Brussels, 15 June 2026
Five years after its launch, EU Member States have finally adopted their first formal position on the Global Gateway with Council Conclusions that will shape the EU’s economic foreign policy, the future multi-annual budget and the rules that govern it.
If the Global Gateway is like a ship sailing while being built, Member States have to take decisive action to chart its course. These Conclusions must help ensure that nothing of value, from human rights commitments to local ownership, falls overboard.
What the Council got right
While we had hoped for a more ambitious text, the Conclusions reaffirm the importance of poverty reduction, democratic values, and human rights commitments, and emphasise local ownership, policy coherence, and the mainstreaming of climate sustainability, gender equality, and decent work across the project cycle. On transparency, they call for structured financial reporting and clearer roles for advisory bodies. They also affirm that civil society participation is essential to lasting development impact, and call for early and continuous meaningful engagement with partner countries, civil society, local authorities and social partners.
What still concerns us
The persistent emphasis on the EU’s economic interests and competitiveness risks leaving genuine people-centred sustainable development as an afterthought. The EU will have to strike a real balance between partner countries’ priorities, its stated values and interests.
What comes next
With Global Gateway potentially absorbing the majority of the EU’s international cooperation budget in the next MFF, the timing is critical. A European Commission evaluation is also expected later this year. CONCORD urges the Commission to treat the Council Conclusions – alongside the European Parliament’s March 2026 resolution – as a mandate for reform.
If Global Gateway wants to make a genuine contribution to equitable, sustainable development, it needs to be reformed. It is high time to do so with stronger accountability mechanisms, meaningful civil society involvement, and partnerships that are driven by the priorities of partner countries and not just EU strategic interests.
CONCORD will continue to engage throughout the evaluation process to keep people and partner countries at the centre of the strategy, which is essential to ensure the EU’s credibility and long-term effectiveness as a development partner.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Camilla Falsetti | Communications and Media Adviser
Jaimie Just| Policy and Advocacy Adviser