On 1 July 2011, Poland took over the presidency of the EU Council, meaning they will now have significant influence on the political direction to the EU, host most EU events, and play key role in all areas of the EU activity, including development cooperation. Poland will have a crucial role to play in development policy orientation at a time when the world faces multiple crises and crucial progressive action needed.

Thus far, the development priorities of the Polish Presidency have remained unclear, with no real plan of action having been announced. European economic growth, security (including food, defence and energy) and increasing the ‘openness’ of Europe have been highlighted as priorities for their time in office — this is unsurprising given times financial difficulty for the euro zone and the relatively new status of Poland as a donor. Moreover, Poland missed the 2010 EU interim aid target of 0.17% of GNI allocated to Official Development Assistance (and significantly so — Polish ODA currently stands at 0.08% of GNI), and is also likely to miss its individual target of 0.33% of GNI by 2015. Upon reflection of these factors, development policy is seemingly low on the agenda.

Not only is this worrying due to the current multiple global crises, but also a number of key international development events will also take place during the Polish Presidency, including the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in October, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP-17) in Durban at the end of the year. The 6^th European Development Days take place in Poland is December. These responsibilities make the direction of EU activities development both daunting but also an opportunity for progression. The events call for mobilisation of resources and motivation in addition to sustained engagement of various individuals and institutions, not only from Poland, but equally from the two countries that will complete the presidential trio, that is, Denmark and Cyprus.

Climate change policy in particular has dominated discussions so far, with Member States and NGOs voicing concerns over the likelihood of an ambitious policy being pursued at UNFCCC given the less progressive Polish climate change agenda. At the last EU Environment Council meeting held in June, Poland was the only member state to oppose the adoption of the Council Conclusions that would have seen a revision of Europe’s Energy Roadmap 2050. The revisions included a 40% cut in carbon emissions by 2030, a 60% cut by 2040 and an 80% cut by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. Polish Climate Coalition advisor, Zbigniew Karaczun called for Poland to constructively join the debate about greater EU climate action. “26 EU Members States agreed that climate protection is in their own economic interest. Poland cannot keep ignoring this fact” remarked the official.

However, there is reason for optimism since Poland now has a strategic opportunity to prove its commitment to sustainable development. The Zagrinca group, a network of Polish NGO’s stated in a memorandum for the Polish Presidency “Poland may and should strengthen its activities, especially in the context of involvement in the Eastern Partnership countries, developing countries of the Global South, and in North Africa. Polish foreign policy, in particular development cooperation policy, should be a tool to implement sustainable development in the global dimension, share the experience of transformation and democracy building, and express care for the fate of generations to come as well as openness to cooperation with active civil society.”

Sources:

• Polish Presidency 2011
• Global Development Research Group