Brussels, 12/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - In its conclusions - adopted without debate on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting chaired by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Brussels on 12 December - the Council called on the European Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) to hone the next annual report on the implementation of the EU's external aid and development policies.
Recalling that it is only two years away from 2015 - the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the Council underlines the need to continue to give account in the 2014 report of the EU's contribution to these efforts, as well as work on developing a new framework for post-2015. The Commission and EEAS are also asked to give the most comprehensive account possible in future annual reports of the implementation and results of budgetary support for third countries according to the new approach - which is applicable from 2014.
As regards the 2013 annual report on the implementation of development policies and external aid in 2012, the Council is pleased about the progress noted. In particular, the Council hails the methods used to give substance to an approach of policy coherence for development (PCD) - which is more based on factual data, the establishment of more detailed reports on the coordination of aid, support to transition countries, and strengthening resistance in fragile situations. The Council also hails the progress made in implementing a development approach based on rights.
The Council appreciates the importance of the efforts made to give a more detailed account of the integration of thematic issues, and it calls on the Commission and EEAS to focus more in future on gender equality and, if necessary, to illustrate the progress made with concrete examples - such as implementation of the action plan on gender equality.
The Council says that it looks forward to a report on what will have been done to implement the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States. (AN/transl.fl)