Activities of Janina OCHOJSKA related to 2021/2164(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Policy Coherence for Development (short presentation)
Policy Coherence for Development (A9-0019/2023 - Janina Ochojska) (vote)
Reports (1)
REPORT on Policy Coherence for Development
Amendments (38)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the 2018 external evaluation report for the Commission revealed serious shortcomings in the implementation of PCD, including a limited role for EU delegations; whereas a recent study commissioned by Parliament found that major problems persist; whereas the absence of an adequate response to the findings of the external evaluation report and the lack of proof that appropriate action has been taken undermine the credibility of the EU’s actions on development cooperation; whereas the Council no longer holds regular exchanges with the Commission on PCD;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the principle of PCD is laid down in Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and is recognised within the EU institutions and within multilateral frameworks as being a tool to pursue sustainable development and as being important for the credibility and reliability of the EU in partner countries; whereas PCD aims to ensure that external action policies that are likely to affect developing countries are economically and socially consistent with the objective of EU development cooperation, whose primary objective remains reducing and, in the long term, eradicating poverty, as well as increasing the effectiveness of development cooperation;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the current global geopolitical context is marked, in particular, by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and its consequences, including a severe energy crisis, the refugee crisis, global debt distress and threats to food security and biodiversity, as well as climate change, and these problems are seriously threatening the global achievement of the SDGs such that a comprehensive response is necessary; whereas this further increases the need for effective implementation of PCD and of coherence and consistency between different policies, as in the case of the humanitarian-development nexus;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recitals E, F and F a (new)
Recitals E, F and F a (new)
E. whereas PCD mechanisms in the Commission include, among others, inter- service groups, stakeholder and public consultations, a PCD screening (tracker) of the Commission Work Programme, Tools 19, 27 and 35 in the impact assessment guidelines (revised Better Regulation Agenda), and the sustainability impact assessment of trade agreements; whereas the extent to which these arrangements are used varies and the quality of PCD work can only be measured by its concrete results; whereas there is no central organ in the Commission responsible for the implementation of PCD; whereas in some cases the PCD analyses in the Commission’s impact assessments for recent legislative proposals are still superficial (e.g. the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and the Environmental Crime Directive) or have not been conducted despite the clear need for them (e.g. anti-money laundering package, the directive and regulation on corporate sustainability reporting); whereas this clearly shows that more action on the recommendations of the 2018 external evaluation of the PCD is needed; whereas EU delegations and EU Member States’ diplomatic missions should play a stronger role in ensuring PCD in partner countries; whereas the lack of a holistic approach towards and a clear definition of PCD can undermine its objectives and effectiveness; F. whereas despite the obvious relevance of PCD for important EU initiatives such as the European Green Deal, trade policy, global and EU corporate taxation standards, or corporate sustainability due diligence, ironically ; whereas nevertheless, PCD’s visibility on the European agenda and in partner countries has decreased in recent years; Fa. whereas private sector involvement, including through blending projects, that serves development policy objectives can, in effect, enhance PCD;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. RAffirms that PCD is a substantive requirement in order to avoid negative impacts of EU policies on poor and vulnerable people in developing countries and to seek and take advantage of opportunities to achieve synergies, in line with the principles of Agenda 2030 entitled ‘Leave no one behind’ and ‘Address the needs of those furthest behind first’, and in pursuit of the development objective of reducing and, in the long term, eradicating poverty; reiterates that all EU institutions and Member States must comply with their PCD obligations under the treaties in all legislative and policy initiatives likely to have an impact on developing countries; underlines that PCD should be applied across all policies and all areas covered by the 2030 Agenda; calls for a step change in efforts tothe implementation of PCD to ensure that impacts on developing countries are properly identified and analysed, that negative impacts are avoided or minimised, and that full use is made of possible synergies with the pursuit of development objectives;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the 2018 external evaluation revealed serious shortcomings in the implementation of PCD; including a limited role of EU Delegations, whereas a recent study commissioned by Parliament found that major problems persist;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for a communication that clarifies the definition and roleapplication of PCD in the context of the SDGs and is accompanied by an time-bound action plan on PCD with a clear methodology and concrete quantitative and qualitative