In the wake of the European Commission’s newly launched Reflection Paper on Sustainable Development, CONCORD asks current and future EU leaders to adopt an overarching SDG strategy.
The EU, as a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee, has recently had its development cooperation policies reviewed by its peers. Despite noted accomplishments, CONCORD underlines several recommendations of this assessment.
Romania, Finland and Croatia recently published the Trio Programme for their upcoming EU Council Presidencies. The Trio Programme sets the joint political priorities for the presidencies and does not suggest radical changes, but puts emphasis on jobs and growth meaning business as in EU politics. European NGOs would like to see human rights based policies aiming at well-being within planetary boundaries.
CONCORD members gathered in Prague on 26 and 28 November to explore possibilities of a Cultural Shift in NGOs sector. In the current environment where Civil Society Organisations are challenged, criminalised and losing support from their governments and the citizens, the aim of Learning and Exchange Forum 2018 was to explore how and to what extent CSOs need to change their culture and sharpen their values to remain relevant and true to themselves.
For the first time since 2012, the EU’s aid spending decreased in 2017. This means, at the current rate of growth, the EU would need another 40 years to meet the 0.7% ODA/GNI target, reveals CONCORD AidWatch Report 2018.