The International Development Committee’s (IDC) inquiry into EU development assistance has come at a momentous time considering the new poverty landscape, changing economic and geopolitical dynamics in the world, the economic crisis, and the possible ramifications of EU treaty change. As the global development scene changes, the UK and the EU’s approaches to development must also change.

The terms of reference established for this inquiry by the IDC call for evidence regarding: the EU’s comparative advantage as a channel for UK development assistance, ‘An Agenda for Change’, future funding of EC development cooperation and progress towards policy coherence for development (PCD). These areas of inquiry ultimately lead to four key questions which this submission sets out to answer:

• What development objectives can the UK better pursue through the EC than through bilateral means?
• How much funding should be allocated to EC development assistance?
• What countries and sectors should the EC concentrate its funds on?
• How should these funds be managed?