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Section 1 Introduction
Section 2 Global context
2.01 Global process
2.02 Political and institutional changes within the EU
2.03 Development co-operation policies and their implementation
2.04 EU trade arrangements with third countries
Section 3 Overall objectives and criteria
3.01 Objectives of the programme
3.02 Criteria for defining the scope and content of the programme 7
Section 4 Content of the programme 9
4.01 Issues integrated into all areas of the programme 9
4.02 Reviewing concepts of development co-operation 9
4.03 The quality of EU development assistance 9
4.04 Trade and investment
4.05 Coherence of policies
4.06 Ad-hoc issues
Section 5 Tools and methodology
5.01 Structures within Eurostep
5.02 Mechanisms of the programme
5.03 Instruments of the programme
5.04 Mechanisms for improving Eurostep
Annex I Experiences of the last five years
Annex II Role and responsibility of the General Assembly
Annex III Role and responsibility of the Steering Committee
Annex IV Role and responsibility of Working Groups
Annex V Role and responsibility of Lead agencies
Annex VI Role and responsibility of the meeting of advocacy staff
Annex VII Role and responsibility of member organisations
Annex VIII Role and responsibility of the secretariat
Annex IX Procedures for developing and adopting position papers
In December 1999 the General Assembly of Eurostep adopted a programme which will be pursued over the first five years of the new Millennium. It was the result of a consultative process within Eurostep that started with an initial discussion of the General Assembly in June during its meeting in Berlin. The development of the programme has sought to ensure that its orientation matches the expected work programmes of Eurostep’s member organisations. The experiences and active involvement of member organisations within the planning and implementation of the programme are essential for it to be effective.
The main focus of the programme is the policy and practice of the European Union as it affect developing countries. The programme seeks to address the agenda that will be pursued by the EU and its Member States between now and 2005. A key aspects of this will be a review of the EU’s development co-operation policies, not only as it is directly implemented by the European Commission, but also how this relates to the bi-lateral programmes of the Member States. The development of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy will have an important influence on this process, and the review of the Commission and its potential re-structuring will also be important factors. Another major focus for the EU will be the process of enlargement, with the first candidates possibly achieving accession before 2005.
The programme is constructed around three core focal elements – the quality of EU development assistance, trade and investment, and the coherence of EU policies. The first of these focuses on the EU’s aid programme, the second on the crucial question of the EU’s approach to global trade rules and the development of its own trade agreements with developing countries, while the last covers the relationship of the EU’s policies and practices outside development with its development co-operation objectives.
An integral part of the programme is the intention to integrate the core values of gender equality, ecological sustainability and a rights approach within all areas of the programme. These three elements are considered to be fundamental pre-requisites for the development process and are therefore an essential part of the strategy that Eurostep will be pursuing. As a network of development organisations the Eurostep programme also seeks to address the role that NGOs can play in the development process.
Within the life of the programme a process is envisaged through which the membership of Eurostep will consider the changing nature of development co-operation in its broadest context. A specific element of this will be how these changes will impact on the role of NGOs, and to identify opportunities for the future.
While Eurostep is a European organisation the approaches made within the programme need to be rooted in the experiences, practices and perspectives of people living in developing countries. The consultation process with partner organisations that was established in 1996 will continue and be developed. At the same time a conscious effort will be made to enable the voices of people – both from the South and North, to inform and influence the programme.
The programme is set out in 4 substantive sections. Following this introduction, Section 2 identifies the global context in which the programme will be developed and implemented. Section 3 establishes the objectives and criteria for the programme. Section 4 defines the content while section 5 describes the tools, instruments and methodology that will be employed. In section 6 there are a number of annexes. The first of these briefly describes some of the experiences that Eurostep has gained over the past 10 years and on which the programme has drawn. The remaining annexes set out the roles, responsibilities and procedures for the different mechanisms that will be used in the programme’s implementation.
The last five years of the twentieth century have seen some of the consequences of global liberalisation that has been at the centre of predominant economic policies. The financial crisis that started in Thailand in 1997 exposed much of the reality of the so-called Asian miracle. The consequences of this crisis, - in social, political and economic terms - has been felt to a greater or lesser extent around the world. This section provides an overview of the processes and events that will help determine the context in which the Eurostep programme will be set during the period of the programme. These are of necessity influences by recent experiences and can be identified within four principal categories: Firstly the global political and macroeconomic processes related to globalisation; secondly political and institutional changes within the European Union; thirdly a more specific focus on development co-operation policies; fourthly a focus on the trade arrangements being pursued with developing regions by the EU.
Not withstanding the experiences of the last five years the drive towards increased liberalisation will continue into the next century, with the further development of free trade agreements and moves towards the liberalisation of investment. The warnings about the fragility of the global financial structure have led to some increased awareness of the dangers posed by uncontrolled and unregulated liberalisation. While greater acceptance is being given to the importance of safeguarding social development the instruments for doing so remain weak. Even though the MAI is moribund in the OECD, the EU is pushing for negotiations to be included in the WTO. The World Bank, and very recently the IMF, have moved towards incorporating policies that give greater emphasis to the social dimension. However, structural adjustment programmes continue to impact on poorer communities in many developing countries - especially small scale producers who are facing increased competition from well established industry based in the major industrialised trading nations.
