Realising the European dream

Following the German twin presidencies of the Council of the European Union (EU) and of the Group of Eight (G8), development policy is now right at the top of the international political agenda. In national, European and international terms, the work accomplished by the German side is impressive. We have set up a good network and have formed an effective trio presidency with Portugal and Slovenia, which will ensure the continuation of numerous development initiatives.

The outcome of the European Council in June 2007 makes me feel very positive. I would especially like to stress the mandate for the Intergovernmental Conference in 2007. In the case of development policy, the positive precepts of the Constitutional Treaty formulated in 2004 (including the special imperative of development policy coherence) will be taken up in a new reform treaty. We will make it clear, among other things, that development policy in the reformed European Union will retain its institutional independence and hence its clearly audible voice.

Within the EU's current financial framework for the period up to 2013, development policy is part of the area known as External Relations. With regard to the financial revision that is planned for 2008/2009, I will work to ensure the further development of the Union’s financial arrangements. There is much that needs to become more coherent: the agricultural budget, structural assistance, the common foreign and security policy, to name just a few examples. I would like to use the review in order to establish a dedicated financing instrument for the African Peace Facility.

Decisions relating to the role of women provide the necessary political and operational framework for promoting gender equality. The EU is called upon to help create more decent work when fostering job creation. This is part of the strategic planning of EU development cooperation and we will make sure that both decent work and gender equality are given higher prominence in EU country strategy papers. Going beyond the field of job creation, a future comprehensive EU strategy will deal with the topic of decent work and offer our partner countries support for their efforts to establish and enforce social standards (above all the implementation of the ILO conventions).

The close dialogue with civil society and with our partner countries will continue to play a role in shaping EU development policy. In the international context, we will maintain the EU’s increased political contribution through better coordination with the UN organisations, the World Bank, the regional development banks and other actors. Strengthening the European contribution in the field of development in this way underlines the credibility of our commitment and the EU’s positive role in the context of efforts to ensure that there is justice in globalisation.

I think few people have done a better job of describing Europe’s responsibility than Jeremy Rifkin; in his eponymous book he describes the European Dream as being “far better suited to the next stage in the human journey – one that promises to bring humanity to a global consciousness befitting an increasingly interconnected and globalising society.

The European Dream emphasises community relationships over individual autonomy, cultural diversity over assimilation, quality of life over the accumulation of wealth, sustainable development over unlimited material growth, […], universal human rights and the rights of nature over property rights, and global cooperation over the unilateral exercise of power.” (Jeremy Rifkin, The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, 2004).

Africa has dominated the development policy topics addressed during the German EU and G8 presidencies. Africa needs peace, good governance, fair trade relations that are conducive to development, market access that is as free as possible for its products, sustainable investment, sustainable use of energy resources and work and jobs for its people in order to experience sustainable economic and social growth. Africa today stands for dynamism of reform in political and economic terms and is increasingly making its presence felt as an independent political force. In Heiligendamm I had the opportunity to see for myself that there is a desire to continue dialoguing at the highest levels as well.

Europe and Africa need a long-term, strong, all-embracing partnership. The Portuguese Presidency plans to conclude the development of a joint Africa Strategy between the EU and the African Union (AU). This strategy is to be adopted at a joint EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December 2007. China is offering African countries rapid development of its commercial relations with them. The European partnership with our neighbouring continent is firmly anchored at many different levels. We are making concrete contributions towards strengthening the forces for reform. We are working to ensure that the resources and economic growth of Africa benefit the people in the countries of Africa and that poverty is reduced.

European and African shared interests in the energy sector will remain a driving force behind the energy partnership initiative, which consists of the following elements: security of energy supply on both continents; access to sustainable energy services; climate protection; adapting to climate change; and poverty reduction. A comprehensive, long-term energy partnership will therefore be part of the joint EU-AU Africa Strategy.

Following our Presidency, the EU’s HIV/AIDS strategy is mainly directed towards meeting new challenges in the fight against AIDS and in particular towards protecting women, who are falling victim to the pandemic in increasing numbers. The updating of the strategy is sensibly complemented by an action plan to reduce the loss of health staff in developing countries due to migration and targeted recruitment. Europe is providing increased funds: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will be topped up with 38 million euros remaining from the 9th European Development Fund. We will now demand and follow up the rapid implementation of the strategy and the decisions taken.

With the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and the ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific region), we have achieved our goal of using trade policy to serve the interests of effective poverty reduction and sustainable economic development. Under the leadership of the German Presidency, the EU member states have agreed upon a far-reaching package of measures to open our single market to the ACP countries. The envisaged package includes very long transition periods to protect sensitive products and sectors in the ACP countries that are highly relevant for development. The EU has thus been able to flesh out with convincing policies its concept for an asymmetrical, flexible opening of goods markets that supports development.

In May 2007, we adopted a package of accompanying aid for trade measures which, in terms of their quantity and quality, are consistent with the aims of development policy. The EU will adopt a joint Aid for Trade strategy by the autumn of 2007, the cornerstones of which have now been laid. As of 2010, the EU and its member states are going to increase their ongoing support from the current level to a figure of two billion euros a year, thus enabling among other things the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreements. These positive political signals from the EU to the ACP countries will, it is hoped, ensure that pro-development Economic Partnership Agreements are concluded within the deadline, which is at the end of 2007.