COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Synopsis Report summarising the main results of the consultation on the new European Consensus on Development Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Proposal for a new European Consensus on Development. Our World, our Dignity, our Future
Date: 2016-11-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, European Commission
Subjects: consultation procedure, cooperation policy, democracy, developing countries, development aid, environmental protection, human rights, job creation, poverty, sustainable development

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 22.11.2016  SWD(2016) 389 final   COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Synopsis Report summarising the main results of the consultation on the new European Consensus on Development Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Proposal for a new European Consensus on Development. Our World, our Dignity, our Future {COM(2016) 740 final} {SWD(2016) 387 final} {SWD(2016) 388 final}  
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1.  BACKGROUND ON THE CONSULTATION (STRATEGY, METHOD AND 
TARGET GROUPS) 

3 

2.  RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION IN OUTREACH 
ACTIVITIES 

3 

2.1.  Online Public Consultation (EU Survey) 

2.2.  Dialogue with EU Member States 

2.3.  Dialogue with the European Parliament 

2.4.  Dialogue with the European Economic and Social Committee 

2.5.  Dialogue with Partner Countries and multilateral institutions 

2.6.  European Development Days 

2.7.  Dialogue with Civil Society 

2.8.  Private Sector 

2.9.  Dialogue with Think Tanks and Academia 

2.10.  Use of social media 

3.  OVERALL MESSAGES FROM THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 

3.1. 

Issues 

3.2.  Approaches 

3.3.  Means of Implementation 

3 

4 

4 

5 

5 

6 

6 

7 

7 

7 

8 

8 

9 

10 

4.  FURTHER INPUT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA 10 

5.  NEXT STEPS 

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Staff Working Document 

Synopsis Report summarising the main results of the consultation on the 

new European Consensus on Development 

1.  BACKGROUND ON THE CONSULTATION (STRATEGY, METHOD AND TARGET GROUPS) 

The  Commission  has  sought  to  ensure  that  the  process  towards  a  new  European  Consensus  is 
open and inclusive. A number of outreach and consultation activities have been undertaken since 
the international community's adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the 
UN Summit in September 2015. These have been aimed at gathering views from a wide range of 
stakeholders on how EU development policy might respond to the Agenda, taking full account of 
key global trends, and contribute to other important related international agreements. As a side-
benefit,  the  consultation  also  helped  to  raise  the  level  of  awareness  and  engagement  amongst 
stakeholders on the future direction of EU development policy. 

The consultation strategy included a wide range of consultation opportunities, centred around an 
open, internet-based public consultation, as a principal method of consultation with civil society 
and  the  public.  This  was  complemented  with  targeted  stakeholder  consultations  with  major 
stakeholder groups. These consultations allowed more focused interactions with key stakeholders 
and tapped experience and suggestions for policy orientations very efficiently. In the end, many 
more consultation and outreach opportunities were arranged than originally considered feasible in 
the  time  made  available.  Consultative  discussions  were  held  with  different  stakeholders.  EU 
Member States, other EU institutions such as the European Parliament, other EU bodies such as 
the European Economic and Social Committee, partner governments, international organisations 
and  financial  institutions,  civil  society  organisations  and  the  private  sector,  think  tanks  and 
academia contributed to the consultation process. Further outreach was sought via social media 
activities  to  increase  the  level  of  awareness  on  the  on-going  reflection  on  reshaping  European 
development policy.  

An  adequate  overview  of  relevant  material  was  gathered  from  stakeholders  during  the 
consultation process, and the main orientations  were  shown  to be very consistent at key events 
and in all consultation windows.  

2.  RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION IN OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 

The following section sets out the principal components of the consultation strategy and the main 
stakeholder groups consulted.  

