Beyond the frontiers

Combating poverty and social exclusion in the EU is important, but it isn’t enough: action needs to be taken also beyond the EU’s frontiers. That’s what is proposed by the Commission, which presented an “action plan” on 21 April, aimed at increasing the commitment of the Union and its member states to the realization of the millennium development goals (MDG) fixed by the UNO in 2000. The EU had then immediately taken steps – as the leading world donor of humanitarian and development aid – to define specific projects and invest more funds in the pursuit of the eight major goals defined by the UN: but a review of the situation has led to the emergence of a situation in need of correction.A response to global challenges. In essence the EU Executive proposes a series of 12 “actions” aimed “not only at increasing the level of aid but also at improving its effectiveness and allocation to the countries and sectors most in need”. Commission President José Manuel Barroso explained: “In 2010 the EU will have the chance to renew its commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Goals. In celebrating the European Year of combating poverty it’s important to remember that it does not stop at the frontiers” of Europe. “I appeal to member states to make sure that the developing countries are built into your vision of the future. The promotion of development must be an integral part of the European response to global challenges”. The documents presented by the Commission show that the EU and its member states are, altogether, the leading planetary supporters of development, contributing some 55% of overall donations: in 2009 these funds totalled the sum of 49 billion euros, equiavalent to 0.42% of European gross domestic product. It’s a “considerable” figures but “still far from the pledges we set for ourselves”, admits Barroso.Twelve concrete actions. The Europe of the 27 had in fact pledged to allocate 0.56% of GDP (with some differences at the national level depending on the degree of internal economic development) to actions aimed at achieving the MDG by the year 2010. The goal fixed for 2015 is 0.70%. The new EU plan “could represent – according to Barroso – the Union’s position in view of the UN summit on MDG scheduled to be held in September” and will be discussed during the European Council in June. The actions proposed by the Executive include: the formulation of national plans by the 27, with precise and verifiable financial commitments; greater efficiency in the allocation of aid by “better coordinating national and EU programmes” (“the EU plan for the reconstruction of Haiti provides a good example”); the reinforcement of partnership with the poor countries; the improvement of the fiscal systems of these states to improve the availability of resources to invest; “regional integration and trade to promote growth and employment” in various regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America; and specific interventions in the regions in which local conflicts and wars are rampant.Financial commitment and political will. President Barroso further explained: “We have the chance to ensure that this becomes a new decade of development, and I personally pledge to promote the realization of this programme at the global level at the forthcoming summits of the G8 and G20 and at the UN Conference for the review of MDG”. For his part Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development, added: “Europe must remain the biggest and most credible leader in combating poverty. We must keep the promise we made to reinforce and improve our aid to ensure that the rate of poverty be halved by 2015”. The MDG “are still achievable so long as there is the financial commitment and political will of the member states of the Union”. Fact FileThe eight Millennium Development Goals were adopted at the general assembly of the UNO in 2000, and 2015 has been set as the date to achieve them. Hitherto however the progress made in the pursuit of the MDG seems modest and so the UNO intends to review the situation at an international conference, scheduled for September. The eight goals are: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger (more precisely: halving the percentage of people living on less than one dollar per day; halving the percentage of people who suffer from hunger); achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women; reducing child mortality (i.e. reducing by two-thirds the under-five mortality rate); improving maternal health; combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development.