The failure of the Ministerial meeting in Seattle to agree an agenda for a Millennium Round of trade negotiations delays any prospect for such comprehensive negotiations until at least after the US Presidential elections. In the absence of agreement on such an agenda obligations from previous agreements will need to be pursued on a sectoral basis, including those relating to agricultural subsidies. However, progress on these is likely to be slow as attempts are made to establish a comprehensive round of negotiations. The stated expectations that such a Round should be concluded within two years of starting should be treated with caution, as the experience of the Uruguay Round demonstrates how this can be extended. The Uruguay Round failed to adequately address the situation and needs of developing countries. Whether a new Round would be any better is probably questionable even though the EU states that this is one of its concerns for the negotiations. These negotiations, if they take place, will play a dominant role during the first few years of the millennium.
At its meeting in Cologne in July 1999 the G7 agreed that further debt relief should be facilitated worth $ 70 billion. This could be an important step to speedier, more profound and broader debt relief, as stated by the G-7, but the implementation mechanisms for these have not been specified, nor the sources and time-schedule for releasing these resources.
The quantity of aid has been declining. Despite commitments of the EU to increase the proportion of aid as a proportion of GNP, the expected cost of reconstruction in Kosovo has already led to announcements of further cuts in development aid. While there are some countries where increases in ODA can be observed this is being eroded in overall terms by continued reductions by other donors. In addition to these overall reductions, there is a tendency for development budgets to increasingly include expenditures that were previously covered from other sources, such as the costs of maintaining refugees within donor countries. This has implications for NGOs as levels of official aid effects the quantity of resources available to NGOs
In the context of declining aid budgets there has been an increased focus on the role of aid and its effectiveness. The poverty orientation of aid has led to increased calls for its concentration on least developed and low income countries, even while many donors continue to prioritise aid being targeted on other countries for strategic reasons. The new millennium will also see the continuation of the debate on effective mechanisms for delivering aid, and in this context the role of NGOs, both in developed and developing countries, will be a focus of attention.
The first five years of the new century will be particularly important for the European Union. The challenges to the new Commission to radically improve its image will not only require reforms within the Commission itself, but also changes to the relationships between the different institutions of the EU. The European Parliament’s increased powers under the Amsterdam revisions to the Treaty on European Union will also be implemented, while revisions are negotiated between the Member States on institutional changes in the face of an enlarged EU. The implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy following the appointment of a High Level Representative will also be taking place, particularly against the background of the conflict in the Balkans. In addition, the conversion to the Euro as a common currency will be completed across much of the EU when coins and notes are issued in 2002 and national currencies are withdrawn.
During the first few years of the 21st Century the accession negotiations will have an important dynamic. Sixteen countries of Eastern and Central Europe as well as Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, are seeking to join the European Union,. Hungary has set 1 January 2002 as its target date for entry into the European Union, while Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus are hoping to be part of the EU by 2003. While it remains unclear as to whether these ambitions will be achieved, their influence on policy will be increasingly felt. This process will inevitably draw substantial focus towards European integration not just in political terms, but also in financial and institutional terms. The danger is that development co-operation will be increasingly marginalised.
A further, but limited Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) is taking place in 2000, mainly to deal with institutional arrangements. This is seen as necessary to prepare for the enlargement of the EU and to ensure that the institutional decision making structures are manageable for the future. It is envisaged that this will be concluded before the end of the year 2000. The initial content of this IGC will focus on the composition of the Commission, weighting of votes within the Council, and the use of majority voting. There is a possibility that this agenda might be broadened at a later stage, which is the desire of both the Commission and the European parliament.
With the establishment of a new Commission, there is a commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of the Commission services, and to bring forward major proposals for reform. The new Vice-President, Neil Kinnock, has the task of preparing these proposals, which should be presented in 2002. The first part of this process envisages an initial report being completed in early 2000.
In the short term there will be some re-organisation of the Commission’s external services with the re-structuring of the Commissioners’ portfolios. With the confirmation of the new Commission by the European Parliament this process has already started. With respect to the external portfolios there has already been concern expressed about inconsistencies between designated responsibilities and the structure of the services under each Commissioner.
The High Level Representative (Javier Solana, former Secretary General of NATO and before that the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs) and his Deputy took up their duties in mid October. Shortly afterwards Solana became the Secretary General of the West European Alliance. The initial task for Solana was to establish the structures of the CFSP within the Council, including the Early Warning and Planning Unit. This will have an influence on the role that development co-operation plays within the EU and can already be seen in the way in which the external portfolios have been structured within the Commission. The Commissioner for External relations, Chris Patten, has the Commission services managing many of the operational instruments for development co-operation under his charge.
Monetary union will lead to further co-ordination at EU level of international financial policies, particularly in the International Financial Institutions. The EU is increasingly seen as a global player and this potentially allows for further co-ordination of development policies between the EU Member States.
The political and institutional changes within the EU, and the increasingly global nature of mechanisms in trade, investment and finance will inevitably have an impact on approaches to development co-operation, both within the EU and more broadly. While poverty eradication has become a central objective within development co-operation policies, the strategies for effective implementation still need to be pursued. There are a number of processes that will take place over the five year period that are particularly relevant for this.
