Increasing the impact of EU development policy: What the European Commission needs to prioritise now

The Green Paper presents ideas that are in line with the current global discourse on development cooperation. It may provide a basis for developing a stronger EU development policy. Yet before proposing a new policy agenda (‘inclusive growth’) there is a need for introspection, evaluation of past performance and promoting awareness of the lessons learnt. ECDPM therefore encourages the European Commission to conduct further analysis, highlighting what has been learned, in particular with regard to the added value of its aid vis-à-vis the EU Member States, and the need for strong leadership on achieving Policy Coherence for Development and the implementation of the EU Division of Labour. In light with this, ECDPM invites the Commission to formulate a clear statement of intent and deliver on the following four points as a matter of priority. This would set in motion a process that would likely lead to a more effective, visible and coherent EU development policy.