2011 Spotlight on EU Policy Coherence for Development
BRUSSELS
7 Nov 2011
About the launch
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The European launch of the Spotlight on EU PCD was a real success, with more than 70 participants, including among the speakers two Member of the European Parliament, two representatives of the European Commission and members of CONCORD who contributed to the report.
Rilli Lappalainen from Finland’s national platform KEHYS, and member of CONCORD Board, moderated the final discussion. MEP Birgit Schnieber-Jastram, PCD Standing Rapporteur in the European Parliament provided details of the work of EU Parliament from 2009 on policy coherence for development. She noted that incoherencies could be found in certain EU policies and funding that indirectly lead to damaging the environment and increasing poverty. Laura Sullivan, from ActionAid, then entered into the heart of the presentation by giving a short but effective summary of the work and the various sections of the report, with very impactful examples which have been commented by the representatives of the European Commission present. Vincent Grimaud, (Head of Unit Coherence of EU policies and EU Development Aid for Effectivenes, DG Cooperation and Development) welcomed the work done by CONCORD, supporting the importance of similar contributions for the EC but he didn’t say too much about which actually will be the next steps of the EU Commission to support the PCD.
The second part of the panel focused on the chapter on Food Security: Laust Gregersen from CONCORD Denmark provided an overview of the chapter followed by a commentary of Leonard Mizzi (ACP Head of Unit, South Africa, FAO, DG Agriculture and Rural Development): he outlined that 71% of EU agricultural imports come from developing countries. He mentioned that the EU has been pushing for PCD in the G20 Action Plan adopted in Cannes. He said that PCD indicators are missing, so that we can really show if an EU policy has really affected a specific person or area. Lastly, MEP Ska Keller emphasized some examples of incoherencies such as the dumping of European waste food products, which are often indirectly or directly subsidized, in West Africa. These hamper the profits of farmers in the developing world. She also pointed that many developing countries are often almost forced to sign EPAs against their will.
Pictures from the event will be soon available on Concord’s Flickr account
Media
A press release in English, French and Italian was sent out ahead of the launch event. International news agencies such as AFP were present, press specialist on themes like development and agriculture. The report had an important visibility in the press, including in Brussels-based news agencies, like Agence Europe and Euractiv, as well as major national newspapers such as EL MUNDO in Spain, Le FIGARO in France, RTL.info in Belgium, radio and televisions. We even had hits in Iran and Kuwait.
Plans for the near future
· The report has been sent to targeted MEPs, and officials in the European Commission and the EEAS, including the PCD focal points in each DG. The report has also been sent to the Permanent Representations of the EU Member States, as well as to the PCD national experts in the national governments. Civil society organisations and groupings CONCORD has been working with over the years have received a copy, so have institutions such as the OECD and the ACP Secretariat.
· CONCORD PCD Coordination is implementing its engagement strategy for advocating the messages and recommendations of the Spotlight report, especially around the release of the 3rd EU progress report on PCD expected mid-December and the preparation of the 1st European Parliament report of the MEP Standing Rapporteur on PCD, scheduled to be adopted early 2012.
SWEDEN
7 Nov 2011
About the launch
In Sweden the report was launched at a well-attended (about 55 participants) one hour lunch seminar, including CSOs and several government officials from the ministry of foreign affairs. An overall presentation of the report by Peter Sörbom from CONCORD Sweden was followed by a panel discussion with MPs from the two major parties in Parliament – Karin Enström (conservative party), chair of the Committee of Foreign Affairs and Kenneth G Forslund (social democrat), spokesperson for development cooperation. Several issues were covered, such as capital flight, arms exports, biofuels and agricultural policies. Both MPs expressed their appreciation for the report and the importance of CSOs raising issues of policy coherence for development.
