1. juli 2005 18:17
Dear Mr. Gade
I write to invite you to a Briefing session for Parliamentarians that the European Programme of the Society
for international Development (SID) is organising in Brussels on 1 September 2005
Following the conclusions of SID/ EDC2010 International Conference ''Europe and the South: A New Era.
European Development Cooperation: towards policy renewal and a new commitment’’, (for the report please
see www.euforic.org/sid-europe/) SID continues trying to ensure true policy renewal and new commitment
of Europe (both as a Union and as individual Member States) to the South, which puts Europe at the
forefront of the international development cooperation.
In this context SID is organising a compact two and a half hours briefing session that will attempt to provide
you with:
1)
High quality analysis of the new European Development Policy Statement (DPS) that may be of
relevance for your work. Analysis that is based on independent research as well as the opinion from
the high calibre policy makers on the EU level.
2)
Probably the last opportunity for the parliamentarians, policy makers and representatives of
Development administration to mandate the European development policy and to send a strong
message to the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York that Europe is committed to
lead the way in striving to achieve the MDGs as a part of overarching goal of poverty eradication.
(despite the recent agreement on the decisive role that Europe should play in achieving the MDGs,
there are still some strong impediments to its implementation.
3)
Give you an opportunity to ask questions and further expand your understanding of the
development policy as well as to express your opinion on and debate with the high quality speakers
the European development policy and the role of Europe in the achieving the overarching goal of
poverty eradication.
4)
A short (max 4 pages) briefing paper, that according to our expectations relevant to your work. This
will be prepared by the leading research institutes (ODI, ECDPM. ICEI) that did the Assessment of
the old Development Policy Statement from November 2000, which can be downloaded from the
Commission’s website.
5)
Meet other colleagues, policy makers and the development administrators from both MS and on
European level.
I hope that as the President of Foreign Affairs (Development) Committee you may find that this session could
be helpful for your and your Committee’s decisions making regarding the development cooperation and
policy and therefore an investment worth making. If you are not able to attend the session I would kindly ask
you to delegate a most relevant member of your Committee to come instead.
As a colleague parliamentarian I am aware that your parliament would soon go into recess and that you will
not be officially back to your office until a few day before the briefing session. For that reason I would
appeal to you to send your reply to SID by the middle of July clearly stating whether you intend to
participate in the Briefing session. Please send your replies to the European project coordinator Ms.
Gordana Stankovic [email protected] or contact her on tel: +31 70 338 3285.
With kind regards,
Senator Jos J.A.M. van Gennip
President SID Netherlands Chapter and European Programme
Vice-President SID International
