Trade unions at the 5th global meeting of the EU Policy Forum on Development (PFD)

The 5th global meeting of the EU Policy Forum on Development (PFD) took place in Brussels on 21-23 March 2017. Organised by the European Commission, it brought together representatives of civil society organisations and local authorities from around the world. The topics discussed included the European Consensus on Development, the future of the EU-ACP partnership, multi-stakeholder partnerships for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the EU external financing instruments.

A trade union delegation attended the meeting, formed by Hilma Mote and Alex Nkosi (ITUC Africa-ATUDN), Ariovaldo de Camargo (CUT Brazil), Candela Lacuerda (TUCA-CSA), Gemma Arpaia (ISCOS Italy), Jacob Rosdahl (LO/FTF Council Denmark), Goda Neverauskaite (PERC ITUC) and Joan Lanfranco (ITUC-TUDCN).

Paola Simonetti, TUDCN Coordinator, spoke at the session on the new European Consensus on Development, together with DG DEVCO Director General Stefano Manservisi and Linda McAvan, Chair of the EP Committee on Development. Paola stressed the need for the EU to support decent work and social dialogue through development policies. She also insisted on the need to have policy coherence between internal and external policies, particularly considering the universality of the 2030 Agenda. Paola also insisted on the need for greater accountability of the private sector as prominent development actor, always in line with the effective development principles.

The session on future EU-ACP relations focused on commitments to include civil society and local authorities in the political dialogues. Decent work was mentioned several times as a priority to achieve sustainable development. The session on multi-stakeholder partnerships showcased different examples of frameworks that includes different non-governmental actors, such as the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. The session on EU external financing instruments focused on the different instruments that are being revised in the framework of the mid-term review of the EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF).

In the closing session, EU Commissioner for International Development and Cooperation, Never Mimica, praised social dialogue between trade unions and employers as an avenue for the creation of decent jobs in partner countries. He also praised multi-stakeholder partnerships as a tool for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals.

Consult the meeting documents here (an official more in depth report will follow shortly)

See the official photos here and our own album here.