News
09-03-2010 MEPs Submit Amendments to INTA Opinion on PCD
On the 2nd of February the amendments on the INTA Draft Opinion on EU Policy Coherence for Development and the Official Development Assistance plus concept by Joe Higgins were due. On the 23rd of February, these amendments were voted on. All in all the amendments were a reflection of the never ending debate on neoliberalism and the international capitalist system within the committee on international trade; the EPP and the ECR versus the Greens and S&D. Some really good amendments were written, with references to incoherences that Fair Politics has also tackled like TRIPS and access to medicines, biofuels, agricultural subsidies, migration issues and partnership agreements with ACP countries. Despite this, some of these amendments were not adopted and amendments that were less progressive towards PCD, were. Read more »
08-03-2010 The Upcoming Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Spain
From the 27th of March to the 1st of April, 2010, the elected representatives of the European Community, the Members of the European Parliament (MEP), and the elected representatives of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states will come together for the 19th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) in Tenerife, Spain. Topics like Haiti, southern Sudan, sustainable energy and water, migration, health care (Malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis) and the effects of climate change on ACP economies are on the agenda. Fair Politics hopes MEPs will ask relevant questions about incoherence between the EU policies and development objectives and that the JPA will result in progress toward a more Fair Political relationship between the ACP and EU countries. Read more »
22-02-2010 Keller Presents her Own-Initiative Report on PCD
In the meeting of the Committee on Development of the European Parliament on the 22nd of February 2010, Franziska Keller, from the political group of the Green (Greens/EFA), presented her own-initiative report on Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) and the Official Development Assistance plus (ODA+) concept. For her efforts to enhance PCD, as presented in the draft report, Ska Keller is in the race to become the Fair Politician of the parliamentary year! Read more »
19-02-2010 MEP Guerrero Salom asks about Illicit Financial Flows
MEP Enrique Guerrero Salom expresses his concerns for the illicit financial flows that come from developing countries. He quotes the World Bank, stating that about 500 to 800 billion dollars in illicit finances flow comes from developing countries, which drain hard currency reserves, increases inflation and reduces tax revenues that undercut the opportunities that developing countries have to develop. Read more »
04-02-2010 New Development Commissioner Piebalgs Strongly Commits Himself to PCD
New Development Commissioner Piebalgs strongly commits himself to PCD During the past few weeks all of the hearings of the Commissioners designate took place. During these hearings the Commissioners were targeted with questions in relation to their field of work by the MEPs from the different committee’s in the European Parliament. In many hearings of relevance to Development, the issue of PCD or a particular case in relation to PCD was raised. Read more »
27-01-2010 A Special Day for PCD: INTA Draft Opinion
In the meeting of the European Parliaments Committee on International Trade (INTA) that took place Wednesday the 27th of January 2010, Policy Coherence for Development was on the Agenda. This was without a doubt a special occasion for Fair Politics, because the INTA Committee had never discussed the subject this seriously before. Read more »
18-12-2009 ACP-EU JPA Question by MEP Rivasi on Subsidies
Although not part of one of the Fair Politics case studies, Michele Rivasi (Greens/EFA) raises a legitimate question concerning milk export subsidies and the incoherence between the alleviation of poverty and the commercial interest that is causing poverty in African Countries. Read more »
18-12-2009 ACP-EU JPA Question by MEP Martin on Access to Medicines
As one can read in the Fair Politics Case Study on TRIPS and Medicines, the access to medicines for developing countries is of often difficult. Although the medicines exist, patients in developing countries can commonly not afford them due to the patents on the drugs. The development efforts of the EU prioritize access to affordable medicines for developing countries, but trade, industry and enterprise policies delay and complicate the access because of beliefs in the innovative force of intellectual property rights. Read more »
18-12-2009 ACP-EU JPA Question by MEP Klass on Subsidies
Christa Klass (EPP) raises her concern on the future of the EU dairy sector as well as EU subsidies for European farmers obstructing the development of agricultural structures in the poorer countries. Read more »
18-12-2009 ACP-EU JPA Question by MEP Kader Arif on EPA
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and ACP Countries were initially meant to merge development policy and trade policy into a comprehensive framework with the Cotonou agreement and in order to promote regional integration. Negotiations on regional agreements have been extremely difficult, and therefore interim EPAs have been signed with individual ACP countries, on the basis on regional negotiations. These interim EPAs only reinforce disintegration and trade policies that have had a strong priority over development policies in the agreements, creating incoherence between the two areas. Read more »
18-12-2009 ACP-EU JPA Question by MEP Joly on Illicit Financial Flow
The EUs policies on tax has made the taxes incredibly difficult to follow and transparency is hardly in place. Multinational corporations find loop wholes to avoid taxes and secrecies of banks make tax evasion a possibility. Not only are taxes escaping the EU or its member states because of this, but also illicit financial flows from developing countries are a reality. Tax income for developing countries are extremely important for the development, especially in terms of social welfare, security and the protection of human rights in general. Read more »
17-11-2009 The Raw Materials Initiative and Policy Coherence for Development under discussion in our Expert Meeting
On Tuesday the 17th of November, in a room deep into the busy European Parliament, the Fair Politics Expert Meeting on the Raw Materials Initiative (RMI) and Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) took place. This meeting aimed to create awareness and debate on this potentially tricky initiative launched by the European Commission in November 2008 by bringing together policy makers from the European Commission, European Parliament Members, NGOs, business and experts from both Europe and Africa. The Fair Politics case study working paper on the issue was also to be launched. All this in order to prevent the RMI from being developed into an aggressive strategy in favour of European industries. Read more »
09-11-2009 PCD made it to the Parliament!
