 

Promote  good  governance  in  tax  matters  and  support  fight  against  tax  evasion 
through  international  standards,  cooperation  to  facilitate  the  conclusion  and 
implementation of agreements such as Tax Information Exchange Agreements and, 
where  appropriate,  Double  Taxation  Conventions,  adoption  and  implementation  of 
the OECD transfer pricing guidelines in developing countries and ongoing research 
on country-by-country reporting standard for multi-national corporations. 

2.6. 

Enhancing regional integration and trade to boost growth and jobs 

Regional  integration  increases  political  stability  and  economic  prosperity.  It  helps  countries 
provide public goods that are essential for sustainable development, thereby contributing both 
directly and indirectly to the MDGs. The EU champions regional integration both politically 
and financially in its external relations.  

Participation in international trade is a major source of the resources needed for developing 
countries to achieve the MDGs, and must be part of any successful development strategy.  

For  this,  the  EU  continues  to  pursue  a  development  friendly  design  of  international  trade 
rules,  and  to  support  partner  countries’  capacity  to  participate  in  global  and  regional  trade, 
including through the promotion of Economic Partnership Agreements. In line with MDG 8, 
the EU provides special trade preferences for developing countries, including completely free 

19 
20 

COM(2010) 163. 
From the current very low level of around 15% on average. 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
                                                 
access to the EU market for everything but arms from LDCs. In addition, the EU continues to 
ensure that EU bilateral agreements avoid clauses which may undermine access to medicines 
by developing countries. 

The  EU  and  Member  States  also  fulfilled  their  collective  commitment  to  spend  €2  billion 
annually  on  Trade  Related  Assistance,  well  ahead  of  the  2010  target  date.  In  addition,  they 
extensively support productive capacity and trade related infrastructure  – in 2008 their  total 
Aid for Trade exceeded €10 billion, a ve ry significant increase from 2007.  

The  EU  should  build  on  this  success,  give  more  attention  to  the  LDCs  and  work  more 
strategically and effectively together, as outlined in the respective Staff Working Paper.  

(8) 

On Regional integration and trade: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Increase  support  to  the  development  of  the  private  sector,  notably  through 
mechanisms  such  as  the  ACP  Investment  Facility  and  the  EU-Africa  Infrastructure 
Trust Fund; 

In  the  framework  of  the  review  of  the  European  Investment  Bank’s  (EIB)  external 
mandate, strengthen the capacity of the EIB to support EU development objectives, 
and promote effective blending of grants and loans in third countries; 

Persist  in  working  for  a  conclusion  of  the  Doha  Round,  and  continue  to  work  on 
bilateral and regional trade agreements that take into account and properly reflect the 
different needs of partner countries, including Economic Partnership Agreements; 

Advance  further  in  the  delivery  of  Aid  for  Trade,  enhancing  efforts  for  LDCs,  and 
aid  effectiveness  and  in  particular  reach  an  agreement  on  regional  Aid  for  Trade 
packages for the ACP before the end of 2010. 

2.7. 

Using Innovative sources of financing to tackle global challenges 

Following the economic crisis, and to tackle growing global challenges including the MDGs, 
budgets  and  private  investments  alone  may  not  be  able  to  deliver  the  resources  needed.  To 
provide additional funds in a predictable and stable manner, we also need to fully exploit the 
potential of innovative financing.  

Several  innovative  mechanisms  already  build  on  public-private  partnerships  and  markets  to 
provide  a  good  addition  to  existing  resources  and  mechanisms  for  supporting  development. 
Other  options  are  currently  being  explored  in  various  fora,  including  the  Leading  Group  on 
Innovative Financing to Fund Development. The Commission services have also analysed the 
revenue-creating potential of various mechanisms21. 

Globalisation  has  generated  great  benefits  for  the  world  economy,  but  the  poorest  countries 
have  not  exploited  all  these  opportunities  yet.  Distribution  of  the  new  revenues  needs  to 
rectify this.  

(9) 

On innovative financing: 

21 

SEC(2010) 409. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
                                                 
– 

Support  proposals  for  innovative  financing  mechanisms  with  significant  revenue 
generation  potential,  with  a  view  to  ensuring  predictable  financing  for  sustainable 
development, especially towards the poorest and most vulnerable countries22. 

2.8. 

The test case of climate change 

Climate change is a massive collective challenge and it affects progress on all MDGs.  

The EU is committed to support developing countries in adopting and implementing adequate 
adaptation  and/or  mitigation  strategies.  This  is  done  through  strengthening  climate  change 
considerations in the development policies, facilitating access of developing countries to low-
carbon  and  climate  resilient  technologies  respectful  of  intellectual  property  rights,  together 
with  strengthening  their  knowledge  base  on  climate  change  and  enhancing  EU  support  to 
related  research  in  and  with  developing  countries.  This  should  allow  them  to  develop  cost-
efficient ecosystem based approaches to mitigation and adaptation. 