2.1.  Online Public Consultation (EU Survey) 

A public on-line consultation on EU Survey1 was launched on 30 May 2016 for twelve weeks 
until 21 August 2016. The survey was accessible in all 24 official languages of the EU.  The 
public consultation was intended to allow a wide range of stakeholders to state their views on 
some aspects of the 2030 Agenda as a whole and more in details on how EU development 
policy should respond to the range of landmark 2015 summits and conferences, and also to 
the rapid changes happening in the world, taking account of the role of development policy 
within  the  context  of  EU  external  action  as  framed  by  the  Lisbon  Treaty.  In  particular, 

1 https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/home/welcome.  

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respondents were asked what they considered as the main global challenges and trends; what 
they considered priority areas for future action for EU development policy (what needs to be 
done);  what  means  of  implementation  were  required  to  get  there;  how  to  involve  different 
actors (including for working better together); and how to keep track of progress. Nearly 200 
contributions  were  received  from  54  countries  in  11  EU  languages;  including  from  EU 
Member States, multilateral institutions, the private sector, universities and think tanks, and 
civil society. For for more details on the respondents please refer to the Final Report by the 
Consultants Aide a la decision economique / ADE "Analysis of the external consultation on 
the new Consensus".  

A  large  majority  of  respondents  highlighted  the  existing  linkages  between  the  different 
sustainable  development  global  goals  and  the  importance  to  take  a  holistic  and  integrated 
approach  while  addressing  the  2030  Agenda,  encompassing  the  social,  environmental  and 
economic aspects of sustainable development. Respondents also emphasized the central place for 
poverty  eradication  in  EU  development  policy,  with  appropriate  links  to  other  policy  areas.  In 
addition,  respondents  noted  the  importance  to  diversify  and  adapt  the  EU  aid  modalities  to  the 
new  global  challenges  as  well  as  the  need  to  align  the  new  Consensus  with  the  Addis  Ababa 
Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda and other international agreements. See further analysis in Part 
4 on “Overall messages for consultation process”, which takes account of both the online public 
consultation and the other consultation activities. 

2.2.  Dialogue with EU Member States 

There  has  been  regular  interaction  and  consultation  with  EU  Member  States  towards  the  new 
Consensus at different levels over the past year. At their informal meeting on 10 December 2015, 
Development Ministers discussed on how to take further the EU development cooperation policy 
in  the  light  of  the  2030  Agenda,  including  the  possibility  of  a  new  European  Consensus  for 
Development.  The  Commission  then  formally  presented  its  intention  to  come  forward  with  a 
proposal for a new Consensus at the meeting of the Council (Foreign Affairs/Development) of 12 
May. The informal meeting of Development Ministers on 12 September 2016 confirmed support 
for  the  main  orientations  of  the  preparatory  work.  Many  Member  States  also  called  on  the 
Commission  to  come  forward,  in  addition  to  the  proposal  for  a  new  Consensus,  with  an 
overarching initiative on EU action in relation to the 2030 Agenda.  

Discussions  at  Ministerial  level  have  been  supplemented  by  meetings  of  officials  in  Council 
Working Groups. A dedicated workshop on 5 July 2016 addressed issues of differentiation  and 
the  nexus  between  development  and  other  external  policies.  Additionally,  technical  working 
groups  on  Policy  Coherence  for  Development,  Joint  Programming  and  Development 
Effectiveness also provided useful input.  All these discussions confirm that there is clear support 
from  EU  Member  States  to  update  the  European  Consensus  on  Development  and  that  there  is 
overall  broad  agreement  on  the  main  elements  that  should  feature  into  a  new  European 
Consensus.  

2.3.  Dialogue with the European Parliament  

The Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament has been actively engaged 
in discussions on the 2030 Agenda. The European Parliament issued a Resolution on the 'Follow-
up and state of play of the Agenda 2030' in May 2016. This built on an earlier Resolution on 'The 
EU  and  the  global  development  framework  after  2015'  in  December  2014  and  the  work  of  a 
delegation of Members of the European Parliament to the New York Summit in September 2015. 
The Commission discussed the concept of a new Consensus at the Structured Dialogue with the 
DEVE Committee on 21 June 2016.  

