Case: Policy coherence in general

17-09-2009 A new approach to Policy Coherence for Development

(Please see further updates on the process below)

In the light of the new EU report on Policy Coherence for Development, which is to become available any time now, the Commission published a Communication. This document titled “Establishing the policy framework for a whole-of-the-union approach”  puts the upcoming report in its context. The Communication discusses the PCD efforts of the previous decade, the mechanisms which have been installed and the difficulties that are still to be tackled. More importantly, it proposes a new approach to Policy Coherence for Development. The twelve policy areas, which used to be subject to extensive PCD analyses, will now be altered by just five priority issues: climate change, global food security, migration, intellectual property rights and security & development.

According to the Commission this radical change was needed due to new developments such as the “closer interactions and the ever intensifying globalisation” as well as the growing amount of non-ODA financial flows to developing countries that needs to be considered. Internal EU policies more often, and in increasing range of fields, have an impact on external relations. They emphasise more linkages between several (rather than two) policy areas. The new priorities have been selected on the basis of four criteria; 1) be high on the EU’s political agenda, 2) be important for developing countries and for the achievements of the MDG’s 3) present concrete opportunities for incorporating development objectives, 4) be linked to a long term agenda.

The five priorities which have been determined are of course critical issues that do indeed need special attention. However, many other critical policy areas seem to be out of sight now. What about the trade agreements such as the EPAs? What about the new raw materials initiative?

Fair Politics also wonders how long these newly set priorities will remain the focus areas of PCD? Will it just be a 2 year term, until the next PCD report will be published and will new priorities then be set?

And are the possibilities of the current priorities indeed to be considered so positively, as the report suggests? Or does an issue, such as intellectual property rights, in fact have doubtful potentials and rather more risks as many scholars [1] claim?

Hopefully the actual PCD report will give more clarity and further explain this new approach. Fair Politics is also curious about the results mentioned in the new report with respect to the goals set in the old report (which was published two years ago).

Fair Politics made a contribution to Concord’s spotlight report on Policy Coherence for Development, which will be presented as an alternative to the actual Commission PCD report. Furthermore Fair Politics will take a close look at the new report and evaluate improvements made with regard to our case studies, outstanding issues to be dealt with and will assess the implications of the newly introduced approach to Policy Coherence for Development.

The European Commission will present and clarify their report during the European Development Days in Stockholm (22 - 24 Oct), where there will also be room for discussion.

 

[1] H.J. Chang (2000) “Intellectual Property Rights and Economic Development: historical lessons and emerging issues”, Journal of Human Development, 2(2), pp 287-309 is an example of an article that empirically contradicts many of the claims made on IPR in this communication.

 

Update 18-09-2009: The full report is out and can be found here.

Update 14-10-2009: Click here for the alternative report of CONCORD, Spotlight on Policy Coherence

Update 27-10-2009: Fair Politics has written a reaction to the report, which can be found here.

Update 9-11-2009: PCD has made it to the Parliament! Find out more here.

Update 17 -11 -2009: The Council Conclusions on PCD can be found here.

(one of the 5 priorities was changed by the council: IPRs became trade and finance)

Update 27 -01 -2010: PCD discussed during the INTA meeting read more here.

Update 22-02-2010: Keller presents her Report on PCD read more here.