Brussels, 30/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - Guarded: that is the most appropriate adjective to describe the reception given by European development NGOs to the new strategy guidelines set out by the European Commission on 26 January in its communication, which argues for strengthening the trade capacities of developing countries by making trade part of their development strategies (see EUROPE 10541).
CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development, says that the new 10-year strategy for trade, growth and development means a €10.5 billion cut in “aid for trade” policies by differentiating between the support for the BRICS (Brazil Russia, India, China and South Africa) and that for the least developed countries.
While the 1,600 NGOs represented in CONCORD recognise the Commission's efforts to focus on the least developed countries, they are concerned that EU trade policy is more about extracting profit than assisting development. They call for a transparent and inclusive trade policy towards developing countries that is the result of joint efforts to identify the trade measures that are really geared to the needs of developing countries.
“Focusing more aid on less developed countries is needed and welcome as they currently lack support, representing only 20% of current 'aid for trade' measures. But the EU should not see the developing world as the BRICS vs the rest. Unfortunately great inequalities and poverty levels remain, despite their high economic growth levels. The EU Commission must be clearer as to exactly which countries could lose out on support and show evidence that the new policy won't negatively affect their development”, says CONCORD Director Olivier Consolo.
Marc Maes, Trade Policy Officer of the Belgian NGO coalition 11.11.11 and member of CONCORD, drives the point home in stating: “The new plan is more about how aid will support EU trade profit than about how trade policy will support development. The EU can market it as 'tailored support' but the real aim is to impose its own trade standards on the developing world”. (AN/transl.rt)