On Monday afternoon, as a last item on the agenda, over 1,5 hour of the DEVE Committee meeting was scheduled for discussing Policy Coherence for Development. The Committee is working on an own initiative report on the issue and presented the working document. Mrs. Keller, who is the rapporteur in this, explained the document that contains quite some critique to the Commission’s report that was said to be ‘vague’ and too positive. Read more »
28-10-2009 Green concerns on logging and climate change
MEP Raul Romeva I Rueda (Verts/ALE) quotes a Greenpeace reports that states that the EU is in favour of financing the timber industry through its donations as a mechanism for climate change mitigation. Read more »
26-10-2009 MEP Belet warns Commission for Jatropha oil
MEP Ivo Belet (PPE) questions the sustainability of Jatropha oil that was said to be the biofuel of the future. Considering the EU plans striving for 10% use of renewable energy sources (including biofuels) in their transport sector in 2020 and the uncertainty of the effects and sustainability of these, it is important to raise awareness and knowledge on this issue. Read more »
26-10-2009 Ehrenhauser asks critical questions concerning raw materials & development (funds)
MEP Martin Ehrenhauser (NI) asks the Commission for clarification of the use of European Development Funds in investment projects of the European Investment Bank in developing countries mining sector. Read more »
19-10-2009 Oxfam and HAI report critices EU for "trading away access to medicine"
On the 19th of October Oxfam International and Health Action International (HAI) have published a critical report on EU policies that undermine the the right to health in developing countries. The clear incoherence between the EU pursuing trade agendas in favor of its pharmaceutical industry on the one hand and the support to the DOHA declaration and other efforts of the EC in improving access to health care in developing countries on the other hand, is strongly emphasised. At the same time, the EU does not do enough to support the medical innovation needed. Read more »
16-10-2009 How coherent is the EU in the 'race for raw materials'? Find out on the 17th of November!
On the 17th of November 2009 Fair Politics is organising an Expert Meeting in the European Parliament on the Raw Materials Initiative. Because of the potential strong effects of this strategy paper on developing countries and incoherencies with EU development policies and commitment, we feel it is important to create awareness and debate on the issue with both our new case study and this meeting. Read more »
14-10-2009 Spotlight on Policy Coherence: Report launched by CONCORD
On Wednesday the 14th of October CONCORD organised a media launch to present its first report on Policy Coherence for Development. The report - to which Fair Politics has also contributed - explains how CONCORD has a different approach to PCD that involves a more Southern and rights-based perspective, a multi-dimensional approach with many interlinkages between the different policy areas (instead of the two-dimensional often used by the Commission) and the importance of looking at financial regulation and taxation. Read more »
14-10-2009 Patent demands of EU also a farmers and Greens concern
MEP Carl Schlyter (Verts/ALE) has written a question to the Commission in which he explains the issues with patents on seeds and hybrid plants that can negatively affect biodiversity. They are also a direct concern to small farmers, such as in Latin America, that use and trade these (traditional) seeds and now face limited access in an increasingly monopolised seed market. Read more »
01-10-2009 FPA with Guinea rejected by the European Parliament
With a small majority the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Guinea was rejected in the Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament. Whereas Fair Politics and the Committee on Development both feel these agreements do not include enough of a development perspective, the reason for rejection from the Fisheries Committee was actually related to the violence used by the government towards its citizens. Read more »
25-09-2009 MEP Asa Westlund (S&D) concerned about EU demands in IPR in different Latin American negotiations
MEP Asa Westlund (S&D) asked the Commission whether it was true that they are negotiating an extension of patent terms and protection of data for medicine, as well as removing the Doha exception, in the negotiations with Peru and Colombia, but also with Central America. Read more »
21-09-2009 Is the battle in the EU-Andean process over?
