Model Conference
of the Faculty of International Relations
Development Section
Vision of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union
Final Agreement
Bratislava, 26.03.2015
Model Conference of the Faculty of International Relations
Development Section
PREFACE
Regarding the current economic, politic, cultural and development issues of the European Union and its broader
milieu, as well as understanding the necessity of finding proper long-term solutions for these issues, we have
decided to establish the Model Conference of the Faculty of International Relations, as an intergovernmental
platform for negotiating and creating consensus among participating states, which are subject to these
international challenges and problems.
Respecting the main objective of the established platform, the Development Section, as a specialized body of the
Model Conference, created a room for multilateral negotiations on the current state and the future advancement
of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union and invited the delegates of
the Czech Republic
the Federal Republic of Germany
the French Republic
Hungary
the Kingdom of Spain
the Kingdom of Sweden
the Polish Republic
the Slovak Republic
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
as the representatives of major interest groups of the European Union, with different historical, economic, political
and other relations in the given context, to take part in the multilateral negotiations and to contribute to the solving
of the respective development issues.
Gathered under the Development Section of the Model Conference, the delegations of the participating states,
recognizing the challenges linked to the initial state of the EU DAP,
willing to contribute to reaching of an international consensus over the subject matter,
welcoming the keen interest and active collaboration of the participating EU member states,
regarding the statements of the negotiating parties, elaborated with regard to its previous drafts,
regarding all aspects and outcomes of the previous sessions of the Development Section,
respecting the individual positions and proposals presented by the negotiating parties,
supporting the principles of mutual tolerance and long-term cooperation,
understanding the significance of its Chairman´s position as a neutral facilitator and conductor of the
process of finding and reaching of the consensus and the common vision of the EU DAP,
agreed on the following formulation of common positions on the corresponding matters concerning the creation of
the new Vision of the EU DAP:
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CHAPTER I
PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES OF THIS AGREEMENT
Article 1
The purpose of the agreement
1. The Vision of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as “the
Vision” or “the agreement”) represents a consensual agreement and expression of the signatory parties’
opinions and proposals concerning the revision of the development assistance cooperation on the European
Union (hereinafter referred to as “the EU”) level.
2. The main purpose of the Vision consists in the determination of general guidelines of the revision of the
development assistance cooperation on the EU level, which shall be executed under an intention of creating
of a transparent, efficient, solidary and progressive development assistance mechanisms.
3. The Vision serves as a basis-document for further discussions and negotiations concerning the common
development assistance policy, which are expected to be held within the official EU level with the presence of
all EU member states. The final agreement shall be presented within the respective EU platforms, with the
aim of stimulating of further debates and introducing of a specific framework of solutions concerning the
subject matter.
Article 2
The general principles of the agreement
1. The Vision has a purely recommendatory character and therefore creates no legally binding obligations for
any of the signatory parties or third states, regarding any of the aspects of the determination, execution or
evaluation of the Development Assistance Policy of the EU.
2. Regarding the general character and the main purpose of the multilateral agreement, the Vision does not
allow any other additional stipulations, amendments or any other forms of individual extensions or
interpretations of its provisions than those explicitly identified by this agreement. The Vision shall always and
unconditionally be presented as a common standpoint of all signatory parties as a whole.
3. With regard to the difference of possible approaches to the subject matter, the signatory parties, bearing in
mind both, the necessity of a mutual tolerance as well as the importance of the unanimity of their mutual
decisions, agree on supplementing the main text of the Vision by further individual, solely explanatory and
recommendatory commentaries. All substantially distinct positions of any of the signatory parties are included
in the commentaries attached to the Vision and were subject to a prior approval of other signatory parties. The
individual commentaries are always to be presented separately from the main text of the Vision and in the
name of the respective signatory party.
CHAPTER II
PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT
Article 3
Signatory parties
1. The negotiating parties of the multilateral negotiations held on the subject matter under the Development
Section of the Model Conference are considered as the original signatory parties of this agreement.
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2. All signatory parties are European national states with a full EU membership and therefore respect all aims,
values and principles of the EU.
3. All provisions of the Vision are based on agreements made by the negotiating parties, tacitly or explicitly,
within their respective statements, as well as by means of voting on particular questions during official
sessions held under the Development Section of the Model Conference.
Article 4
External parties
1. The general character and the main purpose of the Vision exclude the possibility of an accession of other
parties to the agreement.
2. The signatory parties foresee other external parties expressing their support to the Vision and all its provisions
by means of their active participation in future debates and negotiations over the subject matter and
promotion of the Vision on respective platforms of the EU. For this purpose, the original signatories will
provide external parties with relevant information about their intentions and strategies, which are to be taken
within the implementation of the purposes of the Vision, as stated in Article 1 of this agreement.
