Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn 2014-15 (1. samling)
UPN Alm.del Bilag 61
Offentligt
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Council of the
European Union
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(OR. en)
PROVISIONAL VERSION
PRESSE 648
PR CO 71
EN
PRESS RELEASE
3359th Council meeting
Foreign Affairs
Development issues
Brussels, 12 December 2014
President
Federica Mogherini
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy
PRESS
Rue de la Loi 175 B – 1048 BRUSSELS Tel.: +32 (0)2 281 6319 / 6319 Fax: +32 (0)2 281 8026
[email protected] http://www.consilium.europa.eu/press
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12 December 2014
Main results of the Council
Post-2015
The Council discussed recent developments, in particular the recently issued synthesis report by the
UN Secretary General, and next steps regarding the post-2015 framework, the new framework for
the international community's efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, said: "The
principle of the next global framework is not to leave anyone behind, not only in some parts of the
world, but in all parts of the world. With the new Council conclusions, the EU will start to speak
with one voice on post 2015 agenda", she added.
The EU and its member states are committed to an ambitious, transformative and inclusive post-
2015 agenda. Final negotiations at the UN are about to start to prepare the conference on financing
for development in July and the UN summit on the post-2015 development agenda in September
2015. The EU is further developing its position through Council conclusions to be adopted by the
General Affairs Council on 16 December, and will continue to do so in the coming months.
Ebola
Over lunch, ministers were briefed by EU Ebola coordinator Christos Stylianides on the crisis and
the EU's response to it. They exchanged views on medium to long-term support to reconstruction
and recovery in the wake of the epidemic. Collectively, the EU and its member states are the prime
donor among the international community to help stem the Ebola outbreak: Pledges from the
Commission and member states now exceed €1.1 billion.
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12 December 2014
CO TE TS
1
PARTICIPA TS................................................................................................................................ 4
ITEMS DEBATED
Post-2015 ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Migration, refugees and development.................................................................................................. 6
Ebola .................................................................................................................................................. 10
Gender issues ..................................................................................................................................... 10
OTHER ITEMS APPROVED
DEVELOPME T COOPERATIO
–
–
–
–
Private sector in development................................................................................................................................ 11
Action plan on nutrition......................................................................................................................................... 17
Annual report on the EU’s development and external assistance policies ............................................................ 20
Economic partnership agreement with West Africa .............................................................................................. 21
FOREIG AFFAIRS
–
–
EU - Ukraine relations........................................................................................................................................... 22
EU aid volunteers .................................................................................................................................................. 22
1
Ÿ
Where declarations, conclusions or resolutions have been formally adopted by the Council, this is indicated
in the heading for the item concerned and the text is placed between quotation marks.
Ÿ
Documents for which references are given in the text are available on the Council's Internet site
(http://www.consilium.europa.eu).
Ÿ
Acts adopted with statements for the Council minutes which may be released to the public are indicated by
an asterisk; these statements are available on the Council's Internet site or may be obtained from the Press
Office.
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12 December 2014
PARTICIPA TS
High Representative
Ms Federica MOGHERINI
Belgium:
Mr Dirk WOUTERS
Bulgaria:
Mr Rumen ALEXANDROV
Czech Republic:
Mr Martin TLAPA
Denmark:
Mr Mogens JENSEN
Germany:
Mr Gerd MÜLLER
Estonia:
Mr Matti MAASIKAS
Ireland:
Mr Declan KELLEHER
Greece:
Mr Kyriakos GERONTOPOULOS
Spain:
Mr Jesús Manuel GRACIA ALDAZ
France:
Mr Pierre SELLAL
Croatia:
Ms Vesna PUSIĆ
Italy:
Mr Lapo PISTELLI
Cyprus:
Mr Kornelios KORNELIOU
Latvia:
Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA
Lithuania:
Mr Andrius KRIVAS
Luxembourg:
Mr Romain SCHNEIDER
Hungary:
Mr István MIKOLA
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy
Permanent Representative
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Trade and Development
Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and
Development
Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
State Secretary for International Cooperation and Latin
America
Permanent Representative
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and
European Affairs
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Permanent Representative
Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Social Security, Minister for Development
Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Minister for Sport
Minister of State for Security Policy Cooperation and
International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade
Permanent Representative
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Malta:
Ms Marlene BONNICI
etherlands:
Ms Lilianne PLOUMEN
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Austria:
Mr Walter GRAHAMMER
Poland:
Mr Marek PRAWDA
Portugal:
Mr Luís CAMPOS FERREIRA
Romania:
Mr Radu PODGOREAN
Slovenia:
Mr Bogdan BENKO
Slovakia:
Mr Peter BURIAN
Finland:
Ms Sirpa PAATERO
Sweden:
Ms Isabella LÖVIN
United Kingdom:
Ms Justine GREENING
12 December 2014
Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister for International Development
Minister for International Development Cooperation
Secretary of State for International Development
Commission:
Mr Neven MIMICA
Mr Karmenu VELLA
Mr Christos STYLIANIDES
Member
Member
Member
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ITEMS DEBATED
Post-2015
Post-2015
12 December 2014
The Council discussed recent developments, in particular the recently issued synthesis report by the
UN Secretary General, and next steps regarding the post-2015 framework, the new framework for
the international community's efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development.