The next agreement between the EU and ACP countries is due to be concluded by the end of February 2000. This will define the nature of the co-operation between the EU and individual ACP countries over at least the next 15 years. In this context it can be expected that there will be a new round of programming taking place in ACP countries, starting in 2000.
Following the recent set of evaluations that have been carried out on the implementation of the Commission managed development programmes there will be a major policy review of the EU’s development co-operation in 2000. While it is expected that there will be a substantive proposal for the Development Council in May 2000 under the Portuguese Presidency, it can be expected that this will lead to a further process to develop EU policies over the following months. They will not only focus on the orientation of the EU’s programme, but also on its management and implementation.
The 1990’s saw a whole series of international conferences and summits that established a range of commitments and targets, although the majority of these are not legally binding. During the period 2000 to 2005 some of these will be reviewed (Education, WSSD, FWCW, HABITAT) while for others a new round of international conferences might be envisaged (Environment). In addition, preparations are being made for an event focusing on financing development, which will take place sometime in 2001.
Increasingly there is a debate about the role and effectiveness of NGOs. This debate is clearly part of the overall review of co-operation approaches as a whole, and not only covers the role of NGOs in implementation, but also their broader involvement in policy dialogue and development planning. In 2000 the relationship between the European Commission and NGOs will be defined further. This will include changes to the mechanisms for Commission funding support for development programmes of NGOs, including the introduction of framework agreements, both with individual organisations and groups of organisations. There will also be considerations to ways in which ongoing policy dialogue can be established.
The European Union is in the process of re-negotiating trade arrangements with many different parts of the world. The recently agreed arrangement with South Africa gives an indication of the kind of model that is envisaged by the EU. During the first five years of the next millennium a number of other arrangements will be negotiated.
We can expect that whatever the outcome of the negotiations on trade within the agreement, there will be a process initiated to define more specifically the future trade arrangements between the EU and ACP countries. This may be in the form of Regional Economic Partnership Agreements, as proposed by the EU, an Alternative Trade arrangement as sought by the ACP, or an enhanced GSP. Regionalisation of trade co-operation will certainly be an element of the new Convention. At the same time there is increased recognition within the ACP of the need to work together on the negotiations in the WTO and this should increase their role as a group in future multilateral negotiations on trade.
The EU is in the process of establishing Free Trade Agreement in different countries and regions in the world. These are part of more general co-operation agreements. There is a tendency emerging to succumb the democratic decision-making processes over the outcome of negotiations on Free Trade Agreements by by-passing the European Parliament and the national parliaments, as has been the case in the Mexico agreement.
This section sets out the overall objectives for the programme, the criteria for defining its scope and content, and the specific issues that could be included in such a programme.
The principal objectives of Eurostep are:
The objectives that Eurostep seeks to achieve by the year 2005 are the following:
Since the end of the Cold War the role of development co-operation policies as developed over the previous 40 years has been continually questioned, both in conception and in practice. The context in which such policies have been pursued has changed markedly over the past decade and this has resulted in a perceived marginalisation of development per se. This process is expected to continue, and probably accelerate, and there is therefore a fundamental need to review the objectives, role and perspectives of development co-operation. A specific focus is needed on the role of NGOs within this process.
Eurostep will therefore work:
The EU’s objectives for development co-operation are set out in the Treaty on European Union (Article 177) and have been elaborated by a number of Council resolutions. These have taken into account commitments made in international conferences by the EU and its Member States, but largely remain at the level of policy rather than practice. The experiences and role of NGOs in helping to achieve these objectives has been increasingly recognised.
Eurostep will therefore work:
The Treaty of the European Union states that the Community shall take its development co-operation objectives into account in the implementation of policies which are likely to affect developing countries. This coherence article, which is not conditional, remains largely unimplemented.
Eurostep will therefore work:
The EU, including its member States, provides more than 56% of total ODA, 51% of the World’s FDI, and 38% of World exports of goods and services. It generates 36% of global GNP, holds 28% of votes in the World Bank and 30% in the IMF. Yet its political influence does not reflect its role as a global player. For this to be realised requires consistency of approach based on common objectives and common policies.
Eurostep will therefore work:
The effectiveness of the Eurostep programme depends on it being well focused as well as being rooted in the experience of the member organisations and their partners in developing countries. For this reason a number of criteria have been established in order to help in defining the scope and content of the programme.
The programme and its activities should have the European Union as a principal focus. This not only means looking at the policies and programmes of the European Community as managed and implemented by the European Commission, but also includes the role of EU Member States, individually and collectively, as these relate to the EU as a whole, as well as the role of the EU within the multilateral institutions. The Eurostep programme should be defined in terms of its four main focal points:
The programme and its activities should be promoting an approach to international co-operation that is focused on poverty and contributes towards strategies for its eradication. This focus should include specific attention to the LDC's and low income countries. In the context of the EU particular attention should be given to the ACP, which contains almost all LDC's and a high proportion of low income countries. Gender mainstreaming is a crucial part of the approach on poverty eradication.
The programme and its activities should be able to demonstrate the specific and unique contribution that can be made. For each issue included in the programme an assessment needs to be made of the realistic ability for making a difference. The targeted changes should be measurable. This can be defined in the short, medium or even longer term.
