Our 5 recommendations to strengthen the local dimension in the revised EU Consensus on Development
The European Commission presented at the end of November a communication on the new European Consensus on Development. The recognition of local and regional governments and decentralisation is very positive but it should not remain an isolated acknowledgement!
In the Commission communication, all global challenges are covered: fundamental rights, gender equality are put at the heart of the strategy and the European Union and its Member States commit to work ever more coordinated. PLATFORMA particularly welcomes the renewed commitment to support decentralization and administrative reforms as well as the recognition that the achievement of most SDGs will depend on the active involvement of local governments. But this should not remain in isolation.
According to PLATFORMA:
- There is a need to include local and regional governments in EU Development Practice across the board
- To support the effective localisation of the global goals, the new Consensus on Development should recognize the instrumental role the international actions of European local and regional governments
- There is a need to step-up EU practice for policy coherence for sustainable development (to also include screening of relevant stakeholders and recognise partnerships)
- Local and regional governments have a key role to play for development education and awareness raising (DEAR) in EU and in partner countries
- Monitoring of EU Development impacts should include disaggregated data collection (and involve local and regional governments in the design of monitoring practice)
Check our contribution to the European Commission Public Consultation on the Future of EU Development Policy.
