Invitation to take part in public debate on EU development policy

A public debate on the most important issues that should inform the future EU development policy has been launched.

The current European Community’s development policy is framed by the Joint Council and Commission Declaration, adopted in November 2000. The Declaration clarified the overall objective and principles of Community’s development policy and identified focal areas of value added where it would concentrate its action. Since then, many events further shaped the international scene and influenced the way we think about development policy and how we put it into effect. Important changes have also occurred within the EU. The Commission has therefore initiated a process of review of current EC development policy, the validity of its underlying principles, its effectiveness and the relevance of its comparative advantages.

A public debate on the most important issues that should inform the future EU development policy has been launched. An online questionnaire has been devised, based on an issues paper available in English, French, Spanish and German.

The questionnaire and the issues paper are accessible online through the following links:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/theme/consultation/index_en.htm

http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/theme/consultation/index_fr.htm

We invite you to share this information with other organisations in your country and elsewhere. We would be grateful if you could share with us your views and opinions by filling the online questionnaire before the consultation closes on March 19, 2005.

Yours faithfully,

Françoise Moreau Head of Unit European Commission DG Development - Unit DEV/B/1

Source: http://europa.eu.int/