Brussels, 12/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - In its unanimous conclusions, the Council of the EU underlined on Thursday 12 December that as regards its policy coherence for development (PCD), the EU is making progress but can do better. Since the recommendations that it put forward in May 2012, the Council notes that the European Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) have made progress in promoting independent assessments and strengthening PCD at the level of the different partner countries - particularly by giving an increased role to the EU delegations. Nevertheless, the Council believes that progress is still needed - especially on measuring the results of PCD and promoting an approach that is based more on factual data (such as calculating the cost of a lack of coherence in certain issues, for example) so as to make PCD more operational by paying more attention to the quality of the objectives and indicators. The Council therefore calls for the Development section to be strengthened in impact studies and impact assessments of sustainable development policies, when the guidelines for these tools are re-examined.
Strengthening PCD requires close cooperation between the EEAS, the Commission and the EU member states - as well as in-depth dialogue with local actors on the effects of EU policies, the Council states. The Council suggests appointing correspondents in the delegations for issues relating to this.
The Council also wants the regular organisation of political debates on PCD in the formations of the relevant Councils - at all levels, including at the ministerial level - and believes it is essential to demonstrate political resolve in order to anchor PCD more strongly in areas going beyond external action and in the ongoing debates on the future of the global framework for development post-2015. To this end, the Council calls on the Commission, EEAS, European Parliament and future Presidencies of the Council of the EU to strive towards broad engagement of PCD across policy areas and institutions so as to create a common and forward-looking vision of PCD possibilities and challenges.
Noting that it is currently focusing on five priorities - trade and finance, climate change, food security, migration and security - the Council asks the Commission and EEAS to establish, in cooperation with the member states, an overview of forthcoming policy proposals and initiatives affecting PCD, on the basis of the Commission's annual work programmes - which should be shared with the relevant Council bodies from the start of 2014. The Council encourages the Commission and the EEAS to establish a longer-term programme taking into account the framework for after 2015, as appropriate. In 2015, the Commission will publish the EU's fifth biennial report on PCD. (AN/transl.fl)