Social Watch launches its 2010 Report before the European Parliament
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Published on Fri, 2010-11-05 14:28
The 2010 Social Watch Report "After the Fall. Time for a New Deal" was presented before the European Parliament in a Hearing with civil society on 17 November 2010 in Brussels, Belgium. Roberto Bissio, coordinator of the Social Watch network, presented the latest findings of the Report that shows that poverty reduction has globally slowed down since 2000 and concludes that a comprehensive redefinition of the approach to development is needed. The hearing entitled "The Green Paper, The DCI and China: Key points for EU development policies in Asia and Latin America" comes at a moment where the EU is re-assessing its future development cooperation and funding mechanisms beyond 2015 for the period 2014-2020. The green paper, due for release on Wednesday 10 November, will stimulate a review of the European Consensus on development Cooperation. The outcome of the review will provide the basis for establishing new financing instruments of the EU's cooperation with developing countries. This re-definition of cooperation comes in the aftermath of the financial crisis and will take stock of the different roles of the BRIC countries. The hearing addressed the basic principles that should underpin the EU's cooperation with Asia and Latin America in this new era. Speakers included: The meeting was hosted by Gay Mitchell MEP and chaired by Simon Stocker from Eurostep. The event was sponsored by ALOP, EuroStep, EEPA, SAAPE, LDC Watch and Social Watch with the support of Hivos, the European Commission, Oxfam Novib and 11.11.11.
PRESS RELEASE 17 November 2010 European Parliamentary Hearing: The Green Paper, The DCI and China: Key points for EU development policy in Asia and Latin America 17 November 2010, Brussels, Belgium With the launch of the Green Paper on Development Policy by the European Commission in Brussels last week, a new phase of negotiations on EU development cooperation has begun. The outcome of these negotiations will determine EU cooperation with developing countries up to 2020. Roberto Bissio, Coordinator of the global Social Watch network comments: “to face the dramatic impact of the current multiple crises (financial, climate, food, fuel) we need a comprehensive approach based on equity and justice between countries and within countries. The kind of growth now experienced by developing countries is not leading to job creation and poverty eradication. Inclusive growth should mean rebalancing the private sector with the interests of citizens and the states’ obligations to promote human rights and provide a social floor for all.” At the hearing, hosted by MEP Gay Mitchell, the 2010 Social Watch report “After the Fall. Time for a new Deal” was launched including the findings of civil society organisations in over 60 countries. Annabel Meurs, from the Dutch development organisation Hivos, is disappointed that “the Green Paper does not mention child labour, which is one of the main causes leading to poverty.” She continues “I welcome the more comprehensive approach in the Green Paper on social protection and decent work and the emphasis on the role of governments in putting social protection schemes in place. The language on social protection is weak and we urge the Commission to elevate the status of this area to a specific chapter in the Green Paper. The Green Paper also needs to define specifically what is meant by inclusive growth and sustainable development.” Himanshu Jha, the national coordinator of Social Watch India comments that “the bilateral relation between the EU and India has to evolve beyond the existing economic growth model. The new model should address existing contradictions in the region relating to the apparent inequalities. The EU has to reorient its policy towards emerging economies by including objectives of the ‘social floor’ and ‘decent work’ into the bilateral relations in a comprehensive way. Coherence of policies should therefore mean that these objectives are also leading in the negotiations on the EU – India trade agreement.” Arjun Karki, coordinator of the LDC Watch network headquartered in Nepal comments: “The Green Paper states that the EU aims to focus on countries in need. This is an old-fashioned approach. We rather prefer that the EU gives priority to the most vulnerable. This requires that the EU invests in climate security, food security, social protection and employment creation in countries that emerge from conflict and are trying to get back on their feet.” “We welcome the consultations the European Commission is proposing on the Green Paper” states Simon Stocker, Director of the network Eurostep, “and we will work with our partners in Europe and in the South to respond to the call of the European Commission. Our interest is that the Green Paper sets a solid base for the next generation of development cooperation instruments to reflect the centrality of the objective of poverty eradication for the EU’s relations with developing countries provided for in the Lisbon Treaty.”
For further information contact Verena Winkler (vwinkler@eurostep.org) on +32 474 579 737, or Simon Stocker (sstocker@eurostep.org) on +32 479 489 147
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