Issues that were raised at the Structured Dialogue included the importance of a strong EU voice 
in the implementation and follow up of the 2030 Agenda. Particular areas that were highlighted 

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as  needing  to  be  included  in  the  new  Consensus  included:  the  promotion  of  peace  and  justice, 
good governance, policy coherence for development (including in relation to tackling tax evasion 
and  tax  avoidance),  the  appropriate  links  between  development  and  security,  migration  and 
humanitarian  action  and  corporate  social  responsibility.    Many  Members  of  the  European 
Parliament also looked forward to the Commission's overarching initiative (as announced in the 
Commission Work Plan 2016) on EU action in relation to the 2030 Agenda.  

The Commissioner in charge of International Cooperation and Development also led an exchange 
of views with the DEVE Committee on the proposal for a new Consensus on 27 September 2016, 
where  he  presented  some  of  the  main  contours  of  the  Commission's  thinking  on  the  new 
Consensus  and  invited  views.    Members  of  the  European  Parliament  raised  the  various  nexus' 
between  development  and  other  policy  areas,  including  climate,  humanitarian,  resilience, 
migration and security issues and the importance of policy coherence.  A number of Members of 
the European Parliament stressed the importance of keeping EU commitments on aid, including 
on 0.7% of Gross  National Income (GNI) for  Official Development Assistance (ODA).   Issues 
around private sector accountability, the role of civil society and civil society space in developing 
countries were also raised.  The session formed part of the DEVE Committee's preparatory work 
on  an  own-initiative  Opinion  on  the  Revision  of  the  European  Consensus  on  Development 
(2016/2094(INI)). 

2.4.  Dialogue with the European Economic and Social Committee 

A  number  of  consultative  discussions  were  held  with  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee (EESC), including during the development of the Opinion ‘2030 Agenda –a European 
Union  committed  to  sustainable  development  globally’  (REX/461),  at  a  conference  on  7  July 
2016  ‘Next  steps  for  a  sustainable  European  future  -  Reforming  Europe,  implementing  SDGs’ 
and at a REX Section debate on the review of the European Consensus for Development on 19 
July.  The Commission also participated in an EESC side-event at the High Level Political Forum 
in New York on 19 July on civil society as an active player in the implementation of the 2030 
Agenda.  In addition, the EESC has issued two related Opinions (e.g. ‘A European Sustainable 
Development Civil Society Forum’ (NAT/678) and ‘Sustainable development: a mapping of the 
EU's internal and external policies’ NAT/693)).  EESC views on the Consensus stress the issue of 
policy  coherence  for  sustainable  development  and  EU  leadership  and  credibility  in  the  overall 
implementation of SDGs through internal and external policies.  The EESC is keen to avoid a silo 
approach, supports having a new Consensus on Development and stresses the importance of civil 
society engagement in the implementation and follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.   

2.5.  Dialogue with Partner Countries and multilateral institutions 

Views from partner countries are an important element of the consultation process. There were 
four outreach rounds during the negotiations for the 2030 Agenda that aimed mainly at listening 
and understanding developments in the positions of our partners and issues of key importance to 
them, which provided information that remains relevant also for the implementation phase. Also 
after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, EU Delegations were encouraged to engage further with 
their  host  countries  (or  International  Organisations)  on  implementation  plans,  and  to  reflect  on 
potential areas of particular common interest for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. During 
the  public  consultation  EU  Delegations  have  also  been  mobilised:  (i)  to  feed  in  to  the 
Commission's reflection by contributing perspectives from the field; and (ii) conducting outreach 
in partner countries, with regional organisations, governments, local authorities and civil society, 
and feeding back the results to headquarters.   

Several  discussions  with  representatives  from  partner  countries,  international  organisations  and 
international financing institutions have taken place throughout the year at different levels. 