CHAPTER III
INSTITUTIONAL ASPECT OF THE COOPERATION
Article 5
Institutional principles
1. The signatory countries recognize and unanimously confirm the importance of the existence and future
maintenance of the official development assistance (hereinafter referred to as “ODA”) cooperation within the
European Union (hereinafter referred to as “EU”).
2. The signatory countries declare their stable intention to collaborate within the common EU platform dedicated
to the common ODA strategies and therefore approve that the EU possesses a specific role within this scope
of their cooperation.
3. The institutional basis of the Development Assistance Policy of the EU shall be revised accordingly to the
principles of an intergovernmental multinational cooperation.
4. With regard to the proposed change of the institutional organization of the Development Assistance Policy of
the EU, the current EU Institutions and other relevant EU supranational bodies shall retain a particular,
specifically determined position within the foreseen institutional framework.
Article 6
Horizontal division of competencies
1. The signatory parties agree on distinguishing between two independent horizontal institutional systems which
will be for the purpose of this agreement referred to as: (1) the national development assistance system, (2)
the EU development assistance system.
2. The signatory parties express their interest in retaining of an independence in the determination of own
strategies and priorities within their national development assistance system. This request is in conformity with
the principle of national sovereignty and therefore shall not be questioned or discussed within any future
debates based on examining or implementing of any provisions stated in the Vision.
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3. No EU member state shall under any circumstances and by any means interlink its independent national
development assistance system and related activities with the multinational level represented by the EU
development assistance system. This applies to every matter of the ODA.
4. The strict distinguishing between the national development assistance system and the EU development
assistance system pursuant to the provision under paragraph 3 of this article does not prevent the national
states´ governments from delegating any of respective competencies for both, the national and the EU
development assistance agendas, to the same national institution or specialized agency.
5. The EU development assistance system constitutes a common multinational platform of the EU member
states, devoted to the creation, amendments, execution, supervision and evaluation of the common strategies
and priorities under the EU Development Assistance Policy.
6. Competencies of the EU development assistance system are a subject to a vertical division, as proposed in
the Article 7 of this agreement.
Article 7
Vertical division of competencies
1. The vertical division defines the competencies and responsibilities of respective bodies that contribute to the
creation, amendments, execution, supervision and evaluation of the common strategies and priorities under
the EU Development Assistance Policy.
2. The EU development assistance system shall consist of three mutually interlinked platforms with distinct
competencies, which reflect the principles of the ODA cooperation stated in the Article 5 of this agreement.
For this purpose, this agreement refers to them as: (1) the intergovernmental body, (2) the supranational
body, (3) the national bodies with delegated responsibilities within the common Development Assistance
Policy of the EU.
3. The intergovernmental body of the EU development assistance system shall be based within the Foreign
Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union. In accordance with the structure and organizational
principles of this particular platform, the intergovernmental body of the EU Development Assistance Policy
shall consist of respective ministers of all EU member states.
4. The intergovernmental body shall represent an exclusive decisive platform of the common Development
Assistance Policy and formulate the general guidelines for all executive, supervisory and other bodies related
to the EU development assistance system. Particular responsibilities and competencies of the
intergovernmental body shall include the creation and amendments of the general framework of strategies
and priorities within all aspects of the common Development Assistance Policy of the EU member states.
5. The signatory parties recommend to base the intergovernmental cooperation within the Foreign Affairs
Council upon the existing organizational rules and principles of the Council. The meetings held under the
Foreign Affairs Council shall be chaired by the High representative of the Common Security and Foreign
Policy of the EU.
6. Under the intention of ensuring of a continuously proficient institutional system, the supranational body of the
proposed EU development assistance system shall be constituted within an existing supranational institution
dedicated to the EU Development Assistance Policy. In this regard, the signatory parties unanimously
propose to entitle the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and
Development (hereinafter referred to as “the DG DEVCO”) to perform the supranational agenda.
7. In accordance with the main outlines of the proposed institutional framework, stated in the Article 5,
paragraph 3 of this agreement, the DG DEVCO shall be entitled to perform activities of an exclusively
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evaluative, supervisory, recommendatory to the third parties, advisory and representative character. This
provision foresees the necessity of the revision of the existing working framework of the DG DEVCO.
8. As the main decisive body of the EU Development Assistance Policy holds its sessions on a monthly basis,
the DG DEVCO shall be entitled to perform limited necessary administrative tasks which are crucial for the
maintaining of the continuality of the EU development assistance agenda and all related activities between the
sessions of the Foreign Affairs Council.
