"EU Heroes and Villains" is the joint NGO briefing paper published by Oxfam, Eurodad and ActionAid which points out which EU countries are living up to their promises on aid, trade, and debt. It also recommends EU Member States to take very specific actions to improve.
The paper exposes Italy as the EU country that spends the least of its Gross National Income (GNI) on aid. Denmark is the one that gives the most: 0.84 (although it used to give more in the past).
Regarding basic social services, the briefing reminds EU countries of their commitment to spend 20 per cent of aid budgets on basic education, primary health care, and water and sanitation. Only the Netherlands approaches the target of 20 per cent, and once again Italy is at the bottom of the league (0.6 per cent).
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is another problem for developing countries. EU subsidies to domestic farmers and export subsidies undermine local markets for farmers in developing countries. High EU import tarriffs for farm goods produced outside the EU also limits the capacity of developing country farmers to earn good returns on their crops.
The paper is published in association with Nagle Community, Presentation Justice Network (Ireland); Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary; Wingspread International; Columban Sisters, Ireland; Children in Crossfire International; International Federation Terre des Hommes; Trocaire; Austrian National Platform of Development NGOs; BOND (UK National Platform of Development NGOs); Ibis