indicators to measureenable it to reach its goals, and with a division of tasks, mandates and timelines to allow the implementation of PCD by the EU and Member States to be measured and to ensure the evidence base for accountability by including this in a new framework for transparent monitoring and coordination of development policies across the EU; calls for this communication to be published before the endy 31 December 2023; calls ofn the current Commission’s mandate to provide a new external evaluation of the implementation of the EU’s PCD by 1 July 2024;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its call for a high-level EU strategy for the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, which should be ambitious, integrated and grounded in human rights frameworks and should respect inter-generational equity; considers that PCD, which represents a unique EU contribution to the broader objective of PCSD, must be a central pillar of this strategy and should be adequately included in the EU’s 2023 voluntary national review of its implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that PCD needs to remain a key part of the EU’s foreign policyexternal relations and calls for it to be given more visibility and for the EU to play a leading role in promoting PCD globally, most notably within multilateral organisations, including at the OECD Development Assistance Committee and at the UN, as well as through significant international agreements, in particular the post- Cotonou agreement, but not exclusively; recommends the establishment of an EU platform for PCD to allow for better coordination between the relevant EU institutions, multilateral institutions, non- state actors and developing countries to ensure alignment and cooperation on PCD, to better cooperate on achieving the SDGs and to find new synergies on development cooperation between the EU and its Member States and with third countries;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses therefore the need for clear, high-level political commitment to PCD and calls on the Commission to: - ensure that the necessary - awareness, competence and resources for the effective implementation of PCD are consistently present in all its DGs and the Secretariat- General; -General, clarify the overall responsibility for the application of PCD within its services by attributing this responsibility to its Secretariat-General and instruct it to closely cooperate with the Directorate-General for International Partnerships in the carrying out of this task; ensure that the Secretariat-General plays a special high-level political arbitration role between DGs in pursuing development policy objectives; systematically screen all planned - Commission policy and legislative initiatives and trade agreements for possible impacts on developing countries at an early stage and in a transparent manner; instruct every DG in charge of the preparation of a specific policy initiative to consistently pay due attention to possible PCD aspects, both at the ‘inception impact assessment’ stage and after; undertake detailed ex ante impact assessments, which should include the results of meaningful consultations with stakeholders, including partner countries, civil society organisations and the private sector, as well as input from EU delegations in developing countries; - make widespread use of ex post evaluations to identify the impact of EU policies on developing countries and, research institutes, local and regional communities and inhabitants, indigenous peoples and the private sector, as well as input from EU delegations in developing countries; - ensure that at least one member of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board has sufficient experience and qualifications to analyse whether PCD aspects have been properly dealt with in initiatives under review, in particular using tool 35 in the Better Regulation Toolbox; -- make widespread use of systematic and transparent monitoring and carry out ex post evaluations of the impacts of existing EU policies and international agreements on the pursuit of development policy objectives, clarifying responsibilities where necessary, including in relation to the ‘polluter pays’ principle and for restoration and compensation resulting from the application of this principle, as well as proposing policy changes in those areas where negative effects have been identified and adopting measures for improveing the quality of future impact assessments; - resume the publication of a specific annual accountability report on the EU’s performance in all itsof the EU and its Member States in relation to their development policy commitments and, ensureing that it adequately covers the implementation of PCD and anythe challenges met in that context, thus increasing transparency and accountability to the public and Parliament;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the critical role of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) in ensuring the implementation of PCD in the Commission; and: - calls on DG INTPA to actively and meaningfully engage with other DGs as early as possible through all available mechanisms to ensure that PCD is implemented in all relevant Commission initiatives; and calls for DG INTPA to be involved in impact assessments, as soon as an inter-service group is created; - welcomes DG INTPA’s complementary studies on the impact of key legislative initiatives on developing countries, but notes that these should insteaimpacts should be fully analysed in the relevant impact assessment; - calls for the re- establishment of a dedicated PCD team within DG INTPA to coordinate and reinforce the PCD work of thematic units; within the DG’s thematic units, and to ensure DG INTPA’s continuous support for building and maintaining PCD awareness and