Proposed: A Compact with the people of Syria

Five lessons regarding Brexit from the Book of Exodus

Revising the European Consensus on Development

A response to the referendum

‘Why Europe?’ and ‘What Europe?’. Issues for the new EUEuropean Union Global Strategy

Only inside the European Union can the UK help fight global poverty

PCD: Not just for anoraks

Why Clubs matter: Five axioms for the future of global governance

Tomorrowland: a strategy for Italy’s new development cooperation

Financing for Development: A Rapid Assessment

A challenge on the SDGs

The EUEuropean Union International Cooperation and Development Results Framework: A commentary

What should be the priorities for the new EUEuropean Union Security Strategy?

Seven indivisibilities and a conundrum: how to deliver women’s empowerment

Our Collective Interest: why Europe’s problems need global solutions and global problems need European action

Re-shaping Global Development: will Europe Lead?

Why the European Parliament elections matter for international development - and eight things to look out for in the manifestos

Commentary on the Review of the EEAS

Is the EUEuropean Union making an argument to transform aid? And is it right?

Lessons from the EUEuropean Union Changemakers

Can the EUEuropean Union deliver joined-up thinking and action in international development? Eight steps for a better External Action Service

How can the EUEuropean Union take forward the resilience agenda: a ten point plan

The new EUEuropean Union development policy. A waymark reached. Is the finish line in sight?

The new EUEuropean Union development policy. A waymark reached. Is the finish line in sight?

Time to end ambiguity in European policy-making

Too much aid to middle income countries? The EU’s aid allocation conundrum.

Simon moderated a discussion with Andris Piebalgs and other leading figures on international development at the European Development Days in Warsaw, on 15-16 December 2011. For a video of the event, go to http://live.eudevdays.eu/, then the Friday plenary sessions, then find the session on Modernising European Development Policy.

Re-thinking Europe: what development can offer

An Agenda for Change for EUEuropean Union Development Policy

If you have ever found yourself questioning what EUEuropean Union development aid should be for, then you should have been at our recent event hosted by the EDCSP team and Open Europe in London on 13 September 2011.

Around 120 government officials, academics, consultants, journalists and NGOs representatives turned up to grill our panel of experts, which included Baroness Glenys Kinnock (opposition spokesperson for the Department for International Development (DFID) in the House of Lords), the EDCSP’s Simon Maxwell (Senior Research Associate at ODI), Chris Heaton-Harris MP (Member of Parliament for Daventry), Stephen Booth (Open Europe’s Research Director), and Liz Ford as chair (Deputy Editor of the Guardian’s Global Development website).

To catch up on the event, read a summary here, or watch it on video here.

Simon, Elizabeth and Mikaela were in Brussels for the European Development Days, hosting a dinner and a breakfast event, participating in panel debates, and promoting ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) at a joint stand with the other members of the European Think Tanks Group.

Why the EU’s aid effort must escape the budgetary axe

European Aid: Aspiring to the Gold Medal

Simon and Mikaela Gavas helped facilitate an informal retreat for Directors-General from the new EUEuropean Union Member States, the EU-12, in Cyprus, on 21-22 January 2011. This was an opportunity to exchange views on EU-12 national development cooperation policies, and on the current EUEuropean Union development agenda, as well as to discuss how the group could work together.

The debate on the Financial Perspectives is hotting up

That’s a good question, but not one I am qualified to answer. The question I might be qualified to answer is much narrower, namely how is Andris Piebalgs doing? He is the Commissioner for development cooperation. That is an important but specific question, since Andris Piebalgs has circumscribed responsibilities within the domain of development policy. Thus, there are separate Commissioners for trade, climate change, neighbourhood policy and even humanitarian action; as well, of course, as a Commission Vice-President and Council High Representative for external affairs. All have an interest in developing countries.

As Andris Piebalgs, the European Commissioner for Development, prepares a new strategy for 2011, EDD 2010 are an opportunity to reflect on the modernization of the EU’s development policy.

Andris Piebalgs is playing poker with EUEuropean Union development policy – but, do you know what, there’s a mirror behind him, and we can see his hand. Furthermore, it’s not such a bad hand. Why doesn’t he just put his cards on the table and scoop the pot?

