ECDPM submission to the European Commission's Public Consultation on revising the European Consensus on Development

Between 30 May 2016 and 21 August 2016, the European Commission ran an official consultation process on the revision of the European Consensus on Development. The European Consensus is important, as it is the overarching document for the EU and its Member States, laying out common principles in a spirit of complementarity. With the last Consensus put together 10 years ago in a very different geopolitical context, the revision comes at a critical juncture for Europe, development and international cooperation more widely. As a “think and do tank” specialised on European development policy and international cooperation and as an independent broker of dialogue between Europe and Africa, ECDPM contributed to the official consultation. The following answers, taken directly from our official submission, are based upon a wide range of past analysis and publications and our continuous engagement on external action and development policy, trade, private sector, security, governance and migration. As the format of the consultation was naturally a bit limiting and designed for a specific purpose, this is of course not the definitive statement on the issues raised by the Commission. ECDPM will continue to engage on the revision process through meaningful means, both formal and informal, until the new Consensus is formally adopted.