The EU and its member states are committed to an ambitious, transformative and inclusive post-
2015 agenda. Final negotiations at the UN are about to start to prepare the conference on financing
for development in July and the UN summit on the post-2015 development agenda in September
2015. The EU is further developing its position through Council conclusions to be adopted by the
General Affairs Council on 16 December, and will continue to do so in the coming months.
Migration, refugees and development
The Council exchanged views on the inter-related issues of migration, refugees and development. It
adopted the following conclusions on migration in EU development cooperation:
"Introduction
1.
The Council recalls its Conclusions on the 2013 High level Dialogue on Migration and
Development and on broadening the development-migration nexus. Implementation of the
specific commitments contained in these Conclusions should be further taken forward. The
significance of migration in the context of development cooperation and the resulting need
to address migration comprehensively also through a development angle still have to be
fully taken into account.
While reaffirming the commitment to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration, with full
respect for human rights, the Council acknowledges the urgency that arises from conflicts
and crises throughout the world and the resulting unprecedented challenges related to
refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as to host communities and
countries. It also highlights that most refugees and IDPs are currently living in protracted
situations and recalls its commitment to the implementation of the international protection
framework, in particular the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
The Council recalls the progress recently made, notably in relation to the 2013 UN High
Level Dialogue on Migration and Development, as well as to the 2014 Global Forum on
Migration and Development. In this context, the Council welcomes the inclusion of
migration in the Commission Communication “A decent life for all: from vision to
collective action” as well as in the outcome document of the Open Working Group. Well
managed migration and human mobility should be recognized in the post-2015 agenda as
potential development enablers.
2.
3.
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4.
12 December 2014
Maximising the positive impact of well managed migration on development is an
important policy priority for the EU, as demonstrated by its dual policy framework in this
area. The nexus between migration and development is one of the thematic priorities of the
Global Approach to Migration and Mobility, which provides the overarching framework
for the EU external migration policy, and is also integrated into the EU development policy
framework, of which the Agenda for Change is the latest building block.
The Council recalls the significance of migration as one of the five priority areas under the
EU’s commitments on Policy Coherence for Development. The Council reaffirms that, in
order to enhance the development potential of migration, policy coherence should be
pursued within a wide range of internal and external policy areas, including policies in
partner countries. In particular, there is a need for a more systematic incorporation of the
development dimension in migration policies. The Council also recalls that enhanced
coherence and coordination is required between the external dimension of migration policy
and the development and external affairs agendas in order to better address the challenges
and opportunities presented by migration.
The Council recalls the significant contribution that development cooperation can provide
to responding to political and economic instability and addressing human rights’ violations,
fragility, conflict, environment vulnerability, unemployment and extreme poverty, which
can be root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.
5.
6.
Taking full account of the opportunities and challenges of migration in EU development
cooperation
7.
Migration is a multi-faceted phenomenon with numerous inter-linkages with other areas of
intervention - such as employment, health, education, social protection, climate change.
Against this background, the Council recommends a more systematic incorporation of
migration in the dialogue with partner countries and regions as well as into the
programming of development cooperation, both at EU and MS levels, and into national
and regional development strategies, wherever relevant.
The Council calls upon the Commission, in close cooperation with the EEAS, to provide
guidance on how to incorporate and strengthen the migration dimension in both policy
dialogue and programming. It underlines the need for continued efforts to strengthen the
evidence base by improving migration related data collection and analysis, including on
the impact of migration on development, and to reinforce the capacity to use acquired
knowledge in policy formulation and implementation.
8.
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9.