The content of the programme needs to be sufficiently rooted within the experience and activities of the membership so as to enable its broad and active involvement. Such experiences should be informed from the South, and preferably identify how the Southern links can be developed around the issue.
The content of the programme needs to respond to the concerns and experiences of people, from both the South and from Europe. In developing the programmes’ approaches and their strategies the means to do this need to be identified, whether this is through the member organisations or by other means.
The programme should maintain some continuity, keeping a focus on issues that continue to be relevant within the changing context for development co-operation. At the same time new issues that are relevant to the agenda and to member organisations should be incorporated. The construction of the programme should also allow the opportunity for responses to be made to further initiatives during the life of the programme if, and when, this is deemed desirable.
Generating public support for advocacy objectives strengthens the potential for their achievement. The ability to develop public campaigning messages should therefore be a consideration in identifying issues for inclusion in the programme.
The capacity of both the secretariat and the membership needs to be recognised such that the programmed activities are achievable with the available capacity.
This section identifies the content that is envisaged for the programme.
The Eurostep programme for 2000-2005 will take initiatives that will seek the integration of three core values in all aspects of the programme. These are seen as central elements for any strategies that pursue the eradication of poverty and the promotion of equitable development. Specifically:
Gender equality is considered as a fundamental aspect of development and will be integrated as a core value within all aspects of the programme. This means that in the development of the different parts of the Eurostep programme, whether as part of the core programme or not, the means and processes to realise this integration will be developed. The production of the Poverty Eradication and Gender Benchmark produced as part of the approaches towards the EU’s negotiations with the ACP countries for a successor agreement to the Lomé agreement can be used as a starting point.
The sustainability of approaches to development are also central to strategies for eradicating poverty, and therefore to the work of Eurostep and its member organisations. In broad terms sustainability includes economic, social and cultural aspects as well as ecological concerns. However, for the purposes of this programme ecological aspects of sustainability will be the focus of a systematic approach of integration concepts of ecological sustainability within all aspects of the programme.
The process of establishing clear sets of rights for individuals and communities has become another basic principle upon which approaches to development must be based. A rights approach to development will, therefore, be a third aspect of integration for all parts of the programme.
It is recognised that the concepts of development co-operation that have been built over the past few decades are being increasingly challenged in the face of changes in international relations brought about by globalisation. Eurostep’s member organisations have therefore committed themselves to pursuing a process within Eurostep that seeks to identify the changing role of development co-operation within its broader context. A particular focus will be on the role that development co-operation can play in promoting the eradication of poverty, as well as in establishing more equitable and just societies. The starting point will be reflections taking place within each member organisation, which can be used to seek a common understanding and common conclusions. While such an exercise is important for identifying the role that development organisations themselves might envisage for the coming period, this process of reflection is important for engaging with similar considerations taking place within official institutions, including the European Union. At the EU level the role of development co-operation is being re-assessed, both in terms of the specific contribution that the European Community programme can make that is complementary to the bilateral programmes of member states, and in relation to the developing CFSP. It is envisaged that the central mechanism for pursing this part of the programme will be the General Assembly, and in particular the informal discussions that form part of the agenda for each meeting.
This part of the programme seeks to influence the ongoing process to define the principles of EU development co-operation policy, with a particular focus on the quality of development assistance provided by the EU in pursuing strategies for eradicating of poverty. This requires looking at the mechanisms for its implementation in order to move the focus from rhetoric and policy towards reality. This focal element of the programme will concentrate on the following areas:
Following the World Summit for Social Development in 1995, poverty eradication has become a principal objective of official development co-operation policies. The focus will be on poverty eradication becoming a central element in the implementation of the EU’s development co-operation, and not remain solely located in policy statements. First and foremost this requires recognition that development is a basic right that is currently being denied to millions of people living in poverty. EC development assistance needs to focus on strategies that will address the structural causes of poverty in developing countries, and support processes of development that are sustainable over time. A special emphasis needs to be given to the role of women, who form the majority of those living in poverty.
An important aspect of the EU’s commitment to a poverty focused assistance programme is to give increased emphasis to development strategies in the least and less developed countries. The EC needs to plan and assess its performance by measuring its impact on poverty eradication rather than as at present, measuring how much it commits to spending. Implicit in the first policy change goal is a critique of the EU's current geo-strategic approach to external spending which prioritises its 'near abroad' at the expense of the poorest countries. Enlargement could see this process accelerate, and while the appointment of a High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy offers opportunities for a coherent poverty focused development approach, political reality is likely to give increase attention to the countries surrounding the EU. Expenditure required for such a policy is liable to be taken from development budget lines.
Aid effectiveness is constrained by the lack of co-ordination that exists between the Commission managed programme and those of the member states. Co-ordination within the EU is a Treaty obligation. The Eurostep programme will develop proposals on how increased co-ordination within the EU could be achieved in order to increase the effectiveness of EU development assistance as a whole.
Tied aid is recognised as one of the major blocks on effective aid. It is estimated that tied aid accounts for around 40% (€ 12.2 billion) of all EU aid. Studies show that in constraining the use of aid to capacity building and the development of expertise within developing countries it limits the potential for creating employment and wealth in the countries that 'benefit' from tied aid.
