Funded by:
Tallinn, 19-20 September 2012
September 19 o Overview of EU policy making system o What is CONCORD? How to work with it? What is AidWatch? o Developments in the Baltic States o What is the MFF? o Georgian dinner September 20 o Advocacy training o Meeting with Estonian MFA o Action plan for Baltic States
Excercise: What do we know now?
Short and simple explanation
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The world is developing: increased standards of living, 27 countries recently moved from category (LICs to LMICs or from LMICs to UMICs) (DAC list)
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New actors: private sector, private foundations, emerging donors, local authorities
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Population growth: world population to reach 9.3bn by 2050; Africa fastest-growing continent
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3 global crises: food prices, oil/energy prices volatility, economic and financial crisis
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Economic downturn & budget constraints
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'Arab Spring': importance of good governance and democracy, employment and growth, security-development nexus brought into sharper focus
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Changing geography of poverty (EMEs, poor in MICs, rising inequalities…)
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Regional vulnerabilities & crises: Horn of Africa (drought/famine)
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Strong growth but weak effect on poverty reduction – African Economic Outlook Report: 2001-09: 5-6% real GDP /slowdown; 2009 3.1% – rebound; projection 5.8% in 2012
Agenda for Change (October 2012) sets two pillars for EU development policy: 1.
Good governance, democracy and human rights
2.
Inclusive and sustainable growth
European International Local
National
CONCORD
27 NATIONAL PLATFORMS
18 NETWORKS + 2 Associate members
Around 2000 NGOs
Millions of citizens and donors
Members of CONCORD 47 members in 2012 (27 NP, 18 NW, 2 AS) 2 new members as of 5 June: LU (NP) and WWF (AS) ActionAid International NW Belgian NP CIDSE NW Dutch NP Eurostep NW German NP Irish NP Maltese NP Solidar NW
Aprodev NW
Austrian NP
UK NP Czech NP Islamic Relief NW Finnish NP Greek NP Italian NP Portuguese NP Spanish NP
Caritas Europa NW Danish NP CARE International NW French NP IPPF NW Luxembourg NP Slovakian NP Swedish NP
EU-CORD NW
Terre des Hommes NW
Slovenian NP
Plan International NW Oxfam International NW
Save the Children NW Adra NW
Latvian NP
CBMI NW
Estonian NP Handicap International NW
Romanian NP Bulgarian NP
World Vision NW Hungarian NP
Polish NP Cyprus NP ALDA – Associate member
Representing around 2000 European Development and Relief NGOs
Representation of its members
Advocacy at European Level
Information – Dissemination – Coordination
Capacity Building
Alliances Building (north / south cooperation)
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1 per Year All members (at least one per member) 70/80 participants
9 members + President Elected for 3 years
BOARD
PRESIDENT
Communication
Joanna Maycock from Action Aid International
Confederation Affairs
STAFF Secretariat Policy
Administration/Finance
Director : Olivier Consolo
15 people
CONCORD vision
is of a world in which poverty and inequality have been ended; in which decisions are based on social justice, gender equality and upon our responsibility to future generations; where every person has the right to live in dignity, on an equal basis, free from poverty and sustainably.
CONCORD Mission: CONCORD members work together to ensure that: •
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The EU and member states are fully committed to comprehensive policies and practice that promote sustainable economic, social and human development, aim to address the causes of poverty, and are based on human rights, gender equality, justice and democracy; The rights and responsibilities of citizens and organised civil society, to influence those representing them in governments and EU institutions, are promoted and respected.
Priorities and approaches
Aims • To influence the EU’s policies and practices so that the Union and its member states enhance social justice, equality and human rights throughout the world. •
To promote the rights and responsibilities of citizens, development NGOs and, where relevant to CONCORD’s influencing agenda, civil society as a whole to act in solidarity with those living in poverty and to influence their representatives in governments and EU institutions.
Approaches • Human rights and gender equality will underpin all advocacy work. •
CONCORD will strengthen our political engagement with the institutions.
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CONCORD will develop strategic alliances with southern, European & global coalitions.
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CONCORD will support the organisational development of its members.
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CONCORD will ensure our collective decision making combines efficiency with confederation ownership, and supports active participation of all members in its activities.
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CONCORD will base our work on members’ energies, supported by a secretariat; balance our income sources to ensure our independence and sustainability, and manage finances prudently.
