On Tuesday 15 July, the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, stressed to the European Parliament’s Committee on Development (DEVE) the importance of the EU equipping itself with tools that match its ambitions on the international stage. As part of the EU’s next long-term budget, Copenhagen will make negotiations on the financing instrument for external action a “key priority”, the Minister assured.
“If we want the EU, and we do, to play a global role, we need to make sure that we have a strategic and geopolitical budget and an instrument that is fit for purpose”, he said.
“We are in an era where official development assistance is facing major cuts and the Sustainable Development Goal financing gap is growing (...) But the situation also gives opportunities to position the EU and to deliver solutions in the area where we excel”, said Mr Rasmussen, who wants to believe in an integrated approach by the Union, including the private sector, foundations and international financial institutions.
In its draft budget plan 2028–2034, presented on Wednesday 16 July, the European Commission has earmarked €202 billion for ‘Global Europe’, which is an increase of 75% compared to the current funds (€109 billion). According to a presentation document distributed by the European Commission, €43 billion would go to the widening countries and the Eastern Neighbourhood, the same amount to the MENA region and the Gulf, €60 billion to sub-Saharan Africa, €17 billion to Asia and the Pacific, and €9 billion to the Americas and the Caribbean. €15 billion would be earmarked for global affairs and the same sum would be set aside to respond to emerging crises and unforeseen needs. In addition to these funds, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed €100 billion, therefore “doubling the Ukraine Facility — to support recovery, resilience, and their path to EU membership”. This Facility does not, however, cover military support for Kyiv.
€3.4 billion is also envisaged “to continue contributing to the EU’s objectives of preserving peace, strengthening international security, promoting international cooperation and developing and consolidating democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedom”, said the Commission. (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit with Camille-Cerise Gessant)