12 December 2014
Ensuring effective migration governance and respect of the human rights of migrants is a
shared responsibility of countries of origin, transit and destination. In this regard, the
Council emphasizes the importance of capacity building initiatives to support our partner
countries in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of migration, in particular in the
field of diaspora engagement, promotion of legal migration, prevention of irregular
migration, fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, including by
combating criminal networks, readmission and reintegration of returnees. The Council
calls for fostering awareness raising programmes on these issues.
Given the importance of South-South migration and low- and middle-income countries as
destination countries, the Council underlines the need to pursue dialogue, cooperation and
partnerships with and among these countries to build awareness of the impact of migration
on economic development, in particular in the context of regional labour mobility, support
the definition of integration policies and intercultural dialogue, strengthen mechanisms to
address vulnerabilities of migrants, especially women and children. Special focus should
be put on the fight against racism and xenophobia.
The Council recalls the different forms of contribution, not only economic, but also
through transfer of knowledge, experience and technology, as well as in the framework of
national reconciliation processes, that diaspora members can offer for the development of
their countries of origin. We underline the need to reinforce the capacity of the relevant
institutional stakeholders in partner countries, including local authorities, to engage with
diaspora and to channel its contribution in line with the national development priorities.
Migrants drive development of countries of origin and destination in numerous ways. For
example, migrants can play a significant role as entrepreneurs and job creators. In this
context it is crucial to stress that good governance and a conducive business environment
are key elements for promoting diaspora entrepreneurship and investment. Accompanying
measures to foster skills circulation and circular migration may also contribute to economic
development.
While the efforts undertaken at EU level to decrease the cost of remittance transfers should
be maintained, more attention needs to be paid to enhancing transparency and competition
in the remittances market and to promoting a widespread use of financial services. Policy
dialogue with relevant authorities of partner countries can play an essential role in
promoting the necessary reforms of the relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks and
thereby maximising the development impact of remittances.
The Council underscores that reducing the economic and social costs associated with
migration can have a significant impact on development. In this regard, while the attention
on remittances needs to be maintained, other costs related to migration and mobility, such
as skills shortages due to emigration and labor migrants recruitment costs, have to be
equally addressed.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
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Ensuring a coordinated development cooperation approach to refugees and IDPs
15.
12 December 2014
Strenghtening the link between humanitarian assistance and development, including
through the implementation of the resilience agenda, is crucial in ensuring a coherent and
comprehensive EU approach to forced displacement, which also encompasses appropriate
funding responses. In that context, the Council acknowledges that refugees, IDPs and other
persons in need of international protection, especially in situations of protracted
displacement, present significant challenges as well as potential opportunities for host
countries and host communities. These should be addressed through long-term
development planning from the early stage of a crisis, thus complementing the
humanitarian approach.
Refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as migrants in a vulnerable situation, are
at heightened risk of being subjected to various forms of human rights violations and
abuses, including sexual and gender-based violence. The Council emphasises the
importance of preventing and reducing such violence, ensuring that survivors of such
violence are able to access support services and supporting partner countries in this
endeavour.
The Council acknowledges the great efforts of host countries and host communities in
regions neighbouring conflict areas when accommodating refugees and other migrants.
The capacity of partner countries to address the multiple challenges related to refugees and
IDPs and to make better use of potential opportunities, including by providing local
integration opportunities and access to means of self-reliance, should be significantly
reinforced through targeted interventions. The Council welcomes the work of the
Commission, in close collaboration with the EEAS, and asks to define a specific strategy to
step up commitments in this area, including through elaborating a coherent and
coordinated development approach towards refugees and IDP issues and ensuring
appropriate funding responses.
16.
17.
The Way Forward
18.
The Council calls upon the Commission to ensure that the importance of migration as both
an opportunity and a challenge for development is fully taken into account at EU level by
integrating the migration dimension into EU development policy and cooperation wherever
relevant and by ensuring appropriate funding responses. EU action on migration and
development should comprehensively address the full range of positive and negative
impacts of migration on sustainable and inclusive economic, social and environmental
development in countries of origin and destination.
The Council therefore invites the Commission to provide further policy orientations and
operational guidance with a focus on all the areas outlined above by adopting a
Communication by the end of 2015."
19.
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Ebola
12 December 2014
The Council was briefed by EU Ebola coordinator Christos Stylianides on the crisis and the EU's
response to the epidemic. Ministers exchanged views on medium to long-term support to
reconstruction and recovery in the wake of the epidemic.
Gender issues
The Council was briefed on ongoing work regarding the EU action plan on gender in development
cooperation.