Work on the poverty focus in EC aid also involves examining and critiquing the quality of aid delivery. It involves addressing how the EC's capacity and internal structures impede the effective provision of aid, and hence impacts negatively on quality. This relates to the programme focus on coherence as well as the specific role of NGOs in the aid delivery process.
The emphasis in this part of the programme will be to:
The focus of this area of work will continue to be the implementation of international commitments, in particular through influencing the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development Review and through ensuring effective follow up of the outcome. This will require the continous development of genuine collaborative relationships with civil society groups in the South and ensuring Southern partners' participation in the implementation of the commitments in the South. The EU needs to operationalise the international targets as including the commitments made in Beijing on gender equality and the role women in development.
At a European level therefore, the programme will analyse EC aid effectiveness in terms of meeting international commitments and recommend how the focus should change to ensure the 2015 targets are met. This entails addressing the poverty focus of EC aid, moving social development up the policy agenda and addressing financing, co-ordination and tied aid. Which of these issues comes to the fore at any one time will depend upon the influencing opportunities available.
A central part of this focus should be on the implementation of the EU’s development assistance within the context of its agreement with the ACP countries.
It’s emphasis will be on:
Gender equality is a fundamental aspect of sustainable, participatory development. It is central to any viable strategy for eradicating poverty. The results of the Beijing Conference have been incorporated in development co-operation policies of the EU, but the capacity to implement these remains lacking.
The review of the Beijing Conference will take place in June 2000 and provides an opportunity to give focus to the EU’s commitments on gender, and the state of their implementation. The preparation process within the EU has already started, but has to a great extent excluded development elements. The programme will therefore work, in co-operation with WIDE, to ensure that gender and development is adequately reflected in the thinking and approaches of the EU towards the review of Beijing. This will include following the preparatory process through information sharing and individual members' attendance at preparatory conferences as well as an assessment of the outcome of the review. The role of the secretariat will be to focus on the preparations for the review within the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).
The programme will also maintain and update the Gender Manual, which was first produced in 1998. This will include incorporating the mechanisms and procedures that are developed for integrating gender within the programme as a whole.
This part of the programme will put emphasis on:
The implementation of development based on the principles identified above is dependent upon the resources that are made available. While there is increasing emphasis being given to the importance of non-aid resources being central for development, this part of the programme will focus specifically on the aid component. This forms a particularly important source of income for the least developed and low income countries. The EU will shape policies in this area in the context of the OECD and the DAC Committee, and the UN Conference on Financing Development.
Since the EU provides more than 50% of total ODA, and the Commission is the fifth largest donor, the use of resources managed by the Commission is an important aspect of the co-operation debates in the EU. The levels of these are determined by the financial perspective for the overall budget on the one hand and the European Development Fund on the other. Both of these will have been established by early 2000 for the following six and five years respectively, but they will be re-negotiated in 2005. In addition, the use of the resources, particularly of the budget, will be discussed on an annual basis.
Eurostep will follow these negotiations from the European perspective with the emphasis on:
Trade is of crucial importance as an enabling element for development and is therefore fundamental to the overall Eurostep programme. From a developmental perspective the trade and investment arrangements being put in place need to be equally oriented towards poverty eradication as are other parts of the EU’s external relations.
The EU has been developing an approach to its trade relations with other regions that isbased on free trade agreements of a regional nature. The free trade agreement with South Africa provides some indications of the intentions for the future, which are reflected in negotiations being pursued with the ACP, Mexico, Mercosur and other regions. The EU's intention is to ensure a basis for its trade policies through a possible new Millennium Round of multilateral trade negotiations with a development perspective.
In the global context the WTO has far reaching importance as a regulatory institution, and policy formulation on trade is very much centred around WTO. Investment issues might be incorporated as well. Since the WTO will have a determining role over EU policies in these areas, a focus on trade issues in Eurostep also requires the EU’s role and positions within WTO to be addressed. The EU’s approaches and positions towards other institutions such as the Bretton Woods Institutions could be addressed in a similar way when they are seen as politically and strategically important to the issues in this part of the Eurostep programme.
This part of the programme will also focus on the regulation and liberalisation of investment. The role of governments, and of industry and corporations, in this area is important. The EU will shape policies in the context of the prospective WTO negotiation on a Multilateral Agreement on Trade and Investment and the UN Conference on Financing Development.
Eurostep will work within different fora to strengthen the position of developing countries and their interests concerning trade and investments. A Eurostep policy paper on WTO will be drafted by the lead agencies, while specific areas for action will be decided upon on an annual basis.
The negotiations in these fora are inter-related, and crucial for any further prospect on future EU development policies. Eurostep will follow the EU input into these negotiations with a view to:
The Treaty of European Union has established the need for policy coherence within the EU, and specifically for the EU’s policies and actions that will affect developing countries to be consistent with the development co-operation objectives of the Treaty. The Development Council has asked the Commission to produce a report on policy coherence as a means towards the implementation of this objective. This has still to be produced, although it is expected to be drafted during the year 2000. A major constraint to the production of such a report is the will to do so within the Commission, particularly in services outside those concerned with development co-operation.