9. The DG DEVCO as a supranational body shall be entitled to examine the compliance of all actions performed
by respective executive bodies of the EU development assistance system with the general guidelines, i.e.
priorities of the institutional, territorial, financial and strategic aspect, formulated by the Foreign Affairs Council.
10. The compliance examination performed by the DG DEVCO shall be initiated unconditionally, ex ante as well
as ex post, in relation to the preparation and execution, i.e. implementation of all development assistance
projects conducted under the EU Development Assistance Policy. Any findings showing a potential
incompliance of actions subjected to the supervision and the examination of the DG DEVCO shall imply
respective responsive measures, which are to be determined by the DG DEVCO.
11. The DG DEVCO shall act as body representing the common principles, values, strategies and actions of the
EU Development Assistance Policy within relations with other EU Institutions, the EU member states as well
as non-member states and other outside actors.
12. The DG DEVCO shall remain in a regular cooperative relation with the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service and thereby ensure the
compliance of the common Development Assistance Policy with the Common Security and Defence Policy.
Any findings showing a potential incompliance of the general development assistance guidelines shall be
addressed to the Foreign Affairs Council in advance to its nearest upcoming session.
13. The execution of the official development assistance formulated within EU Development Assistance Policy by
the Foreign Affairs Council shall be ensured by the national bodies with delegated executive competencies.
For this purpose, each EU member state shall officially appoint at least one national institution or agency to
represent the EU development assistance system and ensure the feasibility of an efficient and transparent
implementation of the Development Assistance Policy in the national territory.
14. The designation of any national body closely affiliated with the national development assistance system shall
be in full compliance with the provisions under the Article 6, paragraphs 3 and 4.
15. All national bodies with delegated executive competencies shall be listed in an official document kept and
updated by the DG DEVCO. The registration process can be initiated only upon a resolution of a national
parliament of the home country of the national body, which is to be registered.
16. The national bodies with delegated executive competencies shall be responsible for the formulation and
establishment of all legal, organizational, financial and other frameworks, mechanisms or instruments, as well
as for performing of all relevant activities which will be necessary for the implementation of the common
development assistance strategies.
17. The national bodies with delegated executive competencies shall be obliged to provide all interest groups
within their national territory with all information about the strategies, priorities, trends and opportunities, which
are not subject to the state secret, related to all aspects of the EU Development Assistance Policy.
18. The national bodies with delegated executive competencies shall represent the EU development assistance
system in relations with other national bodies and interest groups within their national territory.
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CHAPTER IV
TERRITORIAL ASPECT OF THE COOPERATION
Article 8
Territorial principles
1. The signatory parties support the formulation of territorial priorities of the EU Development Assistance Policy
on a basis of a global territorial approach, which emphasizes a broad solidarity and disregards any former or
existing historical, economic or politic interests of the donor countries.
2. Regarding the substantial differences in individual categorization of territorial priorities on the national level,
the signatory parties commit themselves, as well as call upon other EU member states to respect the
horizontal institutional framework, as drafted in all provisions of the Article 6, and support a successful
formulation of the common territorial priorities by promoting of the common values and intentions.
3. The formulation and amendments of the territorial priorities of the EU Development Assistance Policy shall be
an exclusive competency of the intergovernmental body of the EU development assistance system.
Article 9
Evaluative criteria
1. In accordance with the global approach stated in the Article 8, paragraph 1, the territorial priorities of the EU
Development Assistance Policy shall be formulated by the use of a set of evaluative criteria, which
representatively depict a particular country’s need and readiness for a development assistance.
2. The formulation of the territorial priorities, which is to be performed by the Foreign Affairs Council, shall
always be in compliance with the list of eligible official development assistance, compiled by the Development
Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (hereinafter referred
to as “the DAC recipient list”).
3. The categorization of the recipient countries as listed in the DAC recipient list shall be a basis for the
determination of specific groups of countries and the portion of the financial resources provided to each of
these countries.
4. The least developed countries and other low income countries, as identified by the DAC recipient list, shall be
provided with maximum amount of funds equal to the 55 % of the entire volume of financial resources
dedicated to the purposes of the EU official development assistance.
5. The lower middle income countries and territories, as identified by the DAC recipient list, shall be provided
with maximum amount of funds equal to the 30 % of the entire volume of financial resources dedicated to the
purposes of the EU official development assistance.
6. The upper middle income countries and territories, as identified by the DAC recipient list, shall be provided
with maximum amount of funds equal to the 15 % of the entire volume of financial resources dedicated to the
purposes of the EU official development assistance.