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OTHER ITEMS APPROVED
DEVELOPME T COOPERATIO
Private sector in development
12 December 2014
The Council adopted the following conclusions on a stronger role of the private sector in
development cooperation: an action oriented perspective:
"Introduction
1.
The Council recalls its previous Conclusions on the role of the private sector in
development
1
, and in particular its call for a continued discussion on tools and modalities
in view of the operationalisation of the actions set out in the Commission Communication
on “A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth
in Developing Countries.”
2
The Council welcomes the discussions which were subsequently convened by the
Presidency and the Commission, involving a wide number of stakeholders. Those
discussions have confirmed that the private sector is emerging as an increasingly active
player in the development field. Interactions of development partners with private sector
actors have also become more multifaceted.
The Council recalls that the overall objective in this policy context remains poverty
eradication through sustainable development. The Council underlines in particular the need
to strengthen the role of the private sector in implementing the future Sustainable
Development Goals and in contributing to inclusive economic growth, to the creation of
decent jobs, to the transition to a green economy, to food and nutrition security, to
environment protection, to climate change mitigation and adaptation, to the social and
economic empowerment of women and youth, with a particular focus on the poorest and
most vulnerable.
The Council stresses the key role of the private sector in relation to the new global
partnership which is being considered in the context of discussions on the post-2015
agenda.
2.
3.
4.
1
2
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Principles and Criteria
5.
12 December 2014
In exploring new ways of working with the private sector in order to harness its expertise
and resources for inclusive and sustainable development, the Council recognises the
challenges such as how to identify the best approaches and models for collaboration with
the private sector in development cooperation, how to ensure effective guidance on and
oversight of due diligence in particular with respect to human rights, how to ensure
alignment of interests and mutual accountability among different stakeholders, how to
mitigate reputational and fiduciary risks in particular for the EU and its Member States or
how to assess and measure the development impact of private sector engagement. The
Council takes note of the related discussions in the context of the Development Assistance
Committee of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/DAC)
on the statistical treatment of private sector instruments and leveraged finance within the
post 2015 development finance measurement framework.
The Council therefore supports the principles (focus on employment creation,
inclusiveness and poverty reduction, differentiation, market-based approach, emphasis on
results, Policy Coherence for Development) and criteria (measurable development impact,
additionality, neutrality and transparency, shared interest and goals and co-financing,
demonstration effect, compliance with labour, social, environmental and fiscal standards
including respect for human rights) proposed by the Commission as a framework to
address these challenges and raise awareness of the opportunities and conditions for
successful partnerships with the private sector.
The Council welcomes the Member States' commitment to apply this framework in their
support to and engagement with the private sector in development cooperation at bilateral
and multilateral level as a basis for a common EU and Member States' approach to achieve
effectiveness, development impact and better coordination of actions in support of private
sector development and public-private development partnerships. The Council also notes
that these principles complement the core aid effectiveness Busan principles of country
ownership, including the specific commitment to accelerate efforts to untie aid.
The Council notes that the criteria should be used as guidance in assessing the
appropriateness of proposals for direct support. The assessment should in particular foresee
a differentiated approach to take into account the type and the size of the private sector
enterprise involved and the context in which it operates. Consistency with the principles
and criteria or a credible trajectory towards them has to be an integral part of the respective
partnership and intended programmes. Furthermore, the Council invites the Commission
and Member States to continue sharing experience and to define how to apply concretely
those principles and criteria.
6.
7.
8.
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Actions to catalyse private sector engagement and resources for development
9.
12 December 2014
The Council recognises that the Commission Communication proposes an ambitious set of
actions that has the potential to improve the effectiveness of EU support to private sector
development. The Council invites the Commission to ensure that this new strategic
framework and related actions are appropriately reflected in the programming of EU
development assistance for the period 2014-2020 and invites the Commission to draw on
the potential provided by its various instruments in order to ensure that this approach can
be applied in a coherent, efficient and complementary manner at the subnational, national,
regional and global level.
The Council takes the view that the actions proposed in the Commission Communication,
which relate to catalysing private sector resources and engagement for development,
require the EU and the Member States to further enhance interaction and to take up joint
actions building on the expertise and knowledge, including transitional experiences, at
global, EU and Member State level: the elements below should thereby be taken into
account.
10.
Innovative Financial Instruments and Mechanisms
11.
Leveraging funding for development from the private sector remains a challenging task.
The Council supports the use of innovative financial instruments to leverage additional
financing. These may include solidarity funds, multi-donor mechanisms, micro-donations
or impact investment and blending.