Evidence to the House of Lords EUEuropean Union Committee on Inquiry into the European External Action Service

Consolidation or Cooperation: The Future of EUEuropean Union Development Cooperation

EU development policy: Time to articulate the Commander’s Intent, Europe's World, July 2010

This is a second-hand idea, but it bears repeating. The key to leadership is to communicate strategic intent in simple words. In the US army, apparently, this is called the Commander’s Intent. John F Kennedy illustrated the principle, when he called on the US to ‘commit itself, before this decade is out, (to) landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth’. The instruction was clear, unambiguous, and served to motivate thousands of individuals contributing to a huge and complex project. Bill Clinton’s advisers had the same idea: ‘there has to be message triage’, they told him, ‘if you say three things, you don’t say anything’..... (click on the link above to see the full article)

The EU's Spring Package: The radical agenda the EUEuropean Union needs?, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Event, June 2010

Simon spoke at this event which considered the EUEuropean Union ‘Spring Package’ on development: the first major policy statement by the new Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs. Does the package mark new strategic leadership? Does it suggest the Commissioner will take political risks? Will it excite and challenge the Member States?  Will it enable the EUEuropean Union to lead the way at the UN MDG Summit in September?.... The link above takes you to the video of the event

Development proofing the European External Action Service, ODI Briefing paper, June 2010 by ODI, ECDPM, DIE and FRIDE

This briefing note takes the blueprint on the EEAS agreed by the General Affairs Council as a starting point, builds on the four key priorities set out in the European Think Tanks Group Open Letter of 5 May 2010 and offers a set of proposals that address some of the ‘how’ questions in the implementation phase................. (see link in title for full article)

Europe: the world awaits, with Pierre Schori, Dirk Messner and Paul Engel, Published in Dagens Industri and Europe’s World

What can the world expect of Europe in 2010? An inward-looking assemblage of nation states, focused on domestic problems rather than the international stage? Or an outward-facing and united community, working globally for the common good?

National politics will shape the answers to these questions in Europe’s 27 Member States. ‘More Europe’ is not always the answer to all our problems, but on a particular set of global issues, ‘a bit more Europe’ is necessary.......

Three months to shape Europe’s international role, with Paul Engel, Dirk Messner, Pierre Schori, published in Die Zeit, The Broker and openDemocracy

Decisions made over the next three months will shape Europe’s future international role. On the one hand, the script which drives global policy-making is being re-written, shaped by response to the financial crisis, climate change, and global security challenges. On the other hand, the institutions of the European Union are on the brink of radical overhaul – whether or not the Irish referendum on 2 October allows the Lisbon Treaty to be ratified. By January, we will have new institutions, new leaders and the outline of a new script. Will we also be optimistic about Europe as a progressive force?.............

Putting the right words in the right order:Reflections on the Report of the Reflection Group, EDCSP Opinion 4, May 2010

The Reflection Group on the future of the EUEuropean Union to 2030 issued its report on 8 May. The Group was established by the European Council in December 2007. It was led by Felipe Gonzalez, former Prime Minister of Spain, with a dozen or so members in total.

The overall tenor of the report can best be described as alarmism leading to a call for renewal: internal and external threats to Europe’s prosperity and social stability are piling up; only a process of European renewal can reverse our inevitable decline................. (see link in title for full article)

European Development Policy, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Briefing, May 2010, with Mikaela Gavas

The EUEuropean Union has a unique role in the emerging development agenda. It is committed to poverty reduction, well-represented at country level and engaged in meeting the MDGs. As the world's largest donor of both development and humanitarian assistance there is a need to press for continued improvements in the way the EUEuropean Union does business, from additional climate financing to a more clearly defined set of ODAOverseas Development Assistance eligible financial instruments to a strong development commissioner post and greater policy coherence for development across the European External Action Service................. (see link in title for full article)

The main challenges to development in EUEuropean Union global action, open letter with Dirk Messner, Richard Youngs, Paul Engel, published by ODI

In the final stages of planning for the new European External Action Service (EEAS), there is the opportunity to make decisions that will create a new development architecture capable of truly delivering strategic action that contributes decisively to achieving a strong and coherent EUEuropean Union external action, whilst respecting its commitment to development objectives.