A Commission-organised side event “A renewed European development policy in response to the 
UN  2030  Agenda:  revision  of  the  European  Consensus  on  Development”  at  the  High-Level 

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Political  Forum  on  Sustainable  Development  on  18  of  July  2016  in  New  York  attracted  more 
than  100  people  from  different  constituencies  (partner  countries,  representatives  from 
international organisations and financial institutions, civil society and private sector).  The frank 
and  interactive  discussion  provided  useful  material  for  reflection  on  the  new  Consensus.  Main 
issues  raised  were  differentiation,  use  of  country  systems,  capacity  building  for  integrating  the 
SDGs into national development plans, stronger policy coherence, nexus security-development-
migration and the need to mobilise domestic resources. The speakers also emphasised support for 
using development cooperation to leverage public and private finance.  

2.6.  European Development Days 

The 10th edition of the flagship European Development Days (EDDs) on 15 and 16 June 2016 
took  as  its  overarching  theme  the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  and  the  SDGs,  helping 
ensure a broad and in-depth discussion of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. 

An estimated 6000 participants from over 140 countries attended the event, representing a wide 
variety  of  sectors:  EU  institutions,  Member  States,  civil  society  organisations,  private  sector, 
think  tanks,  development  agencies,  citizens  and  academia.  Many  partner  countries  were 
represented  at  political  level,  including  7  Heads  of  State  and  Government,  the  UN  Secretary 
General, the President of the World Bank and 7 United Nations high level officials. Youth and 
women  leaders  were  especially  well  represented.  11  Members  of  the  College  intervened  at  the 
various sessions.  

Sessions were organised around the 5 Ps of the 2030 Agenda: people, prosperity, planet, peace 
and  partnership.  Several  sessions  addressed  key  issues  for  a  new  Consensus.  The  EDDs  were 
therefore a  unique opportunity  to collect ideas and grasp the orientation  of the debates towards 
the  new  European  Consensus.  The  event  clearly  showed  the  development  community’s 
motivation  and  commitment  to  move  ahead  quickly  from  words  to  action,  and  to  embrace  the 
2030  Agenda’s  new  way  of  thinking  and  working  together.  The  fact  that  the  2030  Agenda  is 
universal  and  should  be  owned  by  all  in  an  inclusive  way  was  welcomed.  There  was  a  broad 
recognition  that  SDGs  are  interconnected  and  of  the  importance  of  linking  different  challenges 
together.  Peace,  security,  migration,  climate  change  and  humanitarian  aid  therefore  had  a 
significant  place  in  the  discussions.  Everyone  agreed  that  all  stakeholders,  notably  the  private 
sector, young people, local communities and those most difficult to reach should be included in 
multi-stakeholder  partnerships  in  order  to  achieve  the  SDGs  and  leave  no  one  behind.  Many 
participants also stressed the need to hold actors accountable for their actions (and inactions).  

A  breakfast  session  was  also  held,  organised  by  the  European  Commission  and  the  European 
Think  Tank  Group.  It  was  well  attended  by  high-level  participants  from  diverse  backgrounds 
(European Parliament, United Nations, think tanks, NGOs, private sector, development agencies 
and Member States). Participants underlined the need for the new consensus to integrate the wide 
variety  of  country  situations  (fragile  countries,  MICs)  and  issues  (including  poverty,  but  also 
global public goods, financing, policy coherence). Participants also stressed the need to cooperate 
with all partners in order to pool together our competences, avoid working in silos, remain open 
to non-traditional actors in development, in particular, the private sector. Better accountability for 
aid and continued attention to corruption were also highlighted. 

2.7.  Dialogue with Civil Society  

Existing  dialogues  have  been  used  to  encourage  and  invite  CSOs,  their  associated  platforms, 
philanthropic  organisations/foundations  and  the  private  sector  to  contribute.  The  greatest 
opportunity  to  engage  with  the  civil  society  on  the  2030  Agenda  and  possibilities  for  the  new 
Consensus has been the European Development Days (details see 3.6.).  