7. Along with the categorization defined by the paragraphs 4, 5 and 6, each recipient country’s evaluation shall
be supplemented by the categorization according to the last available value of the Human Development Index
(hereinafter referred to as: “ the HDI”).
8. The comparison of the HDI values of potential recipient countries shall be a basis for the prioritization of the
assistance for a particular recipient country, as well as a factor for the determination of a particular volume of
funds to be provided.
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CHAPTER V
FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THE COOPERATION
Article 10
Financial resources
1. The official development assistance performed under the common Development Assistance Policy as well as
associated administrative costs shall be further on financed by means of financial contributions of all EU
member states to the Community budget.
2. The financial contributions of national states shall be provided within official transfers to the Community
budget, but directly to a special account of the Community Budget, devoted exclusively to the funding of a all
common development assistance activities. Determination of the member states’ financial contribution to the
EU development assistance account shall be therefore separated from the determination of the general
financial liabilities for the Community budget.
3. In accordance with the intention to create a stable, transparent, as well as internally sustainable and bearable
official development assistance financing system, a “multi-speed” principle shall be incorporated into the
process of the determination of a particular EU member’s financial contribution to the EU development
assistance account. The “multi-speed” principle shall provide EU member states with relief from a certain
portion of their financial liabilities for the common development assistance budget account, should they
experience substantial economic instability issues.
4. The provision of the relief under the “multi-speed” principle shall be conditioned to the criterion of the gross
domestic product growth not exceeding 0,6 % p.a. in three years in the row prior to the upcoming budgetary
period. Furthermore, the eligibility of a particular member state for the relief shall be granted under the
condition of the implementation of provable national structural reforms clearly aimed at the resolving of the
inconvenient economic state. Under these conditions, the relief shall account for 20 % of the particular
member’s regular contribution to the development assistance budget account.
5. The eligibility for the “multi-speed” relief shall also apply to member states that do not meet the requirements
defined by the corrective arm of the EU Stability and Growth Pact. In that case, the member state which is
subject to such economic issue, is expected to follow all guidelines and conditions set by the Stability and
Growth Pact. Under these conditions, the relief shall account for 30 % of the particular member’s regular
contribution to the development assistance budget account. Furthermore, the eligibility of a particular member
state for the relief shall be granted under the condition of the implementation of provable national structural
reforms clearly aimed at the resolving of the inconvenient economic state.
6. The signatory parties support and call upon the rest of the EU member states to meet their national official
development financing volumes, defined as a respective percentage of the GNI to a particular year, with a
general target of 0,7 % of the national GNI.
Article 11
Financial administration
1. The administration of the funds devoted to the financing of the official development assistance performed
under the common Development Assistance Policy as well as associated administrative costs shall be
performed by a supranational body would ensure the necessary level of transparency and efficiency of the
common funds.
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2. The signatory states recommend to entitle the DG DEVCO to perform a complex administration of the
common funds. This includes all necessary accounting tasks, as well as the compliance examination of all
executive and implementing actions as stated in the Article 7, paragraphs 9 and 10.
3. The DG DEVCO shall be authorized to examine ex ante the compliance of particular executive and
implementing activities with the general principles and strategies set by the EU Development Assistance
Policy and, if all necessary requirements are met, to disburse the required funds to the applicant.
4. The eligibility of the applicant for a financial grant from the common development assistance budget account
shall be conditioned to the prior registration to the official list of national bodies with delegated executive
competencies, as defined in the Article 7, paragraph 15.
5. The DG DEVCO shall evaluate ex post results of particular executive and implementing activities. Any
findings on a potential incompliance of actions subjected to the supervision and the examination of the DG
DEVCO shall imply respective responsive measures, based on the determination of the percentage of the
funds to be repaid to the common development assistance budget account.
Article 12
Funding instruments
1. All existing funding instruments of the EU official development assistance shall be retained.
2. Within the context of signatory parties’ support for the solidarity and disregarding and overcoming of the
perception of the former colonial relations as a factor for the determination of financing commitments, the
European Development Fund is recommended to be budgetarised, i.e. included within the common
development assistance budget account.
CHAPTER VI
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Article 13
Elementary principles and identity
1. The elementary principles and aims of the common development assistance shall be formulated as follows:
(1) elimination of poverty; (2) the creation of capacities for ensuring of a sustainable economic development;
(3) the support of democratic principles, rule of law and preservation of human rights; (4) the support of
national and international security, the prevention of conflicts; (5) the preservation of environment and
responsible attitude towards climate change challenges; (6) the amelioration of the social security and living
standards.
2. Later amendments or reformulation of the elementary principles of the common development assistance shall
be a subject to a resolution made by the main decisive body of the EU development assistance system, as
stated in the Article 7, paragraphs 3, 4 and 5.
