European Year for Development (2015)

The Committee on Development adopted the report by Charles GOERENS (ADLE, LU) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Year of Development (2015).

The committee recommended that Parliament’s position in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Title of the European Year: Members wanted the European Year to be designated the ‘European Year for Development’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the European Year’). The motto of the European Year would be "Dignity for all".

Objectives: the European Year should pursue the following objectives:

·        to inform Union citizens about development cooperation, in particular those living in Member States without a long-standing tradition in that area, highlighting what the Union can achieve as the biggest aid donor in the world;

·        to engage Union citizens in issues of development cooperation, encourage their participation in policy formulation and implementation and fully involve them in the political discussion on global development;

·        to ensure, in particular, the participation of young citizens;

·        to increase Union citizens' awareness of their stake in global development and of possibilities to contribute to more equitable global development and make development an integral part of national education programmes;

·        to foster a sense of joint responsibility and solidarity among Europeans and people in developing countries;

·        to support and facilitate dialogue with partners in developing countries about the global development agenda after 2015;

·        to raise awareness and foster debate about the impact which individual, local, regional, national and Union decisions and choices may have on global development and on people living in developing countries, so as to achieve a broader understanding of Policy Coherence for Development;

·        to raise awareness of the role of Union development cooperation, where equity and fairness are perceived as the main values underpinning development cooperation;

·        to empower Union citizens to make informed purchasing decisions that directly contribute to the objectives of the European Year.

Union measures: the measures taken to achieve these objectives shall include certain initiatives, which may be organised at Union, national, regional or local level within the Union, in associated overseas countries and territories, and in developing countries, as provided for in the Annex to the Decision.

Members stressed the need to support: (i) improve pedagogic means in particular in the education sector; (ii) set up a website presenting the development cooperation projects of all Member States so as to enable all Union citizens to keep up to date with Member States´ aims, performance, and success.

The report wanted the European year to award a prize for innovative and successful communication concepts and campaigns that help to raise awareness and foster reflection about development issues in unusual or original ways.

Participation of overseas territories: it was made clear that initiatives can be carried out both within the EU and in overseas countries and territories and developing countries, and overseas countries and territories would be able to take part in activities related to the European Year of Development.

Meetings of national coordinators: Members wanted meetings of national coordinators set up to coordinate implementation of the European Year, to include representatives of civil society and regional and local authorities and Members of the European Parliament.

EEAS support: EU Delegations should support development partners in third countries with a view to their participation in activities related to the European Year, whether those activities take place in the Union or in third countries. The European External Action Service (EEAS) and the EU Delegations shall make the European Year an integral part of their dialogue with developing countries and enhance the visibility of the Union as an actor for peace, development, human rights and democracy.

Coherence with development policy: the Commission shall ensure that all policy initiatives during 2015 meet the standards of Policy Coherence for Development as outlined in the Lisbon Treaty.

Priority for donors: the Commission may award co-financing to each national coordinating body in accordance with the procedure set out in the Annex, whereby priority shall be given to those Member States which have become development aid donors more recently or where appreciation and awareness of development challenges among the population is particularly low.

Annexes: the annexes have been amended in line with the amendments made in the main body of the text.