The European Think Tanks Group has written an open letter to Barroso, Ashton and Piebalgs, outlining the main challenges to development being able to play its essential role in shaping more coherent EUEuropean Union global action................. (see link in title for full article)

Reorganising Europe's foreign affairs: what role for international development, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, April 2010

European Union Foreign Ministers are meeting today to agree the shape and functions of the new European External Action Servicecreated by the Lisbon Treaty. This is not the final stage of the approval process. The European Parliamentmust agree the required budget and can thus require further change. Nevertheless, Monday's meeting will mark the point at which European Foreign Ministers sign up to the deal that gives Baroness Cathy Ashton her mandate as the EU's first Foreign Minister. International development forms part of the deal. Will the EU's contribution to poverty reduction, human security and environmental sustainability be well or badly served?................ (see link in title for full article)

Reorganising Europe's foreign affairs: what role for international development, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, April 2010

European Union Foreign Ministers are meeting today to agree the shape and functions of the new European External Action Servicecreated by the Lisbon Treaty. This is not the final stage of the approval process. The European Parliamentmust agree the required budget and can thus require further change. Nevertheless, Monday's meeting will mark the point at which European Foreign Ministers sign up to the deal that gives Baroness Cathy Ashton her mandate as the EU's first Foreign Minister. International development forms part of the deal. Will the EU's contribution to poverty reduction, human security and environmental sustainability be well or badly served?................ (see link in title for full article)

The spring package is a promising start, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, April 2010

The EUEuropean Union Commission’s ‘Spring Package’ on development, launched this week, will be scrutinised with special care, as the first major policy statement by the new Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs. Does it mark new strategic leadership? Does it suggest the Commissioner will take political risks? Will it excite and challenge the Member States? There are five key points................. (see link in title for full article)

The spring package is a promising start, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, April 2010

The EUEuropean Union Commission’s ‘Spring Package’ on development, launched this week, will be scrutinised with special care, as the first major policy statement by the new Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs. Does it mark new strategic leadership? Does it suggest the Commissioner will take political risks? Will it excite and challenge the Member States? There are five key points................. (see link in title for full article)

New Challenges, New beginnings: Next steps in European Development Cooperation

The full document is available through the above link - the summary is set out below:

Simon gave a lecture on European development cooperationto the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies on 26 November 2009. The event was part of the "Kapuscinski Lectures" initiative of the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme. Experts from around the world delivered lectures on development and development cooperation at universities in 12 new European Union countries. The series is named “Kapuscinski Lectures” ,after Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish reporter and writer who covered developing countries.

Simon gave a lecture on European development cooperation to the Budapest University of Technology and Economics on 15 October 2009. The event was part of the "Kapuscinski Lectures" initiative of the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme. Experts from around the world delivered lectures on development and development cooperation at universities in 12 new European Union countries. The series is named “Kapuscinski Lectures” ,after Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish reporter and writer who covered developing countries.

From regional club to global player: how Lisbon could transform Europe, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, Oct 2009 - with M Gavas

The Irish ‘yes’ to the Lisbon Treaty brings ratification one step closer.  Attention now turns to the Czech Republic and Poland. If ratification proceeds without delay, the Swedish Government will hold the ring on the next stage of political appointments. By the end of the year, we could know who will be the first President of the EUEuropean Union and the new, more powerful foreign affairs chief, as well as the leadership team supporting Jose Manuel Barroso in the European Commission................. (see link in title for full article)

From regional club to global player: how Lisbon could transform Europe, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, Oct 2009 - with M Gavas

The Irish ‘yes’ to the Lisbon Treaty brings ratification one step closer.  Attention now turns to the Czech Republic and Poland. If ratification proceeds without delay, the Swedish Government will hold the ring on the next stage of political appointments. By the end of the year, we could know who will be the first President of the EUEuropean Union and the new, more powerful foreign affairs chief, as well as the leadership team supporting Jose Manuel Barroso in the European Commission................. (see link in title for full article)

Europe: the world awaits, Europe's World, Oct 2009 (also publiched in DagensIndustri) with Pierre Schori, Dirk Messner and Paul Engel

What can the world expect of Europe in 2010? An inward-looking assemblage of nation states, focused on domestic problems rather than the international stage? Or an outward-facing and united community, working globally for the common good?

National politics will shape the answers to these questions in Europe’s 27 Member States. ‘More Europe’ is not always the answer to all our problems, but on a particular set of global issues, ‘a bit more Europe’ is necessary................. (see link in title for full article)

Shaping Europe's International Role, The Broker, Sept. 2009

The decisions that are made over the next three months will shape Europe’s international role in the future. The script that drives global policy making is being rewritten, in response to the financial crisis, climate change and global security challenges. Meanwhile, the institutions of the European Union are on the brink of a radical overhaul – whether or not the Irish referendum on 2 October allows the Lisbon Treaty to be ratified. By January 2010, we will have new institutions, new leaders and the outline of a new script. But will we also be optimistic about Europe as a progressive force in the world?................ (see link in title for full article)

