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Description
This impact area refers to social impacts of EU policy options in third countries. Most important in this context are probably social impacts of policy options on developing countries affecting the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).The European Union (EU) joined world leaders at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 with the aim “to free fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising condition of extreme poverty”.
The EU is the first donor, providing more than half of development aid worldwide (€ 49 billion in 2009) and the European Commission (EC) alone is the second largest donor of development aid worldwide. But, aid alone cannot address the needs of the developing world. When exploring ways to accelerate progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the European Union (EU) must consider how non-aid policies can assist developing countries in attaining the MDGs. In its communication on "policy coherence for development", the Commission identifies eleven priority areas, other than aid, where the challenge of attaining synergies with development policy objectives is considered particularly relevant: trade, environment and climate change, security, agriculture, bilateral fisheries agreements, social policies (employment), migration, research / innovation, information technologies, transport and energy. It has defined general guidelines for each of these priority areas, plus a number of specific measures to help speed up progress towards the MDGs.
In this context, the European development consensus identifies four “cross-cutting issues” of major importance for development, i.e. democracy and human rights, environmental sustainability, gender equality and HIV/AIDS. These are issues that impact in more than one field - since wealth and wellbeing in a given country/region are generally affected by a series of interconnected factors. Cross-cutting issues require action in multiple fields and should thus be integrated into all areas of donor programmes and be addressed in all political dialogue on development. Hence, it is important to assess the impacts of EU policy options in these areas.
This Impact Area is further defined by the taxonomy terms: Social Impacts of EU Policies in Third Countries, The EU´s International Obligations, Poverty and Incomes in Developing Countries.
Relevant Policies
- Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/millenium-development-goals/index_en.htm
- A twelve-point EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals: http://ec.europa.eu/development/icenter/repository/COMM_COM_2010_0159_MDG_EN.PDF
- Contonou-Agreement: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/acp/overview/cotonou-agreement/index_en.htm#overview
- EU development policies: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/index_en.htm
- European Consensus on Development: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/european-consensus/index_en.htm
- EU development policies: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/index_en.htm
Legal Basis for the Commission to Act
Please refer to relevant legal basis for Commission action.
Web Resources
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
UN Development Group (2003): Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals
UNDP Poverty Reduction
UNDP International Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG)
OECD on development
Contact
Please link to relevant Directorate General Contact Details.
Related Terms
Social Impacts of EU Policies in Third Countries
Publications and applications
Content for this term
Title | Type | Updated date |
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Social Impacts in Third Countries | Impact Area | 2014-01-22 16:38 |