The Policy Forum for Development  (a structured  dialogue platform which brings together civil 
society organisations (CSOs) and Local Authorities with European institutions and bodies) was 
invited  and  encouraged  to  contribute  to  the  online  public  consultation.  On  19  October  2016,  a 

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high-level  consultative  discussion  with  European  civil  society  was  organised  by  the  European 
Commission in Brussels. Around 80 CSO representatives from 63 different networks participated 
in  the  event,  covering  most  EU  national  platforms  and  encompassing  all  categories  of  CSOs, 
including the private sector, cooperatives and trade unions.  

The  Commission  has  received  and  reviewed  carefully  a  range  of  input  papers  circulated 
spontaneously by NGOs and civil society actors and platforms.  

2.8.  Private Sector 

There have been several debates dedicated to the role of the private sector, including during the 
EDDs and the 5th EU-Africa Business Forum on 15 and 16 June 2016. These discussions aimed 
to combine entrepreneurs with policymakers and multilateral actors to discuss the private sector's 
contribution  to  the  SDGs.  There  was  agreement  that  national  resources  mobilisation  was  not 
enough  and  that  the  private  sector  will  need  to  play  a  much  more  prominent  role  in  financing 
investments which, in turn, will require partner countries to create an enabling environment for 
innovative financing solutions. The private sector, which provides about 90% of employment, is 
key for inclusive sustainable growth and prosperity. There is therefore a need to work with the 
private  sector  and  local  authorities,  develop  training  programmes,  transfer  skills,  set  up  public-
private  partnerships  and  adapt  to  national  contexts.  Social  enterprises  can  form  part  of  an 
innovative  financing  approach  and  should  be  included  in  the  mainstream  private  investment 
climate. Creating an environment where both public and private sector have a regular dialogue, 
identify  constraints  and  remove  them  was  also  highlighted  as  key  in  situations  of  fragility. 
Further encounters with the private sector have taken place during the Africa Forum II in Tallinn 
on 25 October.  

2.9.  Dialogue with Think Tanks and Academia 

Leading representatives of think tanks and academia were invited and encouraged to contribute to 
the open consultation as well as requested to provide input on specific areas. Think Tanks have 
also  contributed  by  organising  dedicated  seminars  such  as  a  side-event  at  the  EDDs  (“Change-
makers breakfast” in cooperation with DEVCO). Several events have discussed the link between 
the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda,  including  in  the  field  of  development  policy,  and  the 
preparation of the Global Strategy for the EU's Foreign and Foreign Security Policy (including a 
conference in Berlin on 1-2 March 2016 organised by the European Think Tank Group on "The 
Future of EU External Action", and a conference in Rome on 7 March 2016 on "The EU and the 
global development framework: A strategic approach to the 2030 Agenda"). These events called 
for ensuring coherence with the Global Strategy and the implementation of SDGs, including the 
new Consensus, and to strengthen a joined-up approach between the EU and its Member States. 

A consultative discussion with the Friends of Europe’s Development Policy Forum was held on 
27 September 2016. In addition a series of events organised by the European Think Tank Group 
and  partners,  involving  the  participation  of  the  Commissioner  in  charge  of  International 
Cooperation and Development, took place in October 2016 (Warsaw on 6 October, organised by 
the  Polish  Institute  of  International  Affairs  (PISM);  Munich  on  14  October,  organised  by  the 
Hanns Seidel Foundation; Dublin on 18 October, organised by the Institute of International and 
European  Affairs;  Paris  on  24  October,  organised  by  IDDRI;  and  The  Hague  on  28  October, 
organised by ECDPM).   

2.10.  Use of social media  

A  twitter  chat  (eudevchat-social-campaign)  was  launched  on  30  June  2016  and  was  an 
opportunity for direct questions from the public on the new Consensus. Topics raised included: 
gender issues (women and girls' empowerment and gender equality), youth and children, poverty 
and  marginalization,  malnutrition,  population  resilience,  capacity  development,  remittances  and 

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diaspora,  empowering  local  people  and  field  offices,  aid  transparency  and  development 
effectiveness.  

