Nothing else stands in the way of the EU Council adopting the new "European Consensus on Development" at the EU Foreign Affairs Council (meeting in its Development format) in Brussels on Friday 19 May, as High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced (see EUROPE 11785).
The adoption of this text will be the flagship event of the ministerial meeting, since it will focus the unanimous agreement of the 28 EU member states on the approaches, principles and EU development policy priorities in line with the 2030 universal sustainable development goals (SDG). As a sign of the importance given to implementing the 17 SDG in this section of the EU's external policy, UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohamed will be the guest of honour for the session, for an exchange of views over lunch.
The Parliament's agreement is also needed for the three institutions to be able to sign their common agreement. This should happen in early June, with view to the joint signature by the presidents of the Parliament, Council and Commission on 7 March, on the sidelines of the European Development Days. This is the objective being pursued by the Maltese Presidency.
Hungarian issue settled. Amongst the innovations, the Consensus notably sets out the link between migration and development and security and development. The threat of veto that Hungary had brandished (because of its concern about the wording of the text not being in line with the Treaties of the EU and the conclusions of the European Council on legal migration) has now been lifted.
This member state was concerned that the Consensus mentions that well-managed migration and mobility can contribute positively to sustainable development, and it wanted there to be no ambiguity over the fact that legal migration remains well and truly a national competence. Hungary's concern was relieved by a small amendment to the text referring to the division of competences on legal migration.
"The European Consensus for Development covers a broad range of subjects to guide our contribution to global development. Migration is only a small part of this range. In 2015, all the leaders from throughout the world signed up to Agenda 2030 and recognised that migration was a driver of development. There was never any question of amending the Treaties of the EU. The competences are what they are and there is recognition of the positive nature that migration can have", a senior official told press on Thursday.
Being a question of the Parliament's power to exercise its democratic control over the future trust funds, there is good hope that this might be satisfied, the source stated, mentioning elements of language that will state the Parliament's role of co-legislator and its right of oversight of expenditure.
Post-Cotonou. The ministers will have a new exchange of views on the future of the partnership between the ACP countries and EU after 2020, when the Cotonou Agreement expires. They will also be informed about the ACP-EU Council deliberations (see EUROPE 11785).
Humanitarian crises. The ministers will discuss how to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Syria.
The Council will furthermore adopt conclusions, without debate, on the level of EU public development aid in 2016 (see EUROPE 11767) and on sustainable value chains. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)