Today is the start of what is likely to be the last negotiation round for a free trade agreement between the EU and the Andean countries of Peru and Colombia. What started off two years ago as a region-to-region partnership agreement including a political and a development cooperation pillar, has been reduced to a bilateral commercial agreement. Read more »
17-09-2009 A new approach to Policy Coherence for Development
(Please see further updates on the process below) Read more »
15-09-2009 Swedish presidency hopeful on coherence for development, but also on trade?
In the second half of 2009 it is Sweden who will preside the Council of the European Union. On their website and in the work programme for the Swedish Presidency of the EU they highlight several priority issues and discuss these further. Fair Politics took a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Swedish statements in relation to (the effects on) developing countries and policy coherence for development. Read more »
14-09-2009 The crisis does not only affect us...
While Europe is facing and trying to mitigate the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis, we tend to forget that there are many countries in the developing world that are much less responsible, yet much more vulnerable and affected by the crisis. On behalf of the Committee on Development, MEP Eva Joly, highlights this issue to the Commission in a question that was taken to the plenary session in Strassburg this week. Read more »
03-09-2009 EP Development Committee concerned about FPA with the Republic of Guinea
Last December, the European Commission and the Republic of Guinea agreed upon a Fisheries Partnership Agreement. This controversial agreement was made without any parliamentary consultation. Only now - about 9 months after the agreement was reached - the Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament is producing a report under the consultation procedure, with possible input from the Development Committee. Fair Politics was very pleased to read the critical opinion drafted by the rapporteur new chairperson of the Development Committee in the Parliament Eva Joly (Greens - EFA). Read more »
05-08-2009 True impact studies on EPAs: a myth?
When the EU signed the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Cameroon, as it has with other developing countries, its was claimed by the Commission that many impact studies had been done. Kader Arif (S&D) questions both this claim as studies are hard to find - and the fact that any impact study where available seriously proves the benefits of the agreement. Read more »
05-08-2009 Greens concerned about Zimbabwean diamonds
Whereas Zimbabwe - like the EU - is party in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for rough diamonds that is to prevent trade in wrong diamonds, strong human rights violations in its diamond fields have been reported. Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA) is asking the Commission whether they should not be pushing for suspension of Zimbabwe from the KCPS and/or halt trade in Zimbabwean diamonds in the EU. For raising this incoherent and unfair issue in her question, we hereby monitor Sargentini as Fair Politician. Read more »
29-07-2009 MEPs concerned about Uzbeki children
Different MEPs from parties such as the ECR, ALDE and S&D have raised the issue of forced child labour that is used by the Uzbeki government in order to provide for harvest of their cotton each year. While this led to a call for boycott by the World Fair Trade Organisation, the EU the biggest single destination for Uzbek cotton continued importing the product under the preferential system. Graham Watson (ALDE) particularly highlights the incoherence of this by referring to the commitments the Commission made to eradicating child labour at a global level. We would like to thank Bill Newton Dunn (ALDE), Roger Helmer (ECR), Graham Watson (ALDE), Claude Moraes (S&D) and Charles Tannock (ECR) for raising this issue. Read more »
14-07-2009 MEP Claude Moraes wants to be sure EPA's will serve development
Claude Moraes (S&D) rightly asks the Commission how they will safeguard development needs of West African states in the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations. Read more »
25-06-2009 Seizure of generic medicines: problem solved? Not by far!
Earlier this year, in March, we reported on this website about questions asked by MEPs David Martin (PSE) and Corien Wortmann-Kool (EPP-DE) regarding the seizure of generic medicines, produced in India and on their way to Brazil and Nigeria, in the Netherlands. Seizing or even delaying the transhipment of medicines like these are harmful for people in developing countries, as their access to essential generic and thus cheaper medicines is severely hampered. This is an update on the current situation regarding the seizing of medicines in Europe. Problem solved, as the Commission said? Probably not. Read more »
11-03-2009 MEPs ask questions about seizures of generic medicines on their way to developing countries
Following a similar incident in December last year, recently there has been another seizure of generic medicines at the Dutch airport Schiphol. MEPs David Martin (PES) and Corien Wortmann-Kool (PPE#8209;DE) asked questions about this very delicate matter to the Council and the Commission. The consignment of medicines was produced in India and on its way to Nigeria. Read more »
22-02-2009 Coherence star for MEPs Helmuth Markov and Thijs Berman
For their contribution as chairpersons'Â to the Expert meeting on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) which are included in the EU - CAN Association Agreement, Helmuth Markov (GUE-NGL) and Thijs Berman (PSE) have earned a coherence star on this website. Read more »
24-06-2009 Restructuring the cotton industry: from four to an eight year plan.
