The EU and the Developing World Flashcards
Interests between the developing world and the EU
EU:
Historical legacy - former colonies.
Moral obligation - alleviate poverty
Economic imperative - trade relations
Global security - environmental security; failed states
Developing world:
SEM access.
Potential protectionism - CAP
Market distortion
Key source of FDI; technology; aid.
Structure and preferences within EU external relations
Weight within WTO and International Financial Institutions (IFIs)
Range of activities between EU and member states
Food aid, emergency aid, technical assistance, humanitarian aid, development finance, financial aid and debt relief, EDF Grants, Risk capital and loans to the private sector.
Considerations in EU/Developing World relations
‘Asymmetric Independence’
Coordination with other actors - part of EDF contribution to Lome IV tied to world bank structural adjustment programmes.
International obligations. WTO
Development policy: Area of parallel competence
Pyramid of Preferences:
Less developed ACP states
Remaining ACPs
Generalized system of preferences beneficiaries
Most favored nation status (MFN)
Historical evolution of ACP states
Yaoundé Conventions 1963-69; 1969-75
Lomé I 1975 - 46 ACP
Lomé II 1979 - 58 ACP
Lomé III 1984 - 65 ACP
Lomé IV 1989 - 68 ACP extended to 70 in 1995
Cotonou agreement - June 2000
Lomé IV, 1989
Trade and financial aid
Financial framework about ECU 27 billion - 1990-2000
Free access to the EC’s markets for 99% of all ACP products
Non-reciprocal tariff concessions subject to MFN minimum for EU exports
Export tariff guarantees. e.g. STABEX - agriculture SYSMIN - mining
Cotonou agreement, June 2000
Twenty year agreement
8 billion of development aid 2000-2007 from EDF plus 9 billion under-spend from previous programmes, 2008-13 = 22.7 billion.
Fundamental principles:
Equality between parties and ACP ownership for its development
Inclusion of non-state actors
Political dialogue and mutual obligations
Differentiation between ACPs and fostering regional development strategies.
5 Independent pillars:
Political dimension
Participation
Poverty-reduction strategy
New framework for economic and trade cooperation
Reform of financial cooperation
2nd revision in March 2010
Growing importance of regional integration
African Union becomes partner
Security and fragility - peace building and conflict preservation
Food security HIV/AIDS, sustainable fisheries, climate change.
more expansive than traditional development policy.
Samoa Agreement, November 2023
47 African, 16 Caribbean, 15 Pacific, and the Maldives.
Sets common principles; 6 priority areas - democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility
Most advanced agreement between the EU and the developing world.
Criticism of EU policy to the developing world
Exploitation - asymmetric relationship - partnership in rhetoric only.
Double standards - CAP sustainable development
Representation of EU self interest in neo-liberal order.
Securitization; direct link to ESS