Blending in particular is an important tool to boost economic growth, innovation and job
creation. The Council acknowledges the work and looks forward to the continued efforts of
the Commission, Member States and European Financing Institutions (EFIs) in the EU
Platform for Blending in External Cooperation (EUBEC) to improve effectiveness by
increasing donor coordination, promoting division of labour and reducing transaction costs
for partners, and to enhance the developmental impact of blending operations, on the basis
of the lessons learnt.
The Council looks forward to the implementation by the Commission of the DCI, ENI and
EDF blending frameworks, including blending facilities for Latin America, Asia, Central
Asia, the Neighbourhood, Caribbean and Pacific regions and countries as well as the
setting up of the new Africa blending facility. The use of blending mechanisms should
build on the cumulative efforts of European donors and financial institutions and on an
efficient division of labour. This could be achieved by encouraging a wider participation in
blending activities and by promoting coordination among the different donors and financial
institutions involved.
12.
13.
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14.
12 December 2014
Regarding in particular micro, small and medium enterprises, including in the informal
sector, as well as social enterprises and cooperatives, the Council encourages the
Commission, Member States and EFIs to pay particular attention to local banking systems
and to improve their access to capital, long term financing and financial services, to
support particularly the financing of women and young entrepreneurs; to promote
financing for enterprises in the social economy, vocational training schemes; and to
support business-to business contacts and the take-up of best environmental practices.
Actions to increase SMEs' access to technology and markets should also be prioritised.
Particular attention should be devoted to pro-poor sectors which have a multiplying effect
and create jobs matching the policy agenda of the EU such as sustainable agriculture,
agribusiness, energy and enterprises which promote a green low carbon and climate
resilient economy. The EU-ACP Impact Financing Envelope, a new special window under
the ACP Investment Facility managed by EIB, is welcome in this context. By bearing
higher risk than permitted under the Investment Facility, it supports projects with higher
development impact. Both the higher risk and higher impact need to be appropriately
assessed and reported.
Structured Dialogue and Inclusive Business Models: the need for scaling up
15.
The Council is fully convinced of the need for a structured dialogue with the private sector
that could include governments, local authorities, CSOs, social partners, trade unions and
business associations, academia and representatives of the informal sector. This dialogue
should be conducted at local, regional and global level and on a sectorial basis. Such
dialogues should not duplicate existing dialogues and should, where possible, build on
existing mechanisms at international level such as the Global Partnership for Effective
Development Cooperation.
The Council recognises that public/private dialogue can promote an environment
conducive for responsible investment, the creation of decent jobs and sustainable
development, and enhance policy effectiveness – it also responds to growing demand from
private sector actors to become more involved in economic policy making and in particular
in the promotion of a sustainable, transparent and business friendly environment and a
sound regulatory framework in partner countries. The Council particularly welcomes the
recent adoption of the "Joint ACP-EU Cooperation Framework for Private Sector
Development support in ACP Countries" and the establishment of an EU-ACP platform for
dialogue including private sector actors.
The Council welcomes the Commission’s endorsement of the Busan Joint Statement on
“Expanding and Enhancing Public and Private Co-operation for Broad-Based, Inclusive
and Sustainable Growth”, as well as the Commission's more active role in the Partnerships
for Prosperity, and the recent interactions between private sector actors/organisations, Civil
Society Organisations and Local Actors in the framework of the Policy Forum for
Development. The Council considers that such processes may facilitate successful
interaction between private sector, civil society organisations and local community level
actors.
16.
17.
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18.
12 December 2014
The Council invites the Commission and Member States to work together to support the
replication and scaling up of inclusive business models and related private sector multi-
stakeholder partnerships, build on existing initiatives, and analyse how synergies could be
developed to increase the development impact of EU and Member State actions. The
Council encourages in particular the Commission and Member States to share experiences
and facilitate access to information about existing initiatives and programmes, which
present partnership and funding opportunities for business and other stakeholders
interested in partnering for development.
Furthermore the Council encourages the Commission to explore innovative ways to
develop partnerships with the private sector in development assistance programmes aiming
at, inter alia, favoring youth traineeships, open to young Europeans, and promoting local
youth employment. The Council calls on the Commission and Member States to explore
how to enhance the role of diasporas in the development of the private sector in countries
of origin, in particular to promote investment and knowledge transfer.
19.
Corporate Social Responsibility
20.