The success of implementation of the EU programme is also dependent upon the institutional capacity of the EU. The institutional aspect has been increasingly identified as an obstacle to successful EU development policies. It will be subject to a major review and changes in the coming five years. At the same time a new reflection will be taking place on the role of the EU’s development co-operation policies and practices. In this context the specific nature and contribution of the programme managed by the European Commission needs to be clarified, with a view to the EC and individual bi-lateral programmes of EU Member States being developed as complementary elements of an overall development co-operation programme for the EU as a whole. The additionality of the EC programme needs to be more clearly identified, with reference to the concept of subsidiarity.
The review and reforms of the EU institutions have also been linked to a more effective and coherent implementation of EU policies. This provides an opportunity to set approaches to policy coherence on the basis of the EU’s treaty objectives for development co-operation within the context of the institutional reforms. Eurostep will therefore work to:
Within the programme there is capacity for groups of member organisations to form ad-hoc groups around specific issues of common interest. In principle the issues that are pursued in this way should relate to the overall Eurostep programme.
This sections set out the principal means by which the programme will be implemented and is divided into three parts. The first looks at the structures within Eurostep for implementing the programme. The second identifies mechanisms for its implementation, while the third considers specific instruments that may be used.
The structure of Eurostep should be geared towards the implementation of the programme. This includes the overall management and policy making bodies for Eurostep as well as those specifically responsible for the implementation of the specific elements of the programme:
The General Assembly is the overall decision making body for Eurostep. Its role and responsibilities are set out in the statutes and Standing Orders of Eurostep. It has responsibility for determining the overall programme framework as well as the more detailed objectives and orientation of the programme on an annual basis. The General Assembly meets two times per year. Annex II sets out a summary of the role and responsibilities of the General Assembly.
The role and responsibility of the Steering Committee has been defined in decisions of the General Assembly. It co-ordinates the programme, in conjunction with the secretariat. It monitors the implementation of the programme and makes decisions about its implementation on the basis of proposals from the Working Groups or secretariat. The Steering Committee meets four to eight times per year, either physically or by telephone conferences. Annex III sets out the role and responsibilities of the Steering Committee in more detail.
The Working Groups are the main mechanisms for bringing together the relevant people from member organisations on specific aspects of the programme. There are three principal Working Groups for the programme, one for each of the three focal points. The three Working Groups have a five year mandate covering the period of the programme. Formally the membership of each Working Group is comprised of a representative from each member organisations. As a minimum these representatives provide a formal link between the Working Group and their respective organisation. They are encouraged to take an active part in the development and implementation of the programme covered by the Working Group.
The lead agencies provide the co-ordination for these groups. The Working Groups are responsible for developing the proposed content of specific aspects of the programme, together with strategies for their implementation. While it is important for Working Groups to meet from time to time, much of its ongoing work is carried out through other forms of communication, including telephone conferences and the internet. This would enable a greater input to be generated from more member organisations, including from field offices where this is relevant.
To facilitate the development of content and strategies of specific elements of the programme issues, the Working Groups can establish Advocacy Teams. The role of such Teams is to pursue specific objectives related to the focal issue, and will bring together representatives from member organisations that are active and/or interested in participating. Such Teams have a limited, temporary mandate and in the first instance report to the Working Group of which they are a constituent part. Working Groups can make proposals to the Steering Committee for the establishment of Advocacy Teams.
The Sextet, which has been a mechanism for following and planning activities around the EU Presidencies will be reviewed. The objective will be to integrate the planning of actions around EU Presidencies within the work and strategies of each of the Working Groups.
Ad hoc groups are groups established outside the main programme of Eurostep on issues that relate to the programme and where there are a number of member organisations interested in working together. Like Advocacy Teams they are established with a limited and temporary mandate. Individual member organisations can propose to the Steering Committee the establishment of Ad hoc Groups. A more detailed explanation of the role and responsibilities of Working Groups, Advocacy Teams and Ad-hoc Groups is set out in annex IV.
Establishing responsibility within the membership for the co-ordination and leadership of programme development and implementation has been an important part of Eurostep’s programme structure. This lead agency approach has sought to identify a single organisation willing to take on this role for each of the main programme issues. For the new programme it is proposed that this approach be developed to encourage a lead agency troica, in which three organisations work together to provide leadership for the three main programme focal elements. This recognises the demands that are made on lead agencies, and therefore enables a more flexible approach in making provision for lead agencies. In principal there will be three different member organisations sharing the lead agency function for each focal issue. In addition, other member organisations can take specific responsibility for sub elements of an issue.
The mandate for lead agencies will be for a five year period, although it is accepted that member organisations taking on this role may only be able and willing to commit themselves for a shorter period. Therefore a process of managing changes in lead agencies during the life of the programme will be developed.
The lead agency principle will also apply to Eurostep’s approach towards the integration of core values into the programme. One or more member organisation will lead the development of methodologies and their implementation for the integration of gender equality, ecological sustainability and a rights approach into all aspects of the programme. Annex V sets out the role and responsibilities of lead agencies.
The advocacy staff of member organisations will meet on an annual basis. The purpose of this meeting is to assess the implementation of the programme, the methodology for implementation and to develop proposals for the specific programme for the following year, within the context of the parameters set for the five-years. This meeting is also asked to make proposals for developing the mechanisms for implementation.