11,750 people saw the #EUDevchat tweet about the consultation on how to shape the future EU 
development  policy;  leading  to  178  engagements.  Similarly,  the  EU’s  Facebook  post  reached 
15,749 people and gave rise to 201 reactions, comments and shares for the English version; the 
post in the French version reached 11,973 people and gave rise to 77 reactions.  

3.  OVERALL MESSAGES FROM THE CONSULTATION PROCESS  

The online consultation (see above under 3.1.) and consultation activities (see above under 3.2. – 
3.10.)  have  confirmed  a  broad  support  among  stakeholders  on  the  importance  of  having  a  new 
European Consensus on Development. They contributed with messages on crucial elements that 
the European development policy should take further to respond to the 2030 Agenda, in the light 
of ongoing global challenges and trends.  

Throughout  the  consultation  process  there  was  general  support  that  the  new  Consensus  should 
address together poverty eradication, sustainability and respect for the environment and economic 
growth – not as competing priorities. It should promote partnerships with countries at all stages 
of  development  and  make  sure  the  benefits  of  our  actions  are  spread  more  evenly,  helping  to 
address inequalities within and between countries. It should put the focus on women and youth – 
not  just  as  beneficiaries,  but  as  agents  of  development.   And  it  should  strengthen  the  links 
between development effort on peace, humanitarian and migration management.  

There was also a common understanding that the EU and its Member States need to put all the 
tools  at  their  disposal  to  good  use.  The  new  Consensus  should  signal  a  shift  towards  more 
effective mobilisation and use of resources. It should signal a move beyond just measuring aid, 
towards a culture of results, transparency, inclusive follow-up and review.  

In particular, from the variety of topics of discussion that arose from the outreach meetings, the 
feedback  to  the  online  public  consultation  and  the  twitter  chat,  three  main  clusters  of  concerns 
could be discerned, addressed in a balanced manner in the responses:  

i) the issues to be tackled by the new EU development policy (‘issues’),  
ii) the approach to be used (‘approach’), and  
iii) the manner in which to tackle them (‘implementation: how’).  

Following  aspects/suggestions  raised  by  stakeholders  have  been  reflected  in  the  policy 
framework outlined in the Communication. 

3.1. 

Issues  

Responses from EU MS and civil society made a clear call for the Commission to push forward 
with  the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  across  all  policies,  including  action  through 
development policy specifically.   

Respondents  identified  a  broad  range  of  trends,  which  could  impact  on  development  policy;  
issues  often  raised  included  inequality,  demography,  migration,  climate  change,  environmental 
issues, water, good governance and security, amongst others.  A range of contributors agreed that 
the breadth of the 2030 Agenda demanded a broad and comprehensive approach, balancing the 
social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development.  

Stakeholders  stressed  the  continuing  importance  of  the  eradication  of  poverty  and  hunger, 
tackling discrimination and the promotion of human rights. 

One of the topics most mentioned was migration. A number of Member States and civil society 
stakeholders  called  for  development  cooperation  to  tackle  the  'root  causes'  of  forced  migration 
and  displacement,  whilst  some  cautioned  against  what  they  describe  as  the  potential 
'instrumentalisation' of development for EU's migration or security objectives.  Respondents also 

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considered  it  important  to  address  migration  in  a  wider  development  contex  and  called  for 
coherence between migration, security and development policies (most often cited together) but 
also trade (e.g. on market access and sustainability) and justice policies.  

A  significant  proportion  of  stakeholders  raised  issues  around  good  governance,  peace  and 
security (addressing corruption and tax evasion, addressing root causes of conflict and fragility, 
the  importance  of  conflict  prevention,  building  resilience  and  a  coherent  response,  shrinking 
space  for  civil  society).    Many  respondents,  and  in  particular  responses  for  EU  Member  States 
made a very clear call, echoed by others, for stronger coordination between development and 
humanitarian  action  (including  help  build  population's  resilience  to  disasters  and  crises  and 
enable them to better manage risks).  

Addressing gender inequality and implementing the Gender Action Plan was an important part 
of a number of Member States and civil society responses. A number of contributors raised about 
the role of women in development and gender equality and pressed for EU development policy to 
take account of the welfare of young girls. 