The Council supports the Commission’s and Members States’ efforts to promote Corporate
Social Responsibility, in particular through the implementation of the internationally
recognised guidelines and principles, i.e. the UN Guiding Principles on Business and
Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Tripartite Declaration of
Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the Organisation of
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational
Enterprises, the UN Global Compact, and the International Organisation for
Standardisation (ISO) 26000 Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility.
The Council underlines that Corporate Social Responsibility, in particular through the
implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the
promotion of freedom to conduct business, as set out in Article 16 of the Charter of
Fundamental Rights of the European Union, will be one of the priority areas of EU
assistance for the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights in the 2014-
2020 period.
The Council welcomes the intensified international cooperation aimed at more responsible
global value chains and encourage the Commission to be an active partner in this area. The
Council underlines the growing recognition that integration of social, environmental,
ethical, human rights and consumer concerns and the responsible management of the
supply chain into a company’s business operations and strategy can contribute to
strengthening its competitiveness and sustainability. The Council acknowledges the need
for Member States to engage their own industries on responsible value chains in particular
if acting in the countries most in need. Public-private development partnerships should
inter alia motivate the private sector to go beyond internationally agreed standards in order
to develop relevant voluntary approaches that are gaining in importance.
21.
22.
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23.
12 December 2014
In respect to trade and economic relations, where the private sector is a key actor, the
Council underlines the importance of referring to internationally recognised guidelines and
principles on Corporate Social Responsibility in the ongoing and future negotiations of
Economic Partnerships Agreements and other bilateral agreements, and of promoting
sustainable development when engaging in investment, outsourcing and trade in and with
partner countries. The Council underlines the responsibilities of the private sector to
promote human rights, hereunder children’s and women’s rights.
In this context, the Council welcomes the recent revision of the public procurement
directives to take better account of environmental and social concerns, and of the
Accounting Directive on the disclosure of non-financial information. The Council renews
its call for strengthening the external dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility and of
the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights, notably
through the Strategy on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Action Plan on Human
Rights and Democracy, both currently under review, and through the OECD Guidelines for
Multinational Enterprises.
24.
Enhanced EU coordination in support of Private Sector Development: gaining momentum
25.
The Council welcomes the initiative taken by the Commission and Member States to do a
mapping of future Private Sector Development and Private Sector interventions at national
and regional level. This mapping should be the first step of a more ambitious agenda to
increase EU and Member States aid effectiveness in this domain and can be taken forward
in joint programming and related division of labour processes. The Council calls upon the
Commission and Member States to collaborate further notably in the framework of future
multi country/regional interventions in Asia, Caribbean and Pacific, Central Asia, Latin
America, the Neighbourhood and in particular Africa.
The Council will keep developments in this area under close review and calls on the
Commission and the EEAS to report regularly, in the context of the Annual Report, on the
implementation of the actions and proposals set out in the Commission Communication as
well as in these Conclusions and on cooperation with the private sector more generally,
with a view to monitoring the progress achieved in the actions identified."
26.
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PROVISIO AL VERSIO
12 December 2014
Action plan on nutrition
The Council adopted the following conclusion on the action plan on nutrition:
"1.
The Council recalls its Conclusions of 28 May 2013, which endorsed the Communication
"Enhancing Maternal and Child Nutrition in External Assistance: an EU policy
Framework"
1
and invited the Commission to develop an Action Plan setting out how to
deliver on its stunting target.
Introduction
2.
The Council reemphasises its concern at the persistent levels of malnutrition, especially in
developing countries, where States are faced by the triple burden of under-nutrition,
overnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies. The complex and multidimensional causes of
malnutrition require a holistic and human rights-based approach, with a particular focus on
women and children. The Council reaffirms the importance of strengthening synergies
between humanitarian and development actors and welcomes ongoing efforts in this
regard. In particular the Council encourages the adoption of approaches that build
resilience at all levels, bearing in mind the Action Plan for Resilience in Crisis Prone
Countries 2013-2020 linking the resilience agenda and the piloting of the New Deal for
Engagement in Fragile States.
The Council recognises that hunger and malnutrition are both a cause and a consequence of
underdevelopment. Malnutrition poses a serious threat to social development and
economic growth. On the other hand, investing in nutrition provides positive social,
economic and productivity returns. Malnutrition constitutes one of the major current global
challenges that the international community faces in its fight against poverty, increasing
inequality and social exclusion.
