EU policies are continuing to seriously undermine rights in developing countries, says a new report. Published by Concord, the confederation of European development NGOs, the report – titled ‘Spotlight on EU Policy Coherence for Development’ – alleges that much of the good work being done via aid from the European Union is undone by other EU policies.
According to the report, the EU is failing to meet its obligations under the Lisbon Treaty to make its policies coherent so that they do not undermine development objectives.
The report says the EU can improve the impact of its investment in development aid – some €53bn annually – if it shows a clearer commitment to policy coherence for development.
One example given in the report points to the EU meeting demand for raw materials by signing unfair trade agreements with resource-rich developing countries, bypassing human rights and environmental concerns.
The report also suggests that despite reforms, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) still means that EU exports are made artificially cheaper by subsidies, and are still squeezing local farmers out of the production chain and their local markets.