Options for architectural reform in European Union development cooperation, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Background Note, August 2009

This Background Note provides the context for a series of decisions that will be taken in the second half of 2009 about the architecture and staffing of the structures of the European Union’s Development Cooperation and explores possible options. It has been prepared as part of the European Development Cooperation Support Programme (EDCSP)................. (see link in title for full article)

EUEuropean Union Development Cooperation: Taking the Change Agenda Forward" " href="http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=3611&title=eu-development-cooperation-workshop-report">The evolution of EUEuropean Union Development Cooperation: Taking the Change Agenda Forward, Conference Report with M Gavas, April 2009

On 27, 28 and 29 April 2009, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) co-hosted three events to discuss the future of EUEuropean Union development cooperation. This report summarises the conference................. (see link in title for full article)

Dealing with the crisis: here comes the EU, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, 2009

Simon Maxwell blogs on the publication of new proposals by the European Commission for tackling the global crisis

Reading between the lines: are European development ministers living up to expectations? Europe's World, Feb. 2009, with Mikaela Gavas

European development ministers were in the spotlight at their meeting in Brussels in May, at the General Affairs and External Relations Council. With a development-friendly response to the global recession on everyone’s mind, and with big changes afoot in the architecture of European development cooperation, the development annex to the communiqué was subject to unusually careful reading. As we and other ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) colleagues have reported in earlier blogs on EU development policy, the Commission had made far-reaching proposals for ministers to consider. Would they meet expectations?................ (see link in title for full article)

A six-point plan for reforming EUEuropean Union aid, Europe's World, Autumn 2008

European Development Co-operation to 2020: The issues, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Working Paper, June 2008, with with Sven Grimm, Leo Peskett and Richard Youngs

The paper outlines the relevance of these issues for development policy and identifies the questions that EDC2020 will examine in order to provide policy advice to decision-makers.........................

Reading between the lines.  Is EUEuropean Union aid in trouble? ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, June 2008

This blog is an excerpt from a longer background paper. If you are interested in finding out more about the issues, and reading more from the papers I mention, I encourage you to read my background paper too.

The EU Council meeting on 19 and 20 June represents an important marker in this year of the Call to Action on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Unusually, the main European Council itself will have the MDGsMillennium Development Goals on the agenda. That’s just as well. There are some serious issues to consider, including the failure of European donors to meet their commitments on aid, both in terms of the levels of funding and in delivering harmonisation and alignment. Most importantly, however, the future of the MDG project itself will be debated.................. (see link in title for full article)

Re-imagining EUEuropean Union development aid, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Blog, Oct. 2007

Imagine the Berlaymont late at night. A full moon hangs in the sky. High up in the building, an office lamp still shines. It illuminates four people. They are sprawled comfortably in armchairs for an intimate conversation. The four lead the EUEuropean Union on international affairs. They are Commission President José Manuel Barroso, two of his commissioners - Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Louis Michel - and High Representative Javier Solana. Their topic is the new European political landscape, following the arrival in office of President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the June 2007 agreement on the new 'Reform Treaty'.

Now Europe has a chance of global leadership on development policy, Europe's World, Spring 2007

The EU’s new emphasis on “human security” is designed to prevent development policy being swamped by terrorism concerns. But it could yet divert spending away from poverty alleviation into peace-keeping, warns Simon Maxwell, who heads the UK’s Overseas Development Institute. The good news, though, is that he also sees a new leadership opportunity for the EUEuropean Union in development policy.

A significant shift is taking place in world affairs that offers the EUEuropean Union a new leadership opportunity in development policy. But, there are also risks involved, notably when it comes to the challenge of world poverty. The shift in question is rooted in changes to the global economy and the global agenda. These are moving the debate from national-level poverty reduction strategies to a new conversation about global policymaking for global problems................. (see link in title for full article)

Where Europe Stands in the New Aid Architecture and Why We Need a New €5bn European MDG Fund, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Opinions, 70, June 2006

As Europeans, we can be proud of our collective contribution to 2005, the year of international development….. We should also be aware, however, that the hardest decisions may yet be to come, in particular about the changing shape of the international aid industry................ (see link in title for full article)

European Development Cooperation to 2010: new challenges, speech delivered on 23 September 2005 at 11th EADI General Conference Insecurity and Development, Bonn, Germany (GC2005)

The UK has the Presidency of the European Union until Christmas. I do not represent the Presidency. I am not employed by the government. I have not discussed the ideas I am about to share with the government. I have not asked their views on these topics. Of course, the world would be a much better place if I did run the government, but unfortunately there are one or two other candidates standing in the way................. (see link in title for full article)

The co-ordination of development co-operation in the European union’in Hoebink P (ed), The Treaty of Maastricht and Europe’s Development Co-operation. Aksant Academic Publishers: Amsterdam. 2005.

