Policy Coherence for Development Training of Trainers

Author: CONCORD Europe

Revision: GVC/CONCORD Italia integrated this presentation with new content in the framework of the Project “More and Better Europe”

Revised by

PCD Training

AGENDA

Deciding which PCD issues to focus on

General introduction

The importance of research

Delivering your message and making sure it is heard

Evaluation of the day

Building bridges: partnerships are key

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Session 1: INTRODUCTION

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Objectives of the PCD training After this training you will:

Have an understanding of the concept of PCD

Be able to identify the link between PCD and the work you already do

Feel confident to work on PCD on both the national and EU level

Know where to find the right sources of information on PCD and how to use the available tools

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Outside the scope of this seminar Details about advocacy

Dealing in depth with one specific topic/priority

Information on how to interact with institutions

In-depth information on how to develop a PCD strategy

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General introductionName

Position & organization

Role and experiences in PCD

Expectations

Something personal

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Practical arrangementsProgram (working hours, breaks)

Lunch

Mobile Phones

Anything else?

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ENTRY TEST

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Definitions of PCD

PCD is about making sure that EU policies are not worsening poverty and human rights violations in developing countries.

• PCD = ‘Do no harm’ and beyond

• PCD = Enhancing people’s rights, beyond EU borders

• PCD = Linking actions and their impacts in a world where economies are increasingly interconnected

• PCD = creating synergies and linkages between policies in favour of development objectives

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Treaty obligation

PCD is a EU Treaty obligation. Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty says:

“The Union shall take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries.”

Objective of EU development cooperation is: eradication of poverty  

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PCD: Institutional tools (classified by EU institutions)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION:

• Impact assessment

• Inter-service consultation

• EC PCD work programme

• EU Biennial progress report

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT:

• Standing rapporteur on PCD + biennial report

• Public hearings, intergroups

COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS:

•2013 separate PCD Council Conclusions

•Role for EU Delegations: in-country PCD dialogues with governments and CSOs

EU-ACP COTONOU AGREEMENT:

•Article 12: consultation of ACP on EU policy impact

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PCD: Institutional tools (classified by nature)

• Political commitments and policy statements

• Policy co-ordination mechanisms

• Monitoring, analysis and reporting systems

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PCD: political commitments and coordination mechanisms in the EU

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PCD: assessment and monitoring mechanisms in the EU

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PCD system in the EU policymaking cycle

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PCD in some EU Member States

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PCD IN ITALY•The Informal Cross-party Group of Members of Parliament concerned with development co-operation was established in April 2013 and could facilitate the dialogue on PCD;

•Within the Inter-institutional Table on development cooperation a specific seminar on Policy Coherence for Development was organized in May 2013 to discuss PCD issues;

• The OECD 2014 Peer Review urged Italy to express a high-level political commitment to PCD, as well as to identify key policy areas on which to focus efforts and to develop monitoring and assessment mechanisms to implement PCD;

•The new law on Development Cooperation approved in August, 2014 takes PCD into consideration and introduced bodies that could facilitate its implementation.

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PCD in the Post-2015 Framework • PCD will be a key factor in the framework that will replace the MDGs

• Incoherent policies undermine sustainable development

• PCD supporting sustainable development will avoid generating further costs and undo previous investments

• A PCD system is strictly linked to the Post-2015 goals

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Reasons for incoherencies • Development objectives are subordinated to other interested

• Inefficiency of existing institutional mechanisms

• Uni-dimensional approach to PCD

• Development considered as being handled by aid only

• Lack of complaint mechanism to channel the voice of incoherencies victims up to policy makers

Lack of political will

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CONCORD vision on PCD • An opportunity to make EU policy making rooted in global realities

• Development is in the EU’s interest

• Transparency and global legitimacy

• Participative policy making and responsive governance

• Accountability to European citizens ensuring that one hand does not undo the work we do with the other

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CONCORD PCD Reports

3 reports so far: 2009, 2011, 2013• Collective work• Thematic approach + institutional

framework• Case studies + country profiles

Translations: FR, SP, EST, CZ*, SW*, DE*, LT, IT

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Recommendations of CONCORD

• Stick to the letter of the agreement (Lisbon, Consensus)

• Barroso must walk the talk and make it a political priority

• Build institutional capacities for PCD at all levels

• Organise consultations and participation

• Detect and correct incoherencies through monitoring and complaint systems

• Correct incoherencies demonstrating political will and accountability

PCD must be built into choices made every day in the EU

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Session 2: DECIDING WHICH PCD ISSUES TO FOCUS ON

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PCD and Financing Flows for Development At the European Summit in May 2013, Heads of State and Government acknowledged the need to deal with tax evasion and fraud and to fight money laundering, within the internal market and vis-à-vis non-cooperative third countries and jurisdictions;

The EU is biggest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the world;

These objectives are set back by illicit financial flows passing through developing countries, that if taxed could generate more resources for their development (ie. need for the adoption of stronger measures to tackle tax evasion).

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PCD, Food and Development Agricultural investment is high on the agenda of several international fora in which the EU is involved, including the Committee on World Food Security, focusing on smallholder investment and responsible agricultural investment (rai);

One of the priorities of the EU’s 2010 Food Security Policy Framework (FSPF) is to improve smallholders’ resilience and their livelihoods as a means to improving food security in developing countries;

These objectives are set back by the extensive use of land in developing countries for the production of biofuels, causing land grabbing and food price volatility (ie. need for a revision of EU renewable energies policy).

