Analysis of NDICI

The EU’s commitment to sustainable development was expressed throughout the negotiation processes of the Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement; it was further confirmed in the recently adopted European Consensus on Development. These commitments must now drive the next generation of EU development cooperation instruments.

The proposal of combining 12 previous external instruments into one through the NDICI may have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to strengthening the EU as a sustainable development actor and ensuring that it truly lives up to its commitments throughout a crucial financial period for achieving the SDGs. This paper analyses the NDICI proposal in depth from the vantage point of safeguarding the EU’s unique role and reputation as a leading, principled donor.

In CONCORD’s opinion, the Commission’s proposal does not satisfy the basic redlines that CONCORD set out in April 2018. To realise any of the potential opportunity that the European Commission maintains is at the core of its proposal, substantial changes would have to be made to the NDICI. Neither sustainable development, and the SDGs, are the core drivers of the proposed instrument nor does it safeguard some of the positive features of previous instruments. The following outlines CONCORD’s initial views on the proposal as well as recommendations for improvements.