Recently, on May 25th 2009, the Council decided to prolong the period of restructuring of the cotton sector from four to eight years. A decision that the Parliament agreed with in a report by the parliamentary committee on Agriculture earlier this year in April. Restructuring the cotton sector primarily means that the aid that the EU has been given to farmers does not only depend on the amount of hectares anymore. This so-called uncoupling of sector aid can be very positive for cotton producers in developing countries since it eliminates a mechanism that distorts the cotton market. But through this amendment, that prolongs the restructuring process, the EU delays the partial uncoupling of sector aid, which means negative consequences of the cotton policy for developing countries will not reduce. Read more »
24-06-2009 Report puts policy coherence in the spotlight
Since Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) was made a policy making priority by the Council in 2005, the European Commission has put in place an ambitious framework for promoting the better fine-tuning of its policies with respect to their impact on developing countries. A first EU PCD report, assessing progress made since 2005 in both the EU institutions and the Member States, was published in September 2007. Now that the second one is due in 2009, CONCORD is presenting an alternative PCD Report. Read more »
08-06-2009 Brains from developing countries through the European drain.
On May 25th the Council adopted a directive aimed at facilitating conditions of entry and residence in the EU of third-country citizens for the purpose of highly qualified employment. In other words: the Council approved of the so-called Blue Card, an access card to the EU for highly skilled workers around the world. The Blue Card is expected to help tackle the aging problem and the shortage of highly qualified workers at the labour market. A possible positive development for EU member states, but what about the developing countries where the highly skilled workers are recruited? Read more »
05-06-2009 To sign or not to sign? ACP countries are doubtful about the EPAs.
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that the EU is trying to conclude with the seven regions that together cover the ACP (African Caribbean and Pacific) group of countries, continue to be newsworthy. When the EPA negotiation process started in 2002, one would not have imagined that by 2009 only one full EPA had been signed. However, this is actually the case. The Caribbean states, together also known as Cariforum-group, have signed a full EPA In October 2008 and the process of implementation has started. Only six more to go. The Commission has mentioned June 2009 as the new deadline for all interim agreements signed so far to be transposed into full, regional EPAs, but recent developments indicate that this date is too optimistic. Read more »
07-05-2009 EP adopts Commission proposal on illegally logged timber after substantially amending and improving it.
In October 2008, the European Commission presented a proposal for a regulation that aims to prevent the placing of illegal harvested timber products on the European market. A good initiative, since legislation regarding the problem of trade in illegally logged timber has been long awaited. But, as MEP Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) put it: The good news is that we do finally have EU legislation; the bad news is that the Commission proposal is distressingly weak and will need comprehensive improvement in order to become meaningful and effective.(1) Luckily, the European Parliament took action: in one of the last plenary sessions and with the help of numerous amendments the proposal now has the potential to reach its goal: Operators shall ensure that only legally harvested timber and timber products are made available on the market.(2) Read more »
08-04-2009 Louis Michel proposes to introduce PCD training for Commissioners
On 31 March 2009, one of the last meetings of the Development Committee of the European Parliament in its current composition took place. The Commissioner for development, Mr Louis Michel, was present at the meeting to exchange views with the MEPs and together look back at the past five years of his term as Commissioner. Even though Mr. Michel will probably take a seat next to the MEPs after the elections for the EP in June, he still had some ideas for the future, especially for the next Commissioner for Development. Read more »
26-03-2009 The European Parliament takes its chance to show commitment to development!
Yesterday, March 25th 2009, MEPs voted for the final and improved resolution regarding the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Cariforum, 14 Caribbean states. MEPs showed their commitment to incorporating development firmly in the EPA. Fair Politics EU warmly welcomes the decision by the Parliament to do so, and encouraged it to do so only last week. Read more »
19-03-2009 Second chance for EPA resolution during EP Plenary
In October 2008, the 14 Caribbean states that together make up the Cariforum region, signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union. Haiti, the last state to sign, has until 2010 to join in. The process of ratification has not yet been completed, but until that time, the EU and the member states of Cariforum will provisionally apply the EPA. Read more »
23-02-2009 MEPs: We will do everything in our power to make sure IPR provisions do not hinder access to medicines in Andean countries!