In  addition,  in  the  framework  of  the  post-Copenhagen  negotiations  and  the  Doha 
Development  Round,  the  EU  should  continue  to  promote  an  improved  access  to  green 
technology  for  developing  countries,  including  through  further  trade  liberalisation  for 
environmental  goods  and  services  through  the  reduction  and  elimination  of  tariff  and  non-
tariff barriers. 

(10) 

On climate change: 

– 

Implement  the  EU  commitment  to  provide  € 2.4  billion  fast-start  funding  annually 
for  developing  countries  from  2010  to  2012,  and  ensure  that  those  funds  are 
programmed  and  disbursed  in  accordance  with  the  aid  effectiveness  agenda.  The 
Commission  is  ready  to  take  on  a  role  for  facilitating  the  implementation  and 
monitoring coordinated decisions in the EU's fast-start funding commitment23. 

2.9. 

Development and security 

No development is possible without security and no long term security can be ensured without 
investing in development. Most countries in fragile situation are behind on MDGs, and special 
effort is needed to deliver aid to such countries in a cost effective way. 

(11) 

On Fragility and Security: 

– 

Support the ‘EU Action Plan for situations of fragility and conflict’ to be proposed in 
2010  to  better  address  such  situations  in  a  comprehensive  and  integrated  way,  and 
better integrate development objectives in planning and implementation of peace and 
stability operations. 

2.10.  Global governance architecture 

In the wake of the economic crisis governments around the world have recognised the need 
for truly inclusive global governance. The international institutional setup is complex and the 

22 

23 

Paragraphs 23 and 27 of conclusions of the European Council 29/30 October 2009, and 8 of European 
Council 25/26 March 2010. 
COM(2010) 86. 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
                                                 
poorest  countries’  interests  are  often  marginalised.  The  fragmentation  of  multilateral  aid  by 
proliferation of multilateral agencies24 is another major concern. The EU should give a new 
impulse to the ongoing work undertaken in various international fora, including the G20, with 
a view to reforming global governance. 

The main challenge is to strike a balance between the legitimacy and effectiveness of global 
institutions, including through regional representation.  

(12) 

On global governance: 

– 

– 

Support  the  ongoing  reform  process  for  increased  UN  system-wide  coherence  and 
effectiveness,  with  the  aim  of  progressively  rationalising  the  functioning  and 
reducing the number of agencies; 

Ensure  a  swift  and  adequate  implementation  of  the  increases  in  developing  and 
transition  countries’  voting  shares  in  the  World  Bank  and  IMF;  work  towards  a 
single  European  seat  as  an  ultimate  objective  and  strengthen  EU  coordination, 
particularly within regional development banks. 

3. 

THE WAY FORWARD 

The  next  five  years  will  be  a  time  of  real  challenge  for  European  and  global  development 
policy.  During  this  period,  the  EU  will  need  to  deliver  on  its  promise  of  0.7%  of  GNI  for 
ODA, and play its full part in ensuring that the MDGs are achieved. At the same time, the EU 
and the developed world will have to demonstrate their commitment to developing countries 
on climate change, turning promises into practical and effective action. 

However, the coming years are also times of huge opportunity for the developing world. The 
achievement  of  the  MDGs  will  give  many  countries  a  stepping  stone  towards  a  viable  and 
growing economy. There are plenty of success stories on which to build. The emerging EU-
Africa Partnership can build on the MDGs and provide a sustainable foundation for growth. 

The  twelve-point  plan  outlined  above  provides  a  blueprint  for  the  EU’s  contribution  to 
meeting these challenges and exploiting these opportunities. The EU should continue to be the 
world’s largest aid donor, but at the same time be determined to make even better and more 
efficient  use  of  the  aid  that  it  gives.  This  can  only  be  done  by  working  in  partnership  with 
developing countries on issues such as governance and taxation, and with other donors – who 
need to be as ambitious as the EU. Developing countries, for their part, must be determined to 
ensure that aid makes a real and lasting difference. 

The  Commission  calls  upon  the  Council  and  Member  States  to  endorse  and  actively 
implement  the  actions  highlighted  above.  The  Commission  will  monitor  and  report  on 
the implementation of this twelve-point plan through the EU Financing for Development 
reporting process. The EU should also call upon all other international donors to ensure 

24 

According  to  the  OECD,  there  are  currently  more  than  260  international  organisations  eligible  for 
ODA, as against 15 in 1940. There are over 100 agencies which each manage less than USD 20 million 
annually  and  collectively  account  for  only  2%  of  the  total  core  and  non-core  funding  of  multilateral 
organisations. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
                                                 
fair  international  burden  sharing,  as  well  as  to  establish  their  own  action  plan  with  a 
view to raise the global level of ambition on MDGs. 

EN 

13 

   EN