As the European Union works to update its development policy framework, CPDE calls on the EU and its Member States to stay true to the goals of development and ensure that people and planet are at the heart of its policy.

The European Commission proposed an update to the EU’s development policy framework, the European Consensus on Development , that will be adopted by the EU and its Member States to guide their development actions in the coming years. This update is geared to reflect the EU’s commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) and the overarching goal to decrease inequality and eradicate poverty through sustainable development.

In working towards its goals, the EU and its Member States have collectively become the largest provider of development aid, providing more than half of aid worldwide. However, they still face challenges to achieve even their most basic commitments. Their Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015, only reached 0.47%, a far cry from the 0.7% minimum. Amid a financial crisis and the increasing imposition of austerity measures, 3 many EU Member States have decreased their budget for development aid. And several countries have 4 improperly reported non-aid spending as aid, especially as funds intended for foreign development aid have been re-directed to cover domestic refugee costs.