competence in other DGs and in the Secretariat-General; - proposes that a future edition of the European Development Days be dedicated to PCD, bringing together all relevant stakeholders in a visible manner;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes thatBelieves that, if, in spite of determined efforts, an adverse impact of an EU policy on the pursuit of a development policy objective cannot be fully avoided, the Neighbourhood, dDevelopment and iInternational cCooperation iInstrument – Global Europe could be used to prevent and minimise the negative impacts of new EU legislation or policy initiatives, when these cannot be avoided, and to build positive synergies in developing countries; calls also for the EU Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme to include activities focused on PCD, which has limited resources, could be used to minimise only absolutely unavoidable impacts and to build positive synergies in developing countries; stresses, however, that opportunities for such action should only be considered as a very last resort and that relying on development aid should never be seen as a valid alternative to avoiding negative impacts; calls also for the EU Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme to include activities focused on PCD; calls, in this context, for research and knowledge of local institutes in developing countries to be strengthened to enrich EU consultations;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
9. Underlines the critical role of EU delegations in implementing PCD and calls on the Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) to ensure that delegations have the necessary expertise and resources to be actively involved from the outset in any newthe preparation of EU policy orand legislation affecting developing countries; euconsiders that EU delegations in developing countries should, in particular: - analyse the possible local impact of new EU policies and initiatives, by identifying affected people and interests, organising multi-stakeholder consultations, including with civil society organisation in partner countries, including with research institutes, civil society organisations, local and regional communities and inhabitants, indigenous peoples and the private sector, and take into the account information and views put forward by them; - systematically include PCD among the topics to be discussed in policy dialogues with developing countries; - regularly monitor the impact of EU policies on developing countries and contribute to detailed reporting on PCD; ’ local, regional and state authorities and a broad range of non-state actors, as well as in multilateral organisations; encourage the governments of partner countries to strive for consistency in their own policies and actions, so as to maximise the development effectiveness of EU support and other activities; share best practices between the EU and partner countries, given the importance of international cooperation and of common goals and measures for the implementation of PCD; - regularly monitor the impact of EU policies on developing countries and the progress of those policies and contribute to detailed, transparent and regular reporting on PCD, including through a chapter in the EEAS annual activity report dedicated to PCD, analysing the role and accountability of the EEAS; - strengthen communication in third countries and within the EU on the EU’s PCD, its implementation and its results, so as to help increase the visibility of and support for the EU in partner countries;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the current global geopolitical context is marked, in particular, by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and its consequences, and climate change, and these problems are seriously threatening the global achievement of the SDGs such that a comprehensive response is necessary; whereas this further increases the need for effective implementation of PCD and coherence and consistency between different policies, as in the case of the humanitarian-development nexus;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – introductory part
Paragraph 11 – introductory part
11. CallsRecalls the commitment to PCD affirmed by the Member States in the European Consensus on Development and stresses the importance of this commitment being honoured in the Member States’ national policies; calls, therefore, on the Council and onthe Member States to: – regularly include PCD on the agenda of the Working Party on Development Cooperation and International Partnerships (CODEV-PI) and the Working Party on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; promote further joint collaboration between these working parties in closely monitoring the implementation of PCD; – strengthen the cooperation between the CODEV-PI Working Party, the 2030 Agenda Working Party and other preparatory bodies to ensure that PCD is implemented in the Council’s position on relevant legislative initiatives; - devote appropriate expertise and resources, and establish coordination mechanisms, in their national administrations to effectively implement PCD and report on its implementation; underline that national parliaments have the potential to play an important role in promoting PCD; - establish better coordination between and among Member States and their relevant ministries on PCD, to hold regular peer reviews and to implement the recommendations made in previous reports and evaluations on PCD; – organise, in cooperation with the Vice-President / High Representative and the EEAS, an annual ministerial-level discussion on PCD at the Foreign Affairs Council, in its development configuration, and precede this with reporting on PCD implementation; - adopt annual Council conclusions on the requested Commission report on the EU’s development