Europaudvalget 2016-17
EUU Alm.del Bilag 957
Offentligt
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Committee on Development
The Chair
To the Chair of the Committee concerned
Subject:
Invitation to an inter-parliamentary committee meeting of the European
Parliament's Committee on Development with national Parliaments of the
European Union's Member States on the subject of "The implementation of
the Consensus on Development and the Sustainable Development Goals"
Dear Chair,
I am pleased to inform you that the European Parliament's Committee on Development will
organise an inter-parliamentary committee meeting with national parliaments on Tuesday 21
November 2017, from 9.30 to 12.30, at the European Parliament in Brussels on the subject of
"The implementation of the Consensus on Development and the Sustainable
Development Goals".
The new European Consensus on Development was formally signed in June 2017, after
months of informal negotiations between the Council, the Commission and the European
Parliament. The new Consensus is an important document: internally to the EU, this is a
political document providing strategic orientation for the development policies of EU
institutions and Member States in the coming decade. In that context, it constitutes a firm
basis for a more coherent, coordinated and visible development policy. Externally, it
embodies the EU s and its Member States commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs).
The EU and its Member States are, and need to remain, the leading global actors in
development cooperation, not only in terms of financial contributions, but also in shaping the
global political debate. For that reason, they should see the new European Consensus on
Development and the SDGs as an opportunity to form, and lead, an international coalition
that supports sustainable development models which do not put our planet and the welfare of
future generations at risk.
Yet, for this to become a reality, implementation at the EU and Member State level is a
crucial challenge. The strategic nature of the Consensus means that this has to be translated
into concrete actions and instruments. Joint programming and implementation on the ground
should be accompanied by Member States fulfilling their commitments (including in
financial terms) and by promoting coordination at the strategic and policy level, ensuring as
far as possible coherent European development policies in support of the SDGs and their
objectives of eradicating poverty and leaving no-one behind. Parliaments have a key role in
that regard to ensure that national SDGs reflect specific local needs and the circumstances of
specific groups.
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During the negotiations on the SDGs and the new Consensus, the European Parliament
insisted on the need to translate this global framework into actionable national policies and on
the importance of regular reporting and monitoring. The meeting on 21 November will focus
mainly on reflection by European and national Members of Parliament on how to make the
most of these instruments, and on the steps taken by national parliaments to steer the
implementation of the SDGs especially through their external action.
I am therefore very pleased to invite to this meeting a maximum of four members from the
relevant committees of your parliament (two from each Chamber for bicameral national
parliaments).
Should you be unable to attend, we would welcome any written contribution which could be
distributed to the participants.
The draft programme of this meeting and more detailed practical information for the event
will be forwarded to the representatives of your national parliament directly responsible for
relations with the European Parliament.
I look forward to your participation in our discussions and to a fruitful debate.
Yours sincerely,
Linda McAvan