| Author (Corporate) | European Commission |
|---|---|
| Series Title | COM |
| Series Details | (2012) 22 final (27.1.12) |
| Publication Date | 27/01/2012 |
| Content Type | Policy-making |
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The world economic landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade, with deep implications for trade, investment and development policies. Historically low tariffs and the reorganisation of international trade along global supply chains increasingly shift the focus of trade policies to regulatory and other behind-the-border issues. Developing countries have gone through radical changes. Some of them, such as China, India or Brazil, have managed to reap the benefits of open and increasingly integrated world markets and are now among the largest and most competitive global economies while others continue to lag behind and risk further marginalisation. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in particular, mainly in Africa, continue to face many difficulties and are the most off track in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The notion of "developing countries" as a group is losing relevance as a result and trade, investment and development policies now need to be tailored to reflect this. The issue of development, however, and the specific role of trade for development, remains pressing. The EU has a particular responsibility as the world's largest trading power, the biggest trading partner of many LDCs and other low-income or lower middle-income countries, and the world's largest provider of development assistance (including for trade-related programmes). Further to the 2010 Communication on Trade, Growth and World Affairs, the present Communication updates the 2002 Communication on Trade and Development to reflect changes in economic realities, to take stock of the way the EU has delivered on its commitments and to outline the direction the EU's trade and investment policies for development should take over the next decade. While it confirms the main principles stated in 2002, this Communication stresses the need to increasingly differentiate among developing countries to focus on those most in need, as well as to improve the way our instruments deliver. It also emphasises the need for our developing country partners to undertake domestic reforms and for other developed and emerging economies to match our initiatives to open markets to countries most in need. This Communication proposes concrete ways to enhance synergies between trade and development policies. Effective trade policy is critical in boosting growth and jobs in Europe and abroad and in projecting EU values and interests in the world. It can also be a powerful engine for development, in line with the EU principle of Policy Coherence for Development. |
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| Source Link | http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0022:FIN:EN:PDF |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations, Trade |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