policy commitments and the implementation of PCDeach of the Commission’s annual accountability reports called for by Parliament; - ensure that, at the beginning of each Council presidency, awareness is raised on PCD issues in current and planned policies, problems are identified and solutions are sought; - hold meaningful and regular exchanges on PCD among the Council, Parliament and the Commission using existing formats and adding specific meetings when necessary;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Declares its commitment to enhance its own PCD work, and for this purpose: - instructs DEVE to clarify the role of its Standing Rapporteur for PCD and intends to improve PCD cooperation among its committees; - calls for a ‘PCD mainstreaming network’ involving allMembers of committees, in particular those involved in EU legislation, as well as parliamentaryother committees and delegations for relations with developing countries; acting as focal points, in close cooperation with DEVE; recommends includeing PCD in the agenda of all outgoing parliamentary missions and ad hoc delegations to developing countries, and calls on all committees to consistently apply PCD in their legislative and other work where relevant; - instructs the European Parliament’sary Research Service (EPRS) to regularly screen the Commission’s Work Programme for PCD issues, systematically analyseing how PCD is dealt with in Commission impact assessments and relevant proposals, and to report when important weaknesses or omissions are foundwithout delay alert DEVE and other relevant committees when important weaknesses or omissions are found; instructs the EPRS to support all committees in applying PCD in their reports; - calls for more attention to be paid to PCD in strategic and budgetary decision-making processes; suggests involving sectoral commissioners in the annual structured dialogue and in the geopolitical dialogue on the NDICI implementation; - intends to strengthen its own awareness and expertise on PCD at political level by providing training and information on PCD for new and sitting MEPs, and at administrative level, in particular among the staff of bodies involved in legislation;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Affirms that policy coherence for development is a substantive requirement that negative impacts of EU policies on poor and vulnerable people in developing countries be avoided, "Do no harm", and that possibilities to achieve synergies be sought and exploited, in line with the "Leave no one behind" and "Address the needs of those furthest behind first" principles of the UN's Agenda 2030;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that all EU institutions and Member States must comply with their PCD obligations under the treaties in all legislative and policy initiatives likely to have an impact on developing countries; calls for a step change in efforts tothe actual implementation of PCD to ensure that impacts on developing countries are properly identified and analysed, that negative impacts are avoided or minimised, and that full use is made of possible synergies with the pursuit of development objectives;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for a communication that clarifies the definition and role of PCD in the context of the SDGs and is accompanied by an action plan on PCD with a clear methodology and concrete quantitative and qualitative indicators to measure the implementation of PCD by the EU and Member States and ensure accountability by including this in a new framework for transparent monitoring and coordination of development policies across the EU; calls for this communication to be published before the end of the current Commission’s mandate;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its call for a high-level EU strategy for the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the SDGs; considers that PCD, which represents a unique EU contribution to the broader objective of PCSD, must be a central pillar of this strategy and should be adequately included already in the EU’s 2023 voluntary national review of its implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that PCD needs to remain a key part of the EU’s foreign policy and calls for it to be given more visibility and for the EU to play a leading role in promoting PCD globally, including at the OECD Development Assistance Committee and at the UN, as well as through significant international agreements, in particular the post- Cotonou agreement, but not limited to it;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent 1 a (new)
- clarify the overall responsibility for the application of the PCD principle within its services by attributing this responsibility to its General Secretariat and instruct it to closely cooperate with the Directorate-General for International Partnerships in the carrying out of this task,
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
- systematically screen all planned Commission policy and legislative initiatives for possible impacts on developing countries at an early stage and in a transparent manner; instruct every Directorate-General in charge of the preparation of a specific policy initiative to consistently pay due attention to possible PCD aspects, at the "inception impact assessment" stage and onwards; undertake detailed ex ante impact assessments, which should include the results of consultations with stakeholders, including partner countries, civil society organisations and the private sector, as well as input from EU delegations in developing countries;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent 2 a (new)