A  number  of  respondents  also  raised  the  importance  of  tackling  issues  faced  by  the  youth, 
including the protection of children and creation of employment opportunities for youth. 

On inequalities in general, a number of stakeholders raised the issue of data disaggregation and 
capacity building for statistics in order to leave no one behind. Private sector inputs stressed the 
potential of the digital revolution.   

Global  public  goods  was  another  issue  frequently  raised  by  the  respondents.  Discussions 
focused  mostly  on  climate-related  issues  and  environmental  degradation  (e.g.  water)  and  the 
interlinkages to other policy issues and on need for a new way of thinking and working together.  

The  proposal  for  a  new  European  Consensus  has  to  a  very  large  extent  taken  into  account  the 
above considerations and suggestions. It has sought to present these issues in a manner that takes 
inspiration  from  the  Preamble  of  the  2030  Agenda  and  the  need  to  link  people,  prosperity, 
planet  and  peace;  it  strengthens  the  nexus  to  peace,  security,  migration  and  climate  change 
while retaining an appropriate focus on poverty eradication; and it puts emphasis on drivers such 
as youth and gender equality.  

3.2.  Approaches  

The discussions and inputs overwhelmingly resonated with a key feature of the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable  Development,  which  is  the  systematic  call  for  universality,  for  working  together, 
across countries, across actors, across sectors and across policies.  

Inclusiveness has been raised in different discussions and inputs, in particular the need to involve 
all stakeholders (e.g. local authorities, youths, marginalised groups, regional organisations) in the 
planning  and  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda.  A  multi-stakeholder  approach  with  the 
whole  spectrum  of  actors  has  been  considered  as  cornerstone  of  a  global  partnership. 
Coherence and complementarity  should be actively ensured. Respondents called for the EU's 
approach to be driven by its fundamental values, including freedom, justice and human rights.  

The  private  sector  was  often  held  up  as  a  crucial  player  in  the  development  landscape.  Many 
contributors  thought  it  vital  to  engage  the  national  and  international  private  sector  in  the 
implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  and  to  develop  new  business  models.  Calls  for  corporate 
social responsibilities and private sector accountability were often raised as well as issues around 
tax evasion and tax avoidance.  

A  number  of  respondents  saw  clear  benefits  associated  with  a  stronger,  collective  EU 
approach, including through Joint Programming and joint action.  A number of stakeholders also 
called for a more flexible set of EU instruments. EU value-added was described in terms of: the 
EU's broad geographical reach through its network of Delegations and Representations; the EU's 
influence  in  political  dialogue  (with  partner  countries  and  in  international  for  a)  and 

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comprehensiveness of the EU's tool set and the advantages of joint, coherent and coordinated EU 
and MS action.   

Policy  coherence  is  at  the  forefront  of  participants’  concerns.  Coherence  at  national  level 
between  policies  in  different  sectors  or  on  different  themes  (peace  and  security;  fragility  and 
security; food security, energy and water) need to be addressed as being interconnected. This was 
thus relevant for partner countries but also for the EU as a global actor. Stakeholders considered 
coherence  between  different  parts  of  EU  external  action  and  between  internal  and  external 
policies  critical.  Action  in  this  field  should  include  applying  the  EU  commitment  on  Policy 
Coherence  for  Development,  whereby  the  EU  shall  take  account  of  the  objectives  of 
development cooperation in all policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing 
countries. According to the stakeholders, this should be taken further and strengthened within a 
broader approach to policy coherence for sustainable development.  

There  have  also  been  clear  calls  for  a  strong  and  effective  system  of  monitoring, 
accountability and review. 

In line with the above considerations, the proposed new policy framework puts forward concrete 
actions,  which  sets  out  how  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  can  make  their  development 
cooperation  more  effective,  for  instance  through  joint  analysis,  programming  and  action.  It 
includes  proposal  for  enhanced  commitments  for  policy  coherence  for  sustainable  development 
in the context of SDGs. It also outlines how development cooperation policy can contribute to an 
efficient  and  robust  system  of  monitoring,  accountability  and  review,  which  also  requires 
improving data availability and analysis capacities worldwide. 

