Activities of Antoni COMÍN I OLIVERES related to 2021/2164(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on Policy Coherence for Development
Amendments (17)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas effective coordination, integration and evaluation of all EU policies regarding its impact on developing countries is essential to achieve PCD;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the current global geopolitical context is marked, in particular, by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and climate change, refugee crisis, increasing energy prices, global debt distress and threats to global food security, and these problems are seriously threatening the global achievement of the SDGs such that a comprehensive response is necessary; whereas this further increases the need for effective implementation of PCD and coherence and consistency between different policies, as in the case of the humanitarian-development nexus;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas many developing countries have expressed their disappointment with the EU's development policy, with the way in which developing countries have been taken into account when defining EU policies that affect them, and with the repeated failure by the EU and other developed countries to honour certain promises, such as the promise of 100 billion annual financing for climate adaptation in developing countries made in 2009 at COP 15 in Copenhagen; whereas over the last years geopolitical competitors have taken advantage of this situation and have managed to present themselves in many developing countries as alternative partners to the EU for development, mainly by granting loans for public infrastructure, thus extending its influence in many regions of the world; whereas PCD is an essential tool to ensure the credibility and reliability of the EU in partner countries against geopolitical competitors;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas avoiding over-declaration of development aid is essential to achieve PCD and ensure the credibility of the EU development policy in the eyes of partner countries;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas PCD mechanisms in the Commission include, among others, inter- service groups, stakeholder and public consultations, a PCD screening (tracker) of the Commission Work Programme, Tools 19, 27 and 35 in the impact assessment guidelines (revised Better Regulation Agenda), and the sustainability impact assessment of trade agreements; whereas the extent to which these arrangements are used varies and the quality of PCD work can only be measured by its concrete results; whereas there is no PCD coordination centre in the Commission; whereas in some cases the PCD analyses in the Commission’s impact assessments for recent legislative proposals are still superficial (e.g. the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and the Environmental Crime Directive) or have not been conducted despite the clear need for them (e.g. anti-money laundering package, the directive and regulation on corporate sustainability reporting); whereas this clearly shows that more action on the recommendations of the 2018 external evaluation of the PCD is needed;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that all EU institutions and Member States must comply with their PCD obligations under the treaties in all legislative and policy initiatives likely to have an impact on developing countries; calls for a step change in efforts to implement PCD to ensure that impacts on developing countries are properly identified and analysed, that negative impacts are avoided or minimised, and that full use is made of possible synergies with the pursuit of development objectives and poverty reduction;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for a communication that clarifies the definition and role of PCD in the context of the SDGs and is accompanied by an time-bound action plan on PCD with a clear methodology and concrete quantitative and qualitative indicators, division of tasks, mandates and timelines to measure the implementation of PCD by the EU and Member States and ensure the evidence base for accountability by including this in a new framework for monitoring and coordination of development policies across the EU; calls for this communication to be published before the end of the current Commission’s mandate;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its call for a high-level EU strategy for the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the SDGs that should be ambitious and integrated, be grounded in human rights frameworks, work to leave no one behind, respect inter-generational equity, and realize progress within planetary boundaries; underlines the need to ensure coherent action across the Commission and Member States towards the implementation of the SDGs, and for proper engagement with civil society and scientists during the drafting of a high- level EU Strategy for the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda and the SGDs; considers that PCD, which represents a unique EU contribution to the broader objective of PCSD, must be a central pillar of this strategy;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that PCD needs to remain a key part of the EU’s foreign policy and calls for it to be given more visibility, especially at a time of increased geopolitical competition that requires credibility and reliability in the eyes of developing countries; calls for PCD to be given more visibility, since it is a key component of public diplomacy, and for the EU to play a leading role in promoting PCD globally, including at the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and at the UN; highlights, with a view to avoiding the over-declaration of development aid, the need to promote a more precise definition of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in order to avoid counting concepts such as debt relief, reallocation to developing countries of IMF Special Drawing Rights or aid to refugees in DAC countries as ODA;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
- systematically screen all planned Commission policy and legislative initiatives for possible impacts on developing countries at an early stage and in a transparent manner; undertake detailed ex ante impact assessments, which should include the results of meaningful consultations with stakeholders, including partner countries, civil society organisations, research institutes, local and indigenous communities, and the private sector, as well as input from EU delegations in developing countries; stresses, in this regard, the need to establish a PCD coordination centre that undertakes all these tasks;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 3
Paragraph 6 – indent 3
- make widespread use of ex post evaluations to identify the impact of EU policies on developing countries and, improve the quality of future impact assessments and propose policy changes in those areas where negative effects have been identified;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
- resume the publication of a specific annual report on the EU’s performance in all its development policy commitments and ensure that it adequately covers the implementation of PCD and, any challenges met and overall progress;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the critical role of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) in ensuring the implementation of PCD in the Commission; calls on DG INTPA to actively and meaningfully engage with other DGs as early as possible through all available mechanisms to ensure that PCD is implemented in all relevant Commission initiatives; welcomes DG INTPA’s complementary studies on the impact of key legislative initiatives on developing countries, but notes that these should instead be fully analysed in the relevant impact assessment; calls for the re- establishment of a dedicated PCD team within DG INTPA to coordinate and reinforce the PCD work of thematic units; is of the opinion that DG INTPA should be responsible for the PCD coordination centre that would lead the screening of planned policies and legislative initiatives;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the Neighbourhood, development and international cooperation instrument – Global Europe cshould be used to prevent and minimise the negative impacts of new EU legislation or policy initiatives, when these cannot be avoided, and to build positive synergies in developing countries and to effectively evolve from a donor-recipient relationship to a partnership between equals; calls also for the EU Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme to include activities focused on PCD;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – indent 1
Paragraph 9 – indent 1
- analyse the possible local impact of new EU policies and initiatives, by identifying sustainable development gaps, affected people and interests, organising multi-stakeholder consultations, including with civil society organisations, research institutes, partners from the Global South, research institutes, local and indigenous communities, and the private sector, and take into the account information and views put forward by them;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – indent 3
Paragraph 9 – indent 3
- regularly monitor the impact and progress of EU policies on developing countries and contribute to detailed, transparent and regular reporting on PCD;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recognises the important role of Parliament and the Council as co- legislators, and calls for both institutions to carefully assess the impact on developing countries of their amendments to the Commission’s legislative proposals; stresses the need to invite UN and OECD experts to provide the co-legislators with their knowledge during the trilogues so as to facilitate a maximum degree of PCD; notes that this work will be facilitated by a better quality of initial Commission impact assessments;