The Advocacy meeting will make recommendations to the Steering Committee which will then be used as the basis for drafting proposals for submission to the General Assembly meeting in December. Annex VI sets out the role and responsibility of the meeting of advocacy staff.
The member organisations form the core of Eurostep and provide its strength. Much of the analysis and experience on development co-operation is provided by the membership, particularly drawing on their involvement in the local communities. The member organisations are also the principal mechanism for engaging national governments on the issues of the Eurostep programme. They provide the membership of the various Working Groups and Advocacy Teams, as well as the lead agencies for the focal elements of the programme. Collectively, member organisations determine the policies and programme of Eurostep. Annex VII provides a detailed explanation of the role and responsibility of member organisations.
The secretariat provides the main operational co-ordination for the programme, as well as acts as Eurostep’s principal mechanism for monitoring and lobbying in Brussels. Its principal roles are to provide an overall co-ordination for the work of Eurostep and its member organisations as defined within the parameters of the agreed programme; to monitor the development of European Union policies that are relevant to the programme, and to provide information and analysis to the membership as is requested and deemed relevant; to assist and co-ordinate the development of strategies for the programme; to facilitate the advocacy strategies of the programme; to co-ordinate the strategies and actions of the programme with other NGOs and NGO networks; and to manage the membership and its development. Annex VIII sets out a more detailed explanation of the role and responsibilities of the secretariat.
The mechanisms identified in this section are those that will be used and developed in order to implement the programme.
The membership of Eurostep needs to establish and implement a process for reviewing the role of development co-operation within the wider context of changing global relationships and mechanisms. This should be seen as an ongoing process throughout the period of the programme that draws together reflections already taking place within different organisations that can then be shared and discussed jointly. A strategy for pursuing this process needs to be developed, under the direction of the Steering Committee.
Gender equality, sustainability and a rights approach are to be integrated into all areas of the programme. The mechanisms and strategies for ensuring this need to be developed. This will require a structured approach that draws particularly on the available experience, especially within member organisations, of mainstreaming gender within their own structures and activities. Work on gender clearly shows that to be implemented effectively mainstreaming requires a commitment to providing adequate resources that enables the mechanisms and procedures to be developed and followed, as well as the utilisation of necessary additional expertise. A methodology will include the development of a checklist to help in providing an orientation to Working Groups and their members for integrating the core principles in the early stages of planning for both positions and strategies. In addition there will be a need to identify relevant expertise and responsibilities within each Working Group, and the potential establishment of a reference group for each element that can help in maintaining the methodology as well as its implementation. This will be pursued under the direction of at least one lead agency for each of the three core values identified in the programme.
Within the programme the integration of these core principles should be an objective of the five year programme. It is envisaged that this process will be able to move forward most quickly around gender. The basis for an approach has already been developed by the Gender Working Group and includes the following essential elements:
Further planning will be undertaken to develop an overall approach and strategy for implemention, under the direction of the Steering Committee. This strategy will establish objectives for the process of integration, together with a timetable for implementation. A review of progress will be made by the General Assembly in December 2000.
The partner consultations, which were established in 1996, will continued on a more targeted basis to develop a stronger relationship between Eurostep and its programme with organisations involved in the implementation of development. An important part of this is the involvement of field staff and offices of member organisations. A strategy will be developed by the Steering Committee covering the next five year programme.
Ensuring that sufficient orientation is given to the implementation of EU policies, rather than just their further elaboration, requires new approaches for the programme. This will include strengthening monitoring capacity of the implementation of the ACP-EU co-operation programmes (and others that are relevant), both through a greater strategic use of member organisation capacity in developing countries as well as through an enhanced co-operation with Southern counterpart organisations. This is the responsibility of all Working Groups and their constituent elements.
Eurostep works with other NGO networks, particularly those based in Brussels, to seek a collaborative approach to the implementation of the programme. An important part of this co-operation is seeking to identify the specific role that Eurostep can play, and the contribution it can make in relation on the specific issues of the programme. To this end the secretariat, and the Steering Comittee are responsible for ensuring the necessary dialogue and consultation on the proposals and strategies of the programme
A regular process for reviewing and evaluating both the implementation of the agreed programme and its effectiveness will be established. This will include the provision of annual reports from the three Working Groups, which will be presented to the December meeting of the General Assembly each year. In addition there should be a more substantive internal assessment produced in time for presentation to the meeting of the General Assembly in December 2002. An external evaluation should be initiated in time for a report to be given to the meeting of the General Assembly in December 2004.
For each part of the programme a strategic plan needs to be developed which identifies the objectives, mechanisms and tools for implementation, as well as a timetable. This should be developed by the lead agency and Working Group, in consultation with the Secretariat. The Steering Committee is responsible for ensuring that there is a co-ordinated between the strategies of the different parts of the programme.
Maintaining an understanding of the EU’s policy agenda and its implementation will remain a central element in defining responses. While much of this work needs to take place in Brussels, there is an important role to be played in Member State capitals as well as in developing countries. The information gained needs to be brought together to help inform Eurostep’s strategies. The responsibilities for monitoring and research are split according to specific decisions taken in the development of the content and strategies of the programme. At the same time there are ongoing responsibilities, related to the programme as a whole, for the secretariat, Working Groups and individual member organisations.
