Brussels, 13/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The three Communications on the challenges of globalisation and sustainable development, adopted on Wednesday by the Commission (see yesterday's edition of EUROPE page 12) are an expression of faith in the virtues of the multi-lateral method for tackling world problems, and a guide for a major contribution on the part of the Union to the next international meetings: the implementation of the development agenda as defined at Doha, the international conference on development funding (Monterrey, Mexico 18-22 March) and the World Sustainable Development Summit (Johannesburg, September 2002. The political objective of the Union is to work towards an equitable globalisation between rich and poor countries, as a guarantor of sustainable development on a world scale. The Commission believes that this goal cannot be achieved unless a global partnership is set up for fighting against poverty, better management of natural resources and the environment of our world heritage is achieved and the volume of world public aid for development is increased substantially. Poul Nielson, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Affairs underlined this aim in a statement to the press on the Commission initiative and the practical measures it is putting forward. Mr Nielson said that the Communication on a world partnership for sustainable development defines the respective responsibilities of developing and industrialised countries, as well as the collective responsibly of the financial institutions in ensuring sustainable globalisation. The Communication reaffirms its support for the agenda defined at Doha and sets out the line to be followed by the Union at the international conference on finance and development (Monterrey 18-22 March) (…) Doha is not enough, neither is Monterrey nor Johannesburg.
This is a coherent, overall approach to the three agendas that we have to develop, said the Commissioner. Noting that a global economy based on free trade cannot guarantee sustainable development and that the Gothenburg and Laeken Summits had reconfirmed Member States' commitment to spend 0.7% of GDP on Official Development Assistance (ODA), he listed five measures the Commission was proposing for the Community: 1) sharply increasing Member States' ODA; 2) strengthening international financial and monetary structures and promoting transparent regulation of the markets to cut out abuse; 3) greater efforts in terms of releasing EU aid; promoting the Social Agenda to mobilise additional sources of finance; and 5) increasing technical assistance for developing countries' trade.
In order to set an example for the global summit in Johannesburg, the Commission is recommending that the Union make a success of Doha in terms of development, which presupposes coherence between EU agriculture and fisheries policies, regulations for arms exports and immigration; reversing the current trend of destroying the environment by 2015 by implementing international environment agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and a 12-point action plan for managing water, stepping up maritime safety, protecting forests, promoting renewable energy, and the like; help to meet the Millennium Declaration target of cutting global poverty in half by 2015, which means concentrating cooperation and development resources on the least advanced countries and implementing integrated strategies for education, health, nutrition, access to drinking water and sewerage.
Poul Nielson said the EU had to ensure greater equality and solidarity between those at the top and the bottom of globalisation and the preparations for the Monterrey conference should be seen in this connection. The Commission wants the EU to go beyond what has been foreseen by the OECD's development committee and announce its plans at Monterrey, he added. Basically, the Commission is suggesting that Member States that spend less than the EU average of 0.33% of GDP on ODA reach the average level by 2006, which would raise the EU average to 0.39%, while not abandoning the 0.7% target. This will give a boost to the process that has been bogged down for several years now, he explained, stressing that the Commission wanted to work hand in hand with Member States, and stipulating that the granting of ODA remains in the hands of Member States. The figures annexed to the Commission's communication, moreover, result from fruitful consultations with Member States, he went on, refusing to say that Spain, which currently holds the Presidency of the Union, had any reservations in agreeing to the timetable. Asked to comment on Denmark's decision to reduce its ODA, the Commissioner replied: "on that point, I'm not proud of being a Dane" Asked about the interest of the Tobin Tax to improve global governance, for greater collective discipline in the use of the multilateral monetary and financial system (object of the Commission's third communication), Poul Nielson considered that it "could prove useful" but that no decision had yet been made on the subject. "We are pursuing our work on the search for other sources of finances", he added.