Global action to eradicate poverty and develop sustainably post-2015

 

SUMMARY OF:

Communication (COM(2015) 44 final) — A Global Partnership for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development after 2015

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMUNICATION?

• In putting forward proposals on how the international community should organise its action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Commission’s communication shows specifically how the European Union (EU), EU countries and others could contribute to the international effort to implement the 2030 Agenda.
• It sets out the views of the European Commission on a new global partnership to eradicate poverty and boost sustainable development in the context of the inter-governmental negotiations leading to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

KEY POINTS

The Commission describes the overarching principles and components necessary for the global partnership needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (prior to its adoption at the UN Summit in September 2015).

Principles

The Commission called for the global partnership to be based on universal values such as

• human rights,
• good governance and the rule of law,
• support for democratic institutions,
• inclusiveness,
• non-discrimination, and
• gender equality.

Components

The partnership should also:

• 1.

  promote a policy environment conducive to the implementation of the2030 Agenda through practices, actions and resources at both international and national level;

• 2.

  develop additional and new capacities in partner countries and enhance skills focusing on developing human resources and processes for planning, management and monitoring;

• 3.

  ensure that national public resources are mobilised efficiently and sustainably;

• 4.

  contribute to maintaining the UN target of 0.7 % Gross National Income for financing Official Development Assistance (ODA) and focus on receiving contributions from upper middle-income countries and emerging economies (like China or Brazil);

• 5.

  enhance trade as a key factor for sustainable inclusive growth and sustainable development through Trade Facilitation Agreements;

• 6.

  use the potential offered by science, technology and innovation, for example, to help people escape from poverty, promote sustainable consumption or reduce vulnerability to disasters;

• 7.

  encourage the domestic and international private sector to invest in efficient and sustainable transport and energy systems, and digital infrastructures;

• 8.

  exploit the positive effects of migration allowing legal migrants to keep more of what they earn and recognising their skills and qualifications;

• 9.

  better monitor and evaluate the implementation of the SDGs to ensure that it is underpinned by principles such as transparency, inclusiveness responsiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, including in its financing aspects.

These proposals formed part of the EU negotiating position for the Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa in July 2015 and the UN Summit in New York in September 2015 which led to adoption of the 2030 Agenda. The Commission’s communication led to Council Conclusions in May 2015.

BACKGROUND

• The United Nations (UN) has led an intergovernmental process to help define the future global development framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and follow up on the Rio +20 and Monterrey conferences.
• Between 2013 and September 2015, the EU played an active role in the preparatory discussions leading to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and has provided its input in key documents (see Related documents section below). These documents served as a basis for negotiation with all international partners.
• For further information, see:
  • ‘The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ on the European Commission's website
  • ‘A Global Partnership for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development after 2015’ — European Commission factsheet.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions A Global Partnership for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development after 2015 (COM(2015) 44 final, 5.2.2015)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: A Decent Life for All: ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future (COM(2013) 92 final, 27.2.2013)

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: A decent life for all: from vision to collective action (COM(2014) 335 final, 2.6.2014)

last update 08.12.2016