The Council therefore calls on the EU and its Member States to support efforts by partner
countries facing a high malnutrition burden to place food and nutrition security high on the
political agenda. In this regard the Council also calls for particular attention to and
comprehensive consideration of food security and improved nutrition in the post-2015
framework, noting the proposals in this regard contained in the report of the Open Working
Group on Sustainable Development Goals. Nutrition interventions should seek to address
the broader dimension of malnutrition, including overweight and diet related non
communicable diseases. The promotion of international standards on safe and secure food
should also be prioritised.
3.
4.
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PROVISIO AL VERSIO
5.
12 December 2014
The Council encourages all the relevant stakeholders to play their respective role in the
effective implementation of the commitments of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition
through its associated Framework for Action, adopted at the 2014 Second International
Conference on Nutrition. These documents will usefully feed into the discussions in the
context of the post 2015 framework. Endorsed by the EU and its Member States, the
Framework provides a set of recommended actions conducive to eradicating hunger and
preventing all forms of malnutrition worldwide, including the attainment of the global
nutrition targets set by the World Health Assembly for 2025.
Commission Staff Working Document "Action Plan on Nutrition"
6.
The Council welcomes the presentation by the Commission of the Action Plan on
Nutrition,
1
which focuses on undernutrition and sets out how the EU can best support
partner countries including in meeting the Commission target of reducing the number of
chronic undernourished children under the age of five years by at least 7 million by 2025.
The Council recognises that achieving the World Health Assembly (WHA) target of
reducing global stunting by 40% by 2025 (i.e. about 70 million children) implies scaling up
our efforts significantly. The Council therefore welcomes the emphasis of the Nutrition
Action Plan on the need to increase the current annual stunting reduction rate beyond
current trends so that the above mentioned WHA target is attained by 2025. In this context
the Council also welcomes the pledges of increased investment in nutrition by the
Commission and some Member States through the 2013 Nutrition for Growth compact and
other fora.
The Council emphasises the need to tackle both the underlying and immediate causes of
undernutrition, with a particular focus on women and children. In this regard, the Council
welcomes the commitment of the Commission and some Member States to implement
nutrition-sensitive interventions across all relevant sectors, by integrating nutrition
indicators and objectives into, inter alia, agriculture and food security, health, social
protection, water and sanitation as well as education programmes, together with nutrition
specific programmes which address the immediate causes and consequences of
undernutrition.
7.
8.
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PROVISIO AL VERSIO
9.
12 December 2014
Under-nutrition is a major factor behind the high prevalence of child morbidity and
mortality and an obstacle to the full cognitive and physical development of those children
who survive it. The Council therefore welcomes the specific focus of the Nutrition Action
Plan on interventions and policies targeted at women and children, notably within the
critical 1,000 day window of opportunity, i.e. good nutrition for pregnant women and until
the second year of the child, and by prioritising women, children and adolescent girls,
especially in poor rural areas and among the most vulnerable groups. The importance of
breastfeeding of infants as part of nutrition specific interventions should be highlighted.
The Council notes that the specific focus of the Nutrition Action Plan will be: (a) to
enhance mobilisation and political commitment to nutrition; (b) to scale up actions at
country level and (c) to increase knowledge of nutrition.
In this context, the Council welcomes the commitment of the Commission and a number of
Member States to scale up actions at country level in the 2014-2020 period. The envisaged
interventions should be gender sensitive, especially aiming at women and their
empowerment, and should be designed to achieve the highest impact on reducing stunting
and addressing its underlying causes; they should build capacity, knowledge and skills,
they should reinforce and leverage expertise, investments and contributions from local
stakeholders, governments, the private sector, knowledge institutes and NGOs.
Actions to strengthen national leadership, governance and ownership of nutrition
objectives require EU Delegations and the representations of EU Member States to engage
further in policy dialogue and to support national and regional processes. EU Joint
programming provides a sound framework for better coordinating nutrition interventions as
well as for supporting partner countries to define and implement national nutrition policies,
particularly in countries with a high stunting burden, where there is a need and potential for
common advocacy and action. The Council welcomes the commitment in the Action Plan
to ensure synergy and coherence between country-owned policies and programmes on the
one hand, and regional and international initiatives on the other hand.
The Council encourages the alignment of Member States interventions to existing national
strategies of partner countries and close coordination with the Commission's Nutrition
Action Plan and other international initiatives. Existing coordination mechanisms, such as
the SUN movement and the Committee on World Food Security, should be reinforced.
Consideration should be given to the work of other relevant UN committees such as the
Standing Committee on Nutrition. In particular the Council welcomes the fact that 54
countries with high burdens of under-nutrition have now joined the SUN movement and
are demonstrating political commitment to improve nutrition.
