Glenys Kinnock
Our work as Europeans has to be about how we put in place partnerships which offer some chance of building greater global stability and promote a better understanding that some issues are so diverse and complex, that they cannot be dealt with by governments acting alone.
A Responsible Europe must focus on conflict prevention and the promotion of stability through development. We need to support political dialogue, diplomacy, development programmes and economic and trade co-operation. There is no more noble objective for us as Europeans than to win the fight for social and global justice.
In May, when the EU announced their commitment to meet the 0.7% target on Overseas Development Aid, I was proud to be European. I was proud that while all the wrangling was going on about the Constitution, cooperation and consensus was achieved under the UK Chairmanship of the G8, when further commitments on aid and debt relief were made. Then I gained the sense that there had been a real sea change and that for the first time the eradication of poverty was well and truly on the political agenda.
Now, the true test of whether ours is a responsible Europe is whether it can respond to these commitments and fulfil expectations both of the world's poorest countries and those expressed by our citizens as they committed themselves to work to Make Poverty History.
The September World Summit was a big test. Scheduled to take stock of progress that had been made towards reaching the 8 Millennium Development Goals, the tone was hijacked at the last moment by statements from the newly appointed US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, in the build-up to the event, along with his proposed 750 amendments to the final document. Yet, after much wrangling they eventually backtracked from this position and even Bush himself made a commitment to say the words 'Millennium Development Goals'. This was indeed real progress. That 190 countries managed to rein in the world's superpower in such a way is in itself remarkable, bearing in mind their staunch position a week ago.
In December, Europe will be tested once more at the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong. Here, we will have to have the courage of our convictions, and make commitments to open up of our markets and set a date for the complete elimination of all export subsidies. The developing world cannot afford any delay.
The practical solutions exist and the planned formula is in place. Europe has a key role to play as the world's donor of development assistance and the world's biggest trading bloc.
As a European Parliamentarian, I will be working hard to ensure that we adopt the necessary pro-development EU reform and providing democratic accountability for our actions. The Development Committee in the Parliament is already reviewing the Commission's Communication on the Development Policy Statement, in which poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals must play a central role. Any revision of the EU's financial instruments must in no way undermine these objectives.
Europe's responsibility cannot be limited to those policy areas where there is a perceived vested interest. We need to see real coherence between trade, agriculture, fisheries and security policies. The relationship between the EU and Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) under the Cotonou Agreement is unique. We have clearly identified common objectives and shared interests. The upcoming internal EU sugar reform will undeniably have a big impact on the ACP and we have a duty to honour this partnership and provide comprehensive assistance for restructuring. We must ensure the Economic Partnership Agreements currently under negotiation are development driven.
Ultimately, our aim should not just be a Responsible Europe, but a Responsible World. I would like Europe to lead by example.
Glenys Kinnock MEP (Biography)