3. The signatory parties support the introduction of the unified EU identification to all of their official development
activities and strategies, conducted under the common EU development assistance system.
4. The common EU identity shall be always applied by means that clearly inform about the involvement of the
EU and its member states within a particular development assistance project or other activity.
5. The EU identity symbolization (e.g. written information, flag, logo, etc.) within programmes and projects
implemented by a national body from the official list of national bodies with delegated executive competencies
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shall be accompanied by a convenient form of a symbolization of the involvement of the respective member
state (e.g. written information, flag, coat of arms, logo, etc.).
Article 14
International cooperation
1. The signatory parties support the intention to retain and further develop the existing international cooperation
between all institutions of the EU development assistance system and external actors, such as non-member
states, international organisations and international non-governmental bodies.
2. The signatory parties recommend the post Millennium Development Goals agenda to become a part of the
common EU development assistance agenda.
3. The representative role within the international cooperation shall be fulfilled by the DG DEVCO, as a
supranational body, appointed to this task by the provision under the Article 7, paragraph 11.
Article 15
Public awareness and interest groups
1. The signatory parties commit themselves to support a deeper and broader involvement of these national
actors, namely of the private sector, by providing all potential subjects with sufficient information about the EU
development assistance agenda, by creating of respective opportunities and instruments and by
strengthening the positive interaction between the entitled national bodies with delegated executive
competencies and the national public and private sector.
CHAPTER VII
CONCLUDING PROVISIONS
1. By signing the Vision of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union, the signatory parties
commit themselves to support and promote the implementation of the proposed changes within the existing
institutional, territorial, financial and strategic framework of the EU Development Assistance Policy.
2. By signing the Vision of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union, the signatory parties
declare that their intentions to revise the existing institutional, territorial, financial and strategic framework of
the EU Development Assistance Policy are based on a good faith and a fully independent decision to support
the positive development of the cooperation within the respective platforms.
3. This agreement does not represent a detailed, exhaustive framework of responsibilities and competencies of
the development assistance system and shall be regarded as a general guideline for the purposes stated in
the Article 1.
4. The signatory parties commit themselves to take all necessary steps to successfully initiate further foreseen
multilateral negotiations over the subject matter of this agreement by the end of the year 2015.
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The delegations of:
Czech Republic
Federal Republic of Germany
French Republic
Hungary
Kingdom of Spain
Kingdom of Sweden
Republic of Poland
Slovak Republic
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
In Bratislava, 26.03.2015
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ANNEXES
I.
The institutional aspect - organizational overview
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE POLICY
Bilateral development assistance
(non-EU agenda)
HORIZONTAL DIVISION
OF COMPETENCIES
EU DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE
Mulitlateral development
assistance of the EU member
states and EU Institutions
INTERGOVERMENTAL BODY
Foreign Affairs Council of the
Council of the EU
SUPRANATIONAL BODY
DG DEVCO
of the European Comission
Explanatory notes:
Performed under the
multilateral EU cooperation
Performed under the principle
of national sovereignty
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VERTICAL DIVISION
OF COMPETENCIES
NATIONAL BODIES
National bodies with delegated
executive competencies
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II.
List of specific recommendations
Specific recommendations by the delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A.
Recommendations concerning the financial aspect of the Vision
1. The UK has not supported the idea of European Development Fund (EDF) becoming part of the main
European Commission budget and UK concurred with EDF budgetisation just in case that there would be
a shift in the European Commission budget funding away from middle income countries to the poorest
countries. After second round of negotiations, UK has not found support from other negotiating parties,
therefore in connection with the adoption of a proposal for the inclusion of EDF to the EU budget, the UK
would like to take the opportunity to issue particular recommendation on this point.
2. Large amount of ODA from the European Commission budget goes to middle income countries, mainly to
Turkey and Serbia which are in top of five recipient countries. The UK emphasizes the importance of
reallocating most of the aid from European Commission budget to low income countries.
3. The UK endorses the proposal of multinational body such as DG DEVCO with evaluative, inspecting and
recommendatory responsibilities. We suggest that the DG DEVCO should thoroughly scrutinize the projects of
member states and after approval continuously control the course of implementation of the project. After
detection of inadequate use of money, total amount of provided money should be returned to the budget.
Specific recommendations by the delegation of the French Republic
A. Recommendations concerning the financial aspect of the Vision
1. By signing the present Vision of the Development Assistance Policy of the European Union the French
republic does not deny any of its former links with its target countries, may they be economic, political,
historical or cultural. The needs of these countries will continue to be addressed by France´s bilateral
instruments and initiatives already on place.
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