Case: Policy coherence in general

18-05-2010 Motion for a resolution on PCD adopted in plenary!

On the 18th of May, at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the MEPs voted on Franziska Keller’s (Greens/EFA) report on PCD. The votes on the report as a whole and the separate articles were close calls, with only a few votes deciding the majority. The ECR and the EPP voted against the report, but in the end the report (motion for a Resolution) was adopted.

Ska Keller, rapporteur for the report, was happy to see the European Parliament showing care for the harmful effects that policy all too often has on developing countries. The adopted report includes clauses, which urge for legally binding social and environmental standards in trade agreements, an immediate termination of the export subsidies for dairy products and an integration of systematic climate change risk assessments in all development strategies and programmes. Not only does the report call for concrete changes in policies and policy making, but it also calls on structural changes within the Commission and Parliament. An example of this is that the plenary decided to appoint a standing rapporteur for PCD and to draft a biannual report that will deal with contradictions in EU policy making. Keller was only disappointed that the idea of an Ombudsman dealing with incoherence problems, did not come through.

As the resolution is not based on a legislative document, the recommendations in the report are unfortunately not legally binding. However, the adoption of the report was a good step forward for Policy Coherence for Development, as the Parliament has legislative co-decision power with the EU Council in many policy areas and, therefore, the ability to promote PCD before specific EU legislative proposals become law.
Although the more liberal right wing parties, like the EPP and the ECR still need some convincing of effects of incoherent matters, the Parliament as a whole showed their support, and therefore the Fair Politics team is quite satisfied and will keep reminding the MEPs and the European Commission of their commitments to enhancing Policy Coherence for Development in the future.

In terms of next steps, the EU Council is currently considering, the work programme proposed by the European Commission of PCD policy initiatives as part of the EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals, which is due for adoption in June.

 

Find the Final Report on on the EU Policy Coherence for Development and the ‘Official Development Assistance plus’ concept here.

Fine the European Commission's Policy Coherence for Development Work Programme 2010- 2013 here.