10.
11.
12.
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13.
12 December 2014
As part of the Action Plan the Council supports the Commission proposal to develop
country fiches showing expected outcomes. Nutrition objectives should be consistently
incorporated in programme design while nutrition criteria and indicators should be
included and monitored. Moreover, the Council supports the Commission intention to
strengthen national information management systems for nutrition, providing
accountability for and communication of results to assess the impact, also at field level, of
the Action Plan. The information generated may also serve to contribute results to the
annual Global Nutrition Report. Accurate data at country level will support decision-
making, resource allocation and policy development by national authorities in addition to
providing accountability for and communication of results arising from the implementation
of the Action Plan, at global and country level."
Annual report on the EU’s development and external assistance policies
The Council adopted the following conclusions on the annual report on the European Union’s
development and external assistance policies and their implementation in 2013:
"1.
The Council welcomes the 2014 Annual Report on the European Union’s development and
external assistance policies and their implementation in 2013.
1
The report represents a key
contribution to strengthening accountability and transparency. It serves to communicate
and demonstrate the focus on results of the EU development policy.
The Council appreciates the comprehensiveness of the report’s geographic and thematic
overviews, including reporting on fundamental values, and the focus on progress in the
achievement of the EU's long-term development objectives as well as on how the
principles set out in the Agenda for Change have been translated into development
strategies and interventions.
The Council notes the important progress made on joint programming that emerges as a
core element of the EU’s contribution to aid effectiveness agenda, and stresses the need to
specifically report on lessons learned in future reports.
The Council welcomes the continued efforts in the domain of Policy Coherence for
Development (PCD), where a wide range of actions is reported, including at country level,
and in particular regarding the strengthening of the evidence base, awareness raising and
training.
The Council shares the emphasis given to reporting on cooperation with non-state actors
and local authorities as well as on the role of the private sector and would welcome more
extensive reporting on public-private cooperation in the future. The efforts to report on the
implementation of the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States are positively noted.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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PROVISIO AL VERSIO
6.
12 December 2014
The Council encourages the Commission to include more specific information in the next
annual reports on budget support programmes, including trends in disbursement, share of
general budget support and sector budget support programmes in the main financial
instruments. Reporting should include how partner country’s commitment and record on
democracy, human rights and rule of law have been taken into account in decisions to
provide budget support. It should also inform on how the need to provide and protect the
provision of vital basic services, particularly to the poorest and the most vulnerable, as
outlined in the Council Conclusions on budget support of May 2012,
1
was taken into
account, and how the three new types of budget support have contributed, in the
medium/long term, to poverty reduction, sustainable development and improving
governance in these partner countries.
The Council calls on the Commission to review progress, in the next annual report, on the
achievement of MDGs, drawing lessons for the transition to SDGs.
The Council invites the Commission and the EEAS to focus more, in future annual reports,
on the prevention and fight against corruption, the comprehensive approach to external
conflicts and crises and the EU support for sustainable change in transition societies. The
Council would also welcome reporting on delegated cooperation.
A continued focus should be maintained on the compliance with the commitment to devote
at least 20% of EU aid to support social inclusion and human development and 20% of the
EU spending on climate-relevant actions, including sustainable energy, building a low-
carbon, resource efficient economy, as well as sustainable agriculture, resilience and
adaptation.
The Council calls on the Commission to strengthen the reporting on gender equality. A
spotlight on EU action to unlock the potential of girls and women would be appreciated.
The Council firmly reiterates the need to further improve reporting on outcomes and the
impact of EU development assistance, for all aid modalities, to better link objectives and
results, and is looking forward to improvements that will derive from the EU Development
and Cooperation Results Framework for the forthcoming annual reports."
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Economic partnership agreement with West Africa
The Council authorised, on behalf of the EU, the signature and provisional application of the
Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the West African states, the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (UEMOA).
1
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FOREIG AFFAIRS
EU - Ukraine relations
12 December 2014
The Council approved the position of the EU for the first meeting of the EU - Ukraine Association
Council. It also endorsed the EU position on the rules of procedure of the Association Council and
those of the Association Committee and of Sub-Committees, the establishment of two Sub-
Committees, and the delegation of certain powers by the Association Council to the Association
Committee in Trade configuration.
EU aid volunteers
The Council confirmed that it has no intention to object to a Commission delegated act laying down
standards regarding candidate volunteers and EU aid volunteers.
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