3.3.  Means of Implementation  

On Means of Implementation (MoI) a number of stakeholders, called for a central place for the 
Addis  Ababa  Action  Agenda:  stressing  the  importance  of  policies  and  non-financial  MoI. 
Several stakeholders called on the EU to support partner countries in their own efforts to promote 
policy  coherence.  The  EU  should  also  pursue  greater  policy  coherence  through  bilateral  and 
multilateral  dialogue.  Many  stakeholders  also  raised  the  issue  of  the  EU's  commitments, 
including those on ODA, and recognized the potential catalytic role of ODA in mobilising other 
resource flows (e.g. domestic resource mobilisation, blending and leverage of private finance).   

Many  discussions  and  responses  also  raised  the  importance  of  the  principles  of  development 
effectiveness in the implementation of future cooperation.  

Finally,  capacity  building  was  a  recurring  theme  with  specific  mention  of  the  need  to  build 
capacities at decentralised levels (local actors, local authorities, even private sector) and on data 
gathering and assessment.  

The proposal for a new Consensus puts forward ways to deliver smarter cooperation and to build 
stronger  and  differentiated  partnerships  –  to  respond  effectively  to  the  different  capacities, 
capabilities  and  circumstances  of  our  partners,  and  to  target  support  where  it  is  most  needed. 
Least  Developed  Countries  and  fragile  countries  still  deserve  the  highest  concentration  of 
ODA.  At  the  same  time  Middle  Income  Countries  also  have  an  essential  role  to  play  in 
implementing  the  SDGs,  but  increasingly  through  different  forms  of  international  cooperation 
(including less-concessional financing), in terms of trade, foreign direct investment, technical and 
policy support for sustainable development. 

4.  FURTHER INPUT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA  

During the various discussions stakeholders also raised issues that concern the implementation of 
the 2030 Agenda in more general terms, for example linked to the fight against tax evasion. The 
stakeholders  raised,  among  other,  proposals  to  revisit  the  guidelines  for  impact  assessments  to 
integrate  an  assessment  on  how  policy  initiatives  contribute  to  relevant  SDGs  which  would 

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require  addressing  working  methods  at  overarching  level  to  encompass  all  policies.  The  EU's  
initiative  'Collect  More,  Spend  Better  approach'  helps  developing  countries  increase  the 
efficiency,  effectiveness,  fairness  and  transparency  of  domestic  resource  mobilisation  to  tackle 
tax  evasion,  tax  avoidance  and  illicit  financial  flows.  However,  strengthening  the  global 
economic  and  financial  governance  structure  has  to  be  addressed  through  the  relevant 
international  fora,  where  these  challenges  are  already  high  on  the  agenda.  The  call  in  some 
responses  for  fostering  sustainable  development  through  trade,  which  is  reflected  in  the 
Consensus, in some cases falls outside the realm of development policy and into trade policy.  

Furthermore  it  should  be  noted,  in  response  to  the  call  by  some  stakeholders  to  merge  or  re-
design  the  financial  instruments,  that  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development  will  be  a 
framing political document, setting out the main orientation for the development policy of the EU 
and  its  Member  States  in  the  years  ahead.  Proposals  for  the  next  Multi-Annual  Financial 
Framework (MFF) will deal with external financing instruments and the programming cycle for 
the post-2020 period in more detail. 

5.  NEXT STEPS 

The  findings  of  the  consultation  process  have  been  taken  into  account  and  reflected  in  the 
proposal for the new European Consensus on Development. Upon adoption, this proposal will be 
discussed  with  the  European  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  before  being  adopted  as  a 
joint statement in spring 2017. In the spirit of open dialogue the views of stakeholders during the 
course of these discussions and during the implementation of the 2030 Agenda will be sought. 

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