Developing the positions which the programme will advocate is a principal responsibility of the Working Groups. These are based on the research and monitoring that is carried out within Eurostep and by member organisations. Over the past ten years positions have been developed in relation to the different issues of the Eurostep programme. While the basic positions that have been developed need to be reviewed over time, these agreed positions form the compounding basis for Eurostep’s advocacy and responses towards the EU. Where new positions are being developed the process for consultation and dialogue within the membership needs to be sufficiently long to enable a participatory approach.
In developing positions specific attention needs to be given to the integration of the core values of gender, sustainability and rights. These elements need to be identified in the conception of the positions being developed.
In an age where decision-makers are swamped with papers, faxes and e-mail messages the mechanisms for delivery need to be constantly developed and increasingly geared towards particular audiences. This requires an external communications strategy which combines setting out contextual parameters with specific detailed case studies; the active targeting of specific advocacy messages while at the same time providing information in a broader more passive way. The Eurostep programme uses the following instrument:
The drafting of position papers is the principal means of presenting the specific positions developed by the programme. The position papers draw on existing positions that have been developed within Eurostep, as well as incorporating newly developed positions. Annex IX sets out the procedures for developing and adopting a position paper.
Briefing papers are intended to provide inputs into a debate without necessarily opting for, and advocating explicitly for a specific position. The role that they play needs to be distinguished from that of a position paper, and be seen as a means to influence debate.
Eurostep has been involved in the production of the Reality of Aid and of Social Watch Report. More recently Eurostep has produced an analysis of EU development co-operation in conjunction with terre des hommes Germany, Weed and TNI. These are tools for advocacy in that they provide the opportunity to develop dialogue with different target audiences. They also present an analysis of development policy, both as a contribution to debate and as a means to influencing its direction. These publications have enabled Eurostep’s analysis of EU development co-operation policy – and its monitoring of the EU’s international commitments – to be set within the a broader context. The ability to continue to do this is important. The mechanisms and forms in which they take will be developed according to the circumstances at the time.
Organising seminars and conferences, involving key actors in the EU institutions and from developing countries involved with EU co-operation, has been an important part of the programme since the ECDPM results assessment report. These will be developed in the context of the programme strategies as a means to engage targets of Eurostep’s advocacy programme in a debate on those issues.
Creating opportunities to deliver advocacy messages directly to identified decision makers within the EU institutions needs to be pursued as part of the overall strategies. Particular attention needs to be given to the Commission and the Council. Ideally this should include regular meetings with the Commissioners with responsibility for development and external policies, as well as with the Director Generals of the relevant services. Meetings with Ministers of Member States and officials from their Ministries is principally the responsibility of member organisations. Such meetings need to be set within the overall advocacy strategy of the Eurostep programme.
An information policy is fundamental to both the development of Eurostep’s internal understanding of EU policies and implementation, as well as to developing a means to effectively present Eurostep’s message to different targets and constituencies
This weekly report of current activities is the main mechanism for Eurostep to provide information to the membership. While it has been developed as an internal information tool for Eurostep’s membership, the demand for providing information to a broader audience has led the PAF to be disseminated more broadly. The PAF now includes a section that is only for member organisations, although this is not produced every week.
The use of the Web site needs to be developed as an information tool for a range of potential targets.
An Annual Report will be produced that will be used to present Eurostep and its activities to a broad external audience.
When Eurostep was established there was provision for making quick responses to new situations through a sign-on mechanism. Partly related to the establishment of ad-hoc groups of member organisations to work together on specific issues, this allows a common position to be developed by a number of member organisations on issues of common concern. This mechanism allows responses to be made on relevant issues that lie outside the main programme.
The results assessments carried out in 1997 made proposals on how Eurostep could improve the effectiveness of its actions. Over the next five years a number of initiatives will be taken to improve Eurostep’s approaches and methodologies.
During the period covered by the programme the enlargement process could see six additional countries within the EU. The enlargement process will have important implications for the EU, both in the way it works and in the priorities that are set for its activities. This will have consequences for the EU’s development co-operation policies and programmes. For Eurostep it will be necessary to identify how to develop capacity to engage governments and civil society from newly accredited countries on the issues of the programme. This process will need to begin before the countries join the EU.
The increased emphasis on implementation of policies will require enhanced capacity to monitor activities relating to the EU’s co-operation within developing countries. While some of this can be pursued from Brussels and Europe as a whole, this needs to be complemented by actions in developing countries themselves. Strategies for developing these approaches need to be developed. They should include the use of member organisation capacity in the South, as well as the involvement of Southern counterparts in the process.
There will be an annual meeting of advocacy staff whose principal role will be to develop and modify the strategies and mechanisms for implementing the programme.
The Eurostep web site needs to be developed, not only to present information about the work being undertaken and the positions that have been adopted, but also as an accessible source of information for member organisations. In particular all key documents of Eurostep’s activities and meetings should be put on the site so that they can be accessed by staff of member organisations – including in the field – as well as other relevant people. Use of the internet should also be explored for pursuing discussions within Eurostep, particularly within the different Working Groups.
18 January 2000
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