Media
An opinion article based on the report was published in one of the major regional newspapers: http://www.sydsvenskan.se/opinion/aktuellafragor/article1571305/EUs-politik-skadar-u-lander.html
Follow up
Two more seminars on the report will be held in the cities of Gothenburg on 28 November and in Lund on 5 December. In both seminars a presentation of the report will be followed by a panel discussion with MPs, CSO reps and academics.
The report was sent to relevant ministers and state secretaries (development cooperation, trade, agriculture, environment), MPs in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, foreign policy advisors in the different parties in the Parliament. It will also be distributed among members of CONCORD Sweden. Swedish summaries of the different chapters of the report should be up on our website. These has also been distributed for wider use among members.
Plans for the near future
· CONCORD Sweden national Coherence Report will be published in March 2012.
ELSEWHERE in EUROPE
DENMARK: The Spotlight report was presented on the occasion of CONCORD Denmark General Assembly on 9 November and again at the launch of CONCORD Denmark Presidency programme on 12 December, in presence of key policy-makers and relevant stakeholders.
FINLAND: The Spotlight report was presented on 16 November on the occasion of a high-level event co-organised by KEHYS and the Finnish Institute for Foreign Affairs, which gathered about 60 persons, including parliamentarians, ministries staff, CSOs. An address was given by Felix Shawn of the EEAS and the Development Minister.
POLAND: The campaign Alimenterre, coordinated by CFSI (France), in partnership with PKE and PZS (Poland) held a conference in Warsaw on 8-9 December, focusing on the Common Agriculture Policy and food security, during which the Spotlight report was presented, to the audience made of MEPs, Polish MPs and the vice minister for agriculture, as well as CSOs and think tanks.
On 16 December, Warsaw also hosted the European Development Days. CONCORD's panel event on the post-2015development framework featured PCD as central element of the debate, with panelists from the EP, OECD, UN, academia and Southern Civil Society. Visibility was given again to the Spotlight report, for a mixed audience of development stakeholders.
THE NETERLANDS: The national platform PARTOS, and the Evert Vermeer Foundation will organise a launch for Members of the Parliament in January.
UK: BOND will organise a national launch with EU and national officials, including two panel discussions, respectively on food security and human security, in February 2012.
LUXEMBURG: A national launch is being prepared by the national platform, Le Cercle.
ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly – TOGO
21 Nov 2011
About the launch
Through the joint cooperation of CONCORD PCD Coordination Group and Cotonou Working Group, CONCORD launched the Spotlight Report at the Joint Parliamentary Assembly gathered in Lomé, Togo.
A lunch-debate was organized on the first day of the Assembly meeting on 21 November, that was attended by more or less 50 participants including Parliamentarians from ACP countries and from the EU, Ambassadors, ECOSOC members, representatives of the Council, civil society organizations, etc.
The panel was chaired by Lars Bosselmann of CBM. Pascal Erard, CFSI - Coordination Sud, introduced the theme of coherence and closed the session with some institutional recommendations. Laust Gregersen, CONCORD Denmark, spoke about food security and the coherence deficit of the EU Common Agriculture Policy, while Salif Sissoko, from the National Coordination of the Peasant Organizations (CNOP) in Mali gave a few examples about this issue. Gerard Karlshausen, CNCD-Belgian Platform of CONCORD and Member of CONCORD Board, presented the report chapter on migration as an example of policy incoherence.
CONCORD also held a stand near the conference room, presenting CONCORD Cotonou working group briefing papers on coherence, the declaration of Brussels on the future of the EU-ACP relationship adopted by the last Cotonou Seminar and the CONCORD Narrative on Development.
Media
A press release in English and French was sent out ahead of the lunch debate. Press from Europe and the African continent relayed the information, diffused by the African Press Organization. Coverage was done by pan-African online news sites and national newspapers in Togo and Rwanda. Interviews were given to Voice of America, the radios BBC Africa, BBC World Service and Radio France International.
Plans for the near future
· The next JPA will take place in Denmark in May 2012. PCD is an important axis of the EU’s Danish Presidency. CONCORD’s plans are being discussed.