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SOLIDAR addresses MEPs on Policy Coherence for Development

At Monday’s EP Development Committee meeting, SOLIDAR, on behalf of CONCORD, addressed the members on the question of Policy Coherence for Development and the so-called Whole of Union approach. As reported before, CONCORD had launched its Spotlight on Policy Coherence report to coincide with the Commission’s biannual report tracking how European policies were or were not working towards ensuring sustainable development and promoting poverty eradication. The “counter-report” examines 5 critical areas in which EU policies undermine development such as trade, agriculture, financial policies amongst others.

SOLIDAR's presentation focused on the fact that not only had many European policies been harmful for developing countries, but also that the EC Communication which accompanied the bi-annual report introduced the dangerous concept of Whole of Union which looks to count all financial flows to developing countries and “leverage them for development” Given that flows such as Foreign direct Investment, export credits, security spending etc. do not have poverty eradication as its focus and often can have negative effects, SOLIDAR together with the rest of CONCORD members expressed its deep concerns at these developments. A number of MEPs then took the floor, supporting the civil society position. The Development Committee has designated Ska Keller, a German Green MEP to be the rapporteur of an own initiative report on PCD. SOLIDAR will make a submission to this report.