By Martin Banks - 7th November 2011
The CAP must stop affecting food insecurity in poor countries
Laura Sullivan
A new report says EU policies are "seriously undermining" rights in developing countries.
The report, published on Monday, highlights "incoherencies" between EU development objectives and other policies.
The EU currently spends some €53bn a year on development aid, but the authors of the report say the impact of its financial commitment could be "greatly improved".
Its findings were endorsed by German EPP deputy Birgit Schnieber-Jastram, a member of parliament's development committee.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, she said, "This report is very helpful. It shows how we all need to be working together more on the development front."
The report was drafted by Concord, the Brussels-based confederation of European development NGOs, and presented to a meeting of the development committee on Monday.
It comes after the recent launch of the new EU agenda for development policy.
It claims 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 shows how the EU is looking to meet increasing European demand for raw materials by signing "unfair" trade agreements with resource-rich developing countries such as China.
Rilli Lappalainen, from Concord, said, "You cannot deny that EU policies have effects overseas.
"Our report shows that EU agriculture, trade and migration policies have negative impacts on the developing world, undermining EU taxpayer's support for reducing global poverty."
Speaking at the same event, Laura Sullivan, of Action Aid, said, "The CAP must stop affecting food insecurity in poor countries."
