EU development policy set for radical shake-up

Date: 13/05/1999

By Gareth Harding

EU governments will next week call for a radical shake-up of the Union's development policy to put an end to the waste, drift and duplication which have characterised it in recent years.

An independent audit of EU aid to developing countries last year delivered a damning indictment of the Commission's development policy. Ministers will endorse its findings at a meeting next Friday (21 May) and make a series of recommendations for changes.

They are expected to call on the Commission to draft an up-to-date statement on EU development policy by mid-2000 to replace the patchwork of resolutions, rulings and declarations which currently exists. "Aid must focus on clear objectives to achieve distinct results," states a text due to be approved by ministers.

It adds that instead of throwing money at developing world countries, greater attention should be paid to achieving specific goals such as poverty reduction, sustainable development and equality between the sexes.

It also calls for changes to the way the Commission administers aid. At present, a plethora of directorate-generals deals with development cooperation within the institution, leading to duplication of effort and the creation of fiefdoms.

Most member states believe all this work should be brought under one roof, but due to opposition from Spain and Portugal, ministers are likely simply to call for "a greater concentration of responsibilities" for development issues in the future Commission.

Development ministers will also echo criticisms made by the committee of wise men earlier this year by concluding that "the Commission is not sufficiently resourced to efficiently and effectively manage all the development programmes it is currently undertaking".

Rather than freeing up more funds however, they will call for a "streamlining of the fragmented, cumbersome funding mechanisms" that presently exist and for the Commission to focus on a narrower range of activities.

The Commission accepts most of the criticism contained in last year's audit and agrees with the Council of Ministers on many of the proposed changes.

Under its new head Phillip Lowe, the institution's Directorate-General for development (DGVIII) has begun drawing up a set of key objectives for EU aid policy and launched an annual review of all countries receiving development assistance. "We are in the process of radically changing our working practices," said Lowe recently.

But with the French, German and UK governments steering development policy down an ever more progressive path, the Commission is having to run to stand still.