Eradication of poverty and investing in social development by calling for:

• Poverty eradication to be the main objective in all EU development co-operation policies. Trade arrangements should be targeted towards poverty objectives.
• Increased priority should be given to basic social services, including the implementation of the 20/20 initiative and basic education. Structural Adjustment Programmes must be geared to achieve social development objectives. Initiatives to cancel external debt need to be implemented.
• Mainstreaming gender equality, and a rights and sustainability approach in all EU policies and programmes.
• Coherence of all EU policies and practices with its development co-operation objectives and in particular a reform of the CAP (Common Agriculture Policy).
• Participation of civil society has to be central in policy dialogue, planning, implementation and evaluation. Transparency in the EU’s decisions and actions.

Eurostep intends to follow up on its objectives by focussing on:

• the review of the EU development policies;
• the review of the WSSD + 5 (World summit of Social Development);
• the review of Beijing + 5 (The Fourth World Conference on Women);
• the implementation of the 1997 Council Resolution on Coherence;
• the implementation of the future Lomé agreement;
• following the EU’s stance towards international trade negotiations in the WTO as well as the EU’s trade agreements with other countries or regions.

Eurostep published in 1999 a critique of the EU co-operation policies in “EU Global Player”and contributes to the report “Reality of Aid” which monitors trends and roles of development co-operation within the EU.

On a weekly basis a Pro-Active File(PAF) providing information about the current discussions and activities around the EU’s co-operation programmes can be found on our website.

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