Case: Policy coherence in general

03-12-2008 MEP Hannu Takkula addresses incoherencies in several EU policies.

03 December 2008

In a written question to the European Commission, MEP Hannu Takkula (ALDE), illustrates how different EU policy fields are interrelated. He highlights the combined effects of these policies on developing countries. By doing so, he also points out some incoherencies between these policy fields, as one policy may be incoherent with another policy.

As a consequence, neither policy will be able to fulfill its desired goals. The policy fields addressed by MEP Takkula concern the EU’s climate policy, the EU agricultural policies (CAP), Fishery policies and the EU’s energy policy. All of these policies are interlinked. At the same time, probably most importantly, they are interlinked with developing countries and their efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As a result, these goals are not being met, natural disasters take place, and the current food crisis impacts hardest on these countries.

By asking the question posted below, MEP Takkula, has earned a “coherence star” on our website, as he has contributed to Policy Coherence for Development by taken into account the interdependence between various policy fields and the incoherencies resulting from this.

On this website, you can find more information about the incoherencies within various policy fields, in our case studies section. The case studies on biofuels, Fisheries and the EPA’s are all also mentioned within the question by MEP Takkula.

Visit the website of MEP Hannu Takkula (ALDE)

The full question posted towards the Commission;

Subject: Resolving the world food crisis
Date: October 10th, 2008.          
P-5540/08
WRITTEN QUESTION by Hannu Takkula (ALDE) to the Commission

Subject: Resolving the world food crisis

During the past year, various parts of the world have been experiencing a worsening food shortage. Internal unrest has broken out in nearly thirty countries as a result. These countries are also often suffering from climate change. According to experts, one crucial reason for the dramatic rise in food prices is the increased use for biofuels of arable land intended for agricultural production.

At the same time, a gloomy international economic situation has developed for a variety of reasons. Climate change has also led to major natural disasters, regional conflicts and water shortages. The Darfur conflict is regarded as a tragedy caused in part by drought and the erosion of arable land.

In September at the UN General Assembly the heads of state of the developing countries expressed their concern that the Millennium Development Goals are not being implemented. The number of people striving with absolute poverty is not diminishing but growing towards one billion. A worsening food shortage is a reality in many developing countries.

The European Union is the world’s largest donor of development aid. On the one hand, the EU is very dependent on energy imported from abroad and heavily subsidises its own agriculture. This equation is problematic when it comes to resolving the food shortage in the developing countries and combating climate change. On the other hand the EU has supported the growing of biofuels by diversifying its energy strategy. Thus the EU’s agricultural policy could even be regarded from the developing countries' point of view as a protectionist solution. It would be in their interests to create a thriving food production sector of their own and have free access to world markets for their products.

These issues were discussed at the Doha round. The EU has also had bilateral fishing agreements which cause evident environmental and economic problems for our partners. For example, on the basis of the agreements with Senegal in force up to 2006, fishermen mostly from France and Spain were able in practice to overfish the fish stocks along Senegal's coast. This dangerously reduced the allowable catch of fish, but at the same time caused serious economic losses to Senegal itself.

In the light of the above I should like to know what measures the Commission proposes to take to ensure that the trade agreements it concludes, and the investments it has made in biofuels, do not increase environmental damage and do not also worsen the world food crisis?