DG Development

On 11 January 2010 Andris Piebalgs, the Latvian Commissioner designate for Development, had his hearing before the members of the European Parliament. He was asked to reply to Development Committee questions on the key aim of development policy - fighting poverty - as well as on aid effectiveness, the impact of climate change on developing countries, and co-ordination among EU policy makers. MEPs of all political groups set out their development policy priorities at the start of the (...)

Brussels, 10 September 2009 – the first Global Health Policy Forum – an informal monthly gathering of stakeholders active on EU Global Health – discussed an outline of the process leading to adoption of a Communication on the "EU’s role in Global Health" during the Spanish Presidency. At the meeting were representatives of NGOs and civil society from both the development, and health communities, as well as academia and the private sector. Additionally, (...)

The European Union is the largest provider of development aid in the world. The 2008 figures from OECD show that more than €49 billion has been spent on development aid, an increase of about 8% since 2007. At the 2005 European Council, EU leaders had pledged to increase aid levels collectively and individually from all Member States by 2015. The primary objective of EU development policy is the eradication of poverty, including the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (...)

On 9 April 2008 the European Commission adopted a Communication highlighting the lack of progress to achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals, three of which are specifically about health. The Commission wishes to see urgent action from the Member States and a leadership role for the EU in the major international fora during the rest of 2008. The discussions of the Council on the Communication should prepare a common EU line for two major international conferences later this year: (...)

The European Commission adopted on 27 June 2007 a Communication outlining a new approach to the regional partnership agreement that is the EU-Africa Strategy. This Communication will form the basis for the discussions beetween EU and African heads of state at the EU Africa Summit in Lisbon at the ned of this year. The Commission has adopted proposals presenting five flagship policy initiatives that embody a new approach to EU Africa relations: EU-Africa Partnership on Energy (...)