European Commission: various Directorate-Generals (DevCo, Climate, Agriculture, Budget, Trade etc.), Commissioner and their Cabinets (most importantly Development Commissioner Piebalgs), Comitology Committees (i.e. DCI Committee) EU Council: Permanent Representations, CoDev working group, Foreign Affairs Council, Informal Development Cooperation Ministers Meeting, national government representatives (done by CONCORD’s national platforms) Parliament: Committees (DEVE, SURE, Human Rights etc.) and their Secretariats, individual MEPs European External Action Service: High Representative and her Cabinet, EU delegations in third countries PS! National platforms on national level
Operational bodies The working groups are at the core of the organisation of CONCORD. They convene experts from CONCORD members. Their main charge is to analyse and follow up European policies. The General Assembly takes formal decisions such as approval of the annual budget and the annual report on accounts, acceptance of new members, etc. The Board bears the overall responsibility for the functioning of the whole structure. It make sure that priority issues are dealt with by the secretariat and that advocacy positions have the endorsement of the members. The Secretariat focuses on the priority issues. It follows the work of the Working groups and ensure communication in a comprehensive manner to the broad membership. The projects: Projects are in charge of raising awareness of development issues in the enlarged EU and in accession countries. Trialog increases the capacity of European NGOs. DEEEP raises awareness on Development Education. Open Forum promotes CSO effectiveness. (BEYOND 2015)
Importance of CSOs in policy making
Olivier Consolo, Director of CONCORD
Aid we can – invest more in global development Part I: Overview of developments in 2011 Part II: EU and Member States pages
Launched June 2012
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The MDGs – only three years to go and critical global objectives on poverty reduction still to be met
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Current decrease in aid risks slowing down the positive achievements of the previous years
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EU´s role as aid champion threatened. EU MS need to get back on track
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Continued strong support of EU citizens for aid in 2011
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Overall ODA was €490 million lower than in 2010 - from almost €53.5 billion to €53 billion. ODA as % of GNI for the EU 27 reached 0.42% (EU15 = 0.45% EU12 = 0.1%) EU12 = 1.8% of the total or €958.4 million 11 countries cut their ODA budgets in 2011 (only 9 in 2010) 5 reduced their ODA by more than 10%: Greece (-39%), Spain (33%), Cyprus (-28%), Austria (-14%) and Belgium (-13%) 7 Member States provided less than 50% of their commitment (Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Slovak Republic) Estonia 0.12%, Latvia 0.07%, Lithuania 0.13%
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Sweden reaffirmed its commitment to deliver 1% of GNI as ODA and delivered 1.02% in 2011 Luxembourg delivered 0.99% inODA and Denmark 0.86% in ODA. Denmark is using its presidency of the EU to push other EU Member States to reach 0.7% Germany increased its aid by â‚Ź 648 million, although it remains 0.11% below its 2010 target Apart from Cyprus, all EU 12 Member States increased their aid, although the remain some way from meeting their targets. Other positive developments in EU Member States on aid quality
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In 2011, 6 EU Member States delivered at least 0.55% (0.2%) of their GNI as ODA, a level that would demonstrate they were steadily increasing their aid to meet the targets in 2015 4 met the EU target of 0.7% in 2011 2 countries were on-track to meet the target in 2015 (below 0.7%, but above 0.55% (0.2%)) 3 countries made progress towards the target (they are at 2010 levels) 18 countries are off-track and are not even reaching the interim target they had taken for 2010
Total EU aid: € 53 billion Genuine aid: € 45.65 billion Inflated aid: € 7.35 billion - Debt relief € 2.43 billion - Refugee costs € 1.82 billion - Imputed student costs € 1.61 billion - Tied aid € 0.98 billion - Interest on loans € 0.51 billion
5%
3%
2%
1%
3%
Genuine aid Imputed student costs Debt relief Refugee costs (Partially) tied aid Interest repayments
86%
Luxembourg, Ireland and the United Kingdom are champions in genuine aid.
The Member States that inflate their aid the most are: o o o o o o
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Greece = 36% (0.11% -> 0.07%) Cyprus = 36% (0.16% -> 0.1%) Italy = 31% (0.19% -> 0.13%) Malta = 28% (0.26% -> 0.19%) France = 27% (0.46% -> 0.33%) Austria = 22% (0.27% -> 0.21%)
Estonia 0.12% -> 0.11% Latvia 0.07% -> 0.07% Lithuania 0.13% -> 0.12%
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ODA decreasing and 0,7% target
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Climate finance and additionality
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Transparency
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Changes in the systems of ODA
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CSO involvement
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EU Accountability Report Second AidWatch Report o Three thematic pages: • • •
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Transparency Gender HRBA
Annual AidWatch Seminar FAC in October EC Communications