On February 17th, the EU Coherence Programme and Health Action International (HAI) in cooperation with the GUE/NGL and PSE groups organised an expert meeting on those provisions in the EU CAN Association Agreements that intend to protect Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). Read more »
20-02-2009 Policy incoherence is costly for our tax payers and for the poor!
According to Mr Mario Amano, Deputy Secretary General of the OECD, during a High-Level Conference on Policy Coherence for Development and Migration, the effects of policies that undermine development are felt by both developing countries and European tax payers. Incoherent polices are ineffective policies. Making sure that policies are mutually reinforcing, therefore, is in our own interest, too. Read more »
03-02-2009 EU reintroduces subsidies on dairy products
Just last week the European Commission decided to reintroduce export subsidies on dairy products. According to the EUs Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, the current measures are being taken because European exporters are no longer able to compete. Moreover, Boel argues that this situation is aggravated by the already existing difficultiesas a result of the financial credit crisis. Read more »
21-01-2009 Illegal logging: New proposal focusing on the EU market
Last October, the European Commission presented a new proposal aiming to establish new conditions for placing timber products from third countries on the European market. This new initiative places, once more, the issue of illegal logging on the agenda of the European Parliament. Read more »
11-12-2008 The Coherence King 2009
On December 10th, 2008, the EU Coherence Programme - predecessor of Fair Politics -organized the EU Coherence Awards Ceremony, at the European Parliament. All MEPs who had earned a coherence star in the past few years were invited to come to the ceremony to receive their prize. As in every award ceremony, there can only be one winner, the winner of the EU Coherence Awards, MEP Thijs Berman, was proclaimed; Coherence King 2009. Read more »
03-12-2008 MEP Hannu Takkula addresses incoherencies in several EU policies.
03 December 2008 Read more »
01-12-2008 Common position on the control of exports of military technology and equipment
01 December 2008 Read more »
27-11-2008 The EU Coherence programme at the Development Days 2008
27 November 2008 Read more »
19-11-2008 The EU Blue Card supported by MEPs
19 November 2008 Read more »
06-11-2008 The EU and Intellectual Property Rights
06 November 2008 Read more »
23-10-2008 ALDE Seminar on arms trade puts the issue back on the EU’s agenda.
23 October 2008 Read more »
07-10-2008 Biofuels and the current food crisis
07 October 2008 Read more »
02-10-2008 Written questions MEP David Martin: CARIFORUM and the EPAs
02 October 2008 Read more »
02-09-2008 EVF publishes an article on migration in the European Voice
2 September 2008 Read more »
22-08-2008 Written question MEP Muscardini: Prices of agricultural products and biofuels
22 August 2008 Read more »
10-07-2008 Are soaring oil prices the best thing that could have happened to the world's marine ecosystems?
10 July 2008 Read more »
09-07-2008 Adoption report MEP Frithjof Schmidt: policy coherence for development
09 July 2008 Read more »
26-06-2008 Written question MEP Karim : The influence of biofuels policy on soaring food prices
26 June 2008 Read more »
29-04-2008 ‘Rebranding’ of DG PECH into DG MARE: step up to a more coherent policy?
29 April 2008 Read more »
23-04-2008 MEP Corbey emphasizes policy incoherencies in biofuels and fisheries policy
23 April 2008 Read more »
23-04-2008 Debate on biofuels offers food for thought
23 April 2008 Read more »
22-04-2008 MEPs in action against deforestation and illegal logging
22 April 2008 Read more »
08-04-2008 Written question MEP Karim: biofuels and developing countries
08 April 2008 Read more »
08-04-2008 Oral question MEP van Hecke: EU code of conduct on arms exports
08 April 2008 Read more »
08-04-2008 Oral question for question time MEP Goudin: criticism levelled at the fisheries agreements
08 April 2008 Read more »
06-03-2008 Written Question MEPs Romeva i Rueda and Scheele: Arms trade
06 March 2008 Read more »
20-02-2008 Written question MEP Martin: Biofuels
20 February 2008 Read more »
20-02-2008 Written question MEP Corbey: Overfishing - the sustainability of European presence in African waters
20 February 2008 Read more »
05-02-2008 MEP Frithjof Schmidt calls for better Policy Coherence for Development on fisheries and illegal logging
05 February 2008 Read more »
14-07-2006 Oral question for question time MEP De Rossa: Small arms and light weapons and an International Arms Trade Treaty
14 July 2006 Read more »
27-01-2006 Written question MEPs: Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
27 January 2006 Read more »
Fair Politics is an initiative of:
