Commitment 1:

A Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance with the experience to promote a development agenda in Europe and internationally

Explanation 1:

The next college of Commissioners must include a Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid. This portfolio has existed in its current form since 1999 and it is crucial that it is maintained so that development cooperation is not subordinated to any other policy area.

Commitment 2:

The Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance to be responsible for country policies in developing countries

Explanation 2:

The Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid is nominally responsible for the European Commission's policies in the areas of development cooperation and humanitarian aid. In reality, however, current responsibility for the implementation of development cooperation lies with the Commissioner for External Relations who oversees the EuropeAid Cooperation Office (AIDCO). The next Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid should be responsible for both the programming and the implementation of the European Commission's development aid and humanitarian assistance. This should remain the case even in the event that the provisions of the Lisbon treaty come into effect with the extension of the role of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, which include becoming Vice-President of the European Commission.

Commitment 1:

A single aid service for development cooperation with all developing countries, responsible for country programmes

Explanation 1:

The European Commission's development cooperation is currently divided between the Directorate General for Development (DG DEV), which programmes aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, and the Directorate General for External Relations (DG RELEX), which programmes aid to all other countries. The implementation of the European Commission's development cooperation programmes in all regions is carried out by AIDCO. The European Commission should put an end to this fragmentation of development policy by reuniting programming with implementation within a single service which covers all regions. 

Commitment 2:

The integrity of EU development cooperation and humanitarian assistance if or when a diplomatic service, European External Action Service (EEAS), is established

Explanation 2:

The European Commission's humanitarian assistance is currently administered by the European Commission's Humanitarian Office (ECHO). This is separate from DG DEV, DG RELEX or AIDCO but under the control of the Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid. There is a need for the current division between these two aspects of the Commission's actions to be brought closer together so as to enable a better transition from the short term humanitarian assistance provided in response to disasters to the implementation of medium and long term development strategies.  

Commitment 1:

Full democratic oversight by the European Parliament over all EU aid, including to Africa

Explanation 1:

The European Parliament is currently only involved in scrutinising the European Commission's cooperation programmes in Asia and Latin America. The European Parliament should exercise democratic scrutiny over programmes in all regions to ensure that all of the European Commission's aid complies with the legal basis for development cooperation.

Commitment 2:

The promotion of national parliamentary scrutiny in developing countries

Explanation 2:

National parliaments in partner countries are almost entirely excluded from any engagement with the establishment and implementation of the EU's development cooperation programmes for their counties. They should be encouraged to provide democratic scrutiny over the European Commission's development cooperation programmes in their countries.

Commitment 1:

The inclusion of the European Development Fund (EDF) into the regular EU Budget to allow democratic oversight

Explanation 1:

The European Development Fund, which is the main source of funding for the European Commission's development cooperation programmes in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, is currently separate from the general EU budget. The inclusion of the EDF in the annual EU budget (so-called "EDF budgetisation") would enable the European Parliament to scrutinise the European Commission's budget for development cooperation in full.

Commitment 2:

The establishment of a specific aid budget heading in the EU's overall annual budget to cover the EU's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to all developing countries

Explanation 2:

The European Commission's funding for development cooperation is currently divided between several different headings in the annual EU budget. This both reduces the transparency of the EU budget and conceals the size of the European Commission's contribution to development. The creation of a specific heading on development cooperation would resolve both of these issues.

Commitment 3:

The retention of a commitment of 20% of EC ODA to basic health and basic education

Explanation 3:

For several years, the EU budget has included a 20% target for allocating aid in support of basic health and basic education. This target serves as a useful tool for the European Parliament to hold the European Commission accountable in the annual budget discharge procedure. The European Parliament must continue to include the 20% target in the annual EU budget to ensure that the European Commission upholds its commitment to support the provision of basic social services.