Presentation of the European Report on Development 2015

Among other conclusions, the 4^th European Report on Development, which was presented for the first time in Spain during an event at the Casa de América presided over by Gonzalo Robles, Secretary General for International Development Cooperation, advocates new policies that are coherent with the commerce and security agendas within the framework of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

This fourth edition, which is entitled Post-2015: Global Action for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future, invites the institutions and member states of the European Union to reflect on the future development agenda that will begin in 2015. Its conclusions were also based on the analysis of four countries: Nepal, Rwanda, the Ivory Coast and Peru.

For the authors of the report, economic and social transformations, as well as the creation of employment and the fight against inequality, constitute the decisive focus for the eradication of poverty, one of the original aims of the Millennium Development Goals.

The goal which the Post-2015 Development Framework should work towards is Inclusive and Sustainable Development (ISD), which consists of the eradication of poverty in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable manner. For this new agenda, it is crucial to tackle the very roots of poverty, rather than simply trying to reduce the rates. In addition, it indicates that this new framework should pay more attention to the degree of alignment between the worldwide objectives and the objectives of the governments of the countries that benefit from cooperation. Here, it is vital to diversify the sources of funding for development and to give priority to those which optimise the space of national policies.
Another driver of change mentioned by the report is labour migration. These migrants send back remittances which are frequently opportunities for well-being and improvement for their countries of origin, thereby potentially boosting development. So, it is necessary to come up with policies to improve the work conditions of migrants in a way that reduces irregular migration. In Peru, for example, it has been noted that those immigrants who left during the most difficult times are now returning and there are even reports of young Europeans arriving in search of employment.

The European Report on Development is an initiative launched by the European Commission which Spain has supported since 2009, together with another six member states: Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It is produced by three prestigious think-tanks: the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) in the Netherlands, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in the United Kingdom and the German Institute for Development (Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, DIE).

4^th European Report on Development. Post-2015: Global Action for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future. Complete report in English

Executive summary of the report in Spanish