- ensure that at least one member of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board has adequate experience and qualifications for analysing whether PCD aspects have been properly dealt with in initiatives under review, using in particular tool 35 in the Better Regulation Toolbox;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
- resume the publication of a specific annual report on the EU’s performance in all its development policy commitments andAccountability Report on the EU's and its Member States performance in relation to the EU's commitments and its Member States' collective commitments affecting development policy objectives, ensureing that it adequately covers the implementation of PCD and anythe challenges met in that context;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
- resume the publication of a specific annual report on the EU’s performance in all its development policy commitments and ensure that it adequately covers the implementation of PCD and any challenges met, increasing transparency and accountability towards the citizens and the European Parliament;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the critical role of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) in ensuring the implementation of PCD in the Commission; and: - calls on DG INTPA to actively and meaningfully engage with other DGs as early as possible through all available mechanisms to ensure that PCD is implemented in all relevant Commission initiatives; - welcomes DG INTPA’s complementary studies on the impact of key legislative initiatives on developing countries, but notes that these impacts should instead be fully analysed in the relevant impact assessment; - calls for the re- establishment of a dedicated PCD team within DG INTPA to coordinate and reinforce the PCD work of thematic units; - proposes that a future edition of the European Development Days is dedicated to PCD, bringing together all relevant stakeholders in a visible manner;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes thatBelieves that, if in spite of determined efforts, an adverse impact of an EU policy on the pursuit of a development policy objective cannot be fully avoided, the Neighbourhood, development and international cooperation instrument – Global Europe could be used to prevent and minimise these negative impacts of new EU legislation or policy initiatives, when these cannot be avoided, and to build positive synergies in developing countries; emphasises, however, that possibilities of such action should only be considered in the last resort and never as an alternative to endeavours to avoid adverse impacts; calls also for the EU Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme to include activities focused on PCD;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – indent 2
Paragraph 9 – indent 2
- systematically include PCD among the topics to be discussed in policy dialogues with developing countries; encourage their governments to strive for coherence of their own policies and actions, so as to maximise the development effectiveness of EU support as well as other activities;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – indent 2
Paragraph 9 – indent 2
- systematically include PCD among the topics to be discussed in policy dialogues with developing countries’ state and non-state actors;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – indent 3
Paragraph 9 – indent 3
- regularly monitor the impact of EU policies on developing countries and contribute to detailed reporting on PCD, including through a chapter dedicated to PCD, analysing the EEAS’s role and accountability, in the “EEAS Annual Activity Report”;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – indent 3
Paragraph 11 – indent 3
- devote appropriate expertise and resources, and establish coordination mechanisms, in their national administrations to effectively implement PCD and report on its implementation; underlines the potential of national parliaments to play important roles in promoting PCD;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – indent 5
Paragraph 11 – indent 5
- adopt annual Council conclusions on the requested Commission report on the EU’s development poeach of Commission's annual Accountabilicty commitments and the implementation of PCDReports called for;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – indent 5 a (new)
Paragraph 11 – indent 5 a (new)
- Ensure, at the beginning of each Council presidency, that awareness on significant PCD issues in current and planned policies is raised, that problems and potential problems are identified and that solutions are sought, using existing formats for meetings between Council presidencies and Parliament when sufficient and adding specific meetings, with Commission participation;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – indent 2
Paragraph 12 – indent 2
- calls for a ‘PCD mainstreaming network’ involving Members of all committees acting as focal points, in particular those involved in EU legislation, as well as parliamentary delegations for relations with developing countries; include PCD in the agenda of all outgoing parliamentary missions and ad hoc delegations to developing countries;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – indent 3
Paragraph 12 – indent 3
- instructs Parliament’s Research Service (EPRS) to regularly screen the Commission’s Work Programme for PCD issues, systematically analyse how PCD is dealt with in Commission impact assessments and relevant proposals, and to reportwithout delay alert the Development and other relevant Committees when important weaknesses or omissions are found;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Calls for more attention to PCD in strategic and budgetary decision making processes; suggests to involve sectoral Commissioners in the annual structured dialogue and in the geopolitical dialogue on the NDICI implementation in order to improve the exchange and to put more emphasis on PCD;