Case: Policy coherence in general

25-11-2010 MEP Rossi on combating poverty

Fair Politics has already reported on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit that took place in September. It became clear that it will be difficult to attain all goals by 2015, even though additional funds were raised. MEP Oreste Rossi (EFD) raised the question what the Council is doing to promote joint action among Member States to combat poverty. But more importanly Rossi mentions that not only the amount of money is important, but also how it is going to be spend and how aid can be  more effective.

Fair Politics also believes development is not only about the money spent in terms of aid programmes. Development aid can namely only be effective if other policies do not undermine development policy. This is unfortunately often not yet the case. The European Commission published a Communication with an EU action plan for the MDGs in which they state that Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) is one of their strategies to improve aid effectiveness.  Although, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) is dropping in many Member States, there is still a chance to make the MDGs a succes. However, European policies must become more coherent in order to make development work. In the long run, PCD must be part of the post-MDG framework.  

For the concerns raised about combating poverty, MEPs Rossi (EFD) is recognised as a Fair Politician. He earns one point in our monitoring system.

Monitor fair: EFD

Parliamentary Questions
E-7957/2010
8-10-2010
WRITTEN QUESTION, by Oreste Rossi (EFD)

Subject: Combating poverty


The United Nations Poverty Summit held in New York from 20 to 22 September concluded with the announcement that 40 billion dollars had been pledged for the fight against poverty. The sum was raised from donations by governments, individual philanthropists and associations.
The UN's target is to save 16 million human lives by 2015. As Italian Foreign Minister Frattini has pointed out, attention needs to be paid not only to the amounts raised, but above all to the use made of them. In other words, the focus should be on the effectiveness of aid to poor countries, and on the utilisation and allocation of funds, which should be conditional on respect for human rights.
Given that the eradication of hunger is one of the Millennium Goals which all 191 United Nations member states have pledged to pursue, does the Council intend to promote joint action by the Member States of the European Union with a view to helping combat poverty in the world?