Co-ordination is a much-debated topic in development co-operation. The paper begins with a brief introduction to the subject, and with a review of current initiatives (Section 2). It then tackles the history of thinking about co-ordination in the EUEuropean Union context, and summarises evaluation findings (Section 3). The report concludes (Section 4) that significant progress has been made in achieving better coordination, on both donor and recipient sides, and within the EUEuropean Union as well as internationally. However, turning the most ambitious aspirations into reality will require a great deal of bureaucratic drudgery, for example on budgetary procedures, contract conditions and reporting, and this will take time. Furthermore, there is work still to do to make sure that the incentives for collective action in this field are properly understood and instituted. By way of introduction, it is worth oserving that co-ordination, and its close cousins, co-operation and collective action, are topics much debated outside as well as inside the specific field of development co-operation. There are useful connections to make................. (see link in title for full article)

Aid is Europe's other big issue, Guardian Weekly, 4th June 2004 (also published in the guardian daily, 10th May 2010)

The fate of the European constitution looks likely to dominate debate in the European elections this month. But in international development other issues matter more. There are five battles to win - unfinished business the European Commission president Romano Prodi will leave behind.

First, a new commission will be appointed after the elections to take office in November. There must be one commissioner responsible for aid, with oversight of a single administration covering both policy and delivery, and not subservient to foreign policy or the war on terror................. (see link in title for full article)

Revising the EUEuropean Union Development Policy: Issues and Options, ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Report, May 2004 with Andrew Rogerson, Sven Grimm and Ralf Leiteritz

The new EUEuropean Union Commission is currently discussing a revision of the Community's Development Policy of November 2000. Key issues and options for a new statement are outlined in this paper.

The EUEuropean Union and the Poor: Unfinished business ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Opinion 16, May 2004

'The fate of the European constitution looks likely to dominate debate in Europe over coming months. In international development, however, other issues matter more. There is much unfinished business Romano Prodi will leave behind.

It is important to say that EUEuropean Union development cooperation improved when the Prodi Commission came to office in 1999. It needed to. A series of critical evaluations in the mid-1990s had revealed incoherent leadership, poor policy and often dreadful implementation. The new Commission shuffled the portfolios. It wrote a new policy emphasising poverty reduction. It created a single implementing agency, EuropeAid. And it passed responsibility for many decisions down to local field offices. The EUEuropean Union also signed up to the Doha development round on trade, and made the right noises about ‘coherence’, especially reform of the Common Agricultural Policy................ (see link in title for full article)

European Development Cooperation to 2010 (with P Engel), ODIOverseas Development Institute (London) Working Paper 219 / ECDPM Discussion Paper 48, May 2003,also available in French

The paper sets out the agenda facing Europe under six different headings, and then introduces a scenario planning exercise. The six themes are: (a) the development landscape to 2010; (b) Europe in the world; (c) trade; (d) development and humanitarian aid; (e) politics and partnership; and (f) the architecture of development cooperation.

Development Research in Europe: towards an (all) star alliance, EADI Newsletter, 3-2002 (also in The European Journal of Development Research, 15:1, June 2003)

Anyone taking a hard look at research on development in Europe would surely conclude that this is an 'industry' in urgent need of rationalisation. The products are world class in many areas, to be sure. But the industry is also characterised (a) by a preponderance of small units, with high fixed costs, (b) by a good deal of redundancy, in the sense that the same topics are found on many research agendas, and, (c) in some areas by a worrying lack of market penetration (the European Commission?). It is also an industry in which some units remain very much in the public sector, whereas others operate under market conditions, with small or no core grants. There are also new entrants - for example, the research and policy departments of NGOs - challenging the established players. EADI already has over 150 institutional members, of very diverse character - and its list of members by no means exhausts the potential membership of research producers in Europe. The structure of the industry - of our industry - exhibits a good deal of path dependency. Many units have grown out of university teaching departments. Others are intimately linked to government development cooperation ministries. In these cases, research units meet a local need which is unlikely to disappear................. (see link in title for full article)

Does European Aid Work?  An Ethiopian Case Study, IDSInstitute for Development Studies, Sussex Working Paper 46, November 1996