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PCD, Trade and Development

The EU trade policy promotes the regional integration of developing countries’ markets; With its Aid for Trade Strategy (AfT), the EU is committed to provide developing countries with technical assistance to anticipate and reduce any negative impacts of new trade rules or other measures affecting trade;

These objectives are set back by a growing dependence on imported goods and deregulation (ie. need for more adequate trade rules).

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PCD, Migration and Development ‘Decent work’ is a global development objective and a specific Millennium Development Goal, which the EU committed to achieve;

The promotes globally the respect for human rights;

These objectives are set back by restrictive migration policies and border management system not fully efficient (ie. need for the adoption of a more human rights based approach in the management of migration flows).

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Key lessons learned by CONCORD members

• Understand the political context and you use it to guide your decisions on what topics to focus on

• Pick a topic where you are likely to find a minimum level of receptiveness

• Identify and use political opportunities created at the national or international level

• Select a topic you know or where you have access to experts that can help you

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Session 3: THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH

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Research, Why?

• Increasing the impact of policy messages and recommendations

• Voicing the concern of developing countries

• Building in house capacity

• Improving your dynamics with other stakeholders

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How to make use of research

• Consult for instance CONCORD’s PCD website and the OECD PCD platform to find relevant research in the policy area you are working on

• Refer to and build upon existing research in your policy papers

• Help disseminate the research where relevant to raise more public/political awareness

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How to conduct your own research• Know your capacity and resources

• Don’t be too ambitious and be clear which goals your research are suppose to serve

• Plan your research accordingly

• Make use of your network with other NGOs, partners and think tanks, who can give you useful suggestions and feedback

• Put your research to use!

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Key lessons learned by CONCORD members• Research can be much more than an advocacy tool. Research can

increase your capacity, strengthen your organization and help you make new contacts

• Choose research that suits best your objectives and advocacy needs; think about format, length, style and type of arguments that are likely to have an impact on your advocacy targets

• Plan your research well. Key steps include: o Assess if resources are available and what can you afford;o think about how and when to release your research and

make sure the final product is tailored to your plans

• Dissemination is essential to maximize the impact of your research. Make sure you have a good dissemination strategy

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Session 4: BUILDING BRIDGES - PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY

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Partnerships can help you to: • Reach out to non-development actors: partnerships will help you

advocate for PCD outside the development sphere

• Strengthen your messages and evidence about PCD, especially when you partner with organizations working in other sectors in the South

• Access expertise on topics which are relevant from a PCD perspective

• Think strategically: other organizations can help you consider other strategies or positions

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Key lessons learned by CONCORD members• Be constructive and make sure you make a positive contribution to the

work of your partner: all parties involved should benefit

• Be aware of potential risks for each partnerships

• Take the time to differentiate your partners from your targets

• Decide if you want the relationship with your partners as ad hoc or as a one shot

• Find a common ground. Sometimes you might want to build partnerships with other stakeholders that do not share all your priorities. In such cases it is very important you identify common issues and agree a set of goals. It is also important to analyse what you need to give in

• When you need to build a partnership from scratch, think about activities that could bring you closer to your potential partners

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Session 5: DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE AND MAKING SURE IT’S HEARD

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Why Advocate for PCD?

• Many EU and Member State policies have a negative impact on developing countries

• It makes no sense to give with one hand and then take it back with the other

• More awareness and political will around PCD is necessary to change incoherent policies and to prevent the making of new incoherent policies

• Development cooperation is not only about development aid!

• Development cooperation cannot fully be effective without coherent policies

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The target groups

• Member States governments & the European Commission

• Members of Parliament (Member States and European)

• Civil Servants/ Permanent Representations

• The General public

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Campaigning: do’s & don’ts

• Define your target groups and goals:

o Who makes relevant decisions?o What is the decision making process?o In which state of the process are we in?o What do you want to achieve and is this realistic?

• Have a clear message!

• Do simplify, but do not oversimplify (facts)

• Be specific about what it is you want to achieve

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More do’s & don’ts

• Build alliances: NGOs, the public civil servants, politicians

• Be creative

• Stay focused throughout the process

• Offer alternatives, do not only state the problem!

• Follow up

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Take into account

• Facts and figures when available and personal stories from the ground (use research!)

• Timing: Be on time in the policy making process

• Be reliable and transparent

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Tips and Tricks

• Make clear recommendations

• Use expert meetings/round tables

• Send letters to decision makers

• Use personal meetings

• Write opinion articles

• Make petitions

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Tips and Tricks

• Organise Public debates to create public pressure

• Monitor Members of Parliament to stay focused

• Organise special events (involving the press)

• Be Creative

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Key lessons learned by CONCORD members

• Know your target and select and tailor your advocacy strategy accordingly. In the case of PCD, most organizations found that a constructive approach works best

• When approaching your target, make sure you meet his/her/their expectations. People appreciate peers taking time to contact them • If you want to have media attention ensure your work is interesting

for media and its audience, easy to understand and can related to current events or breaking news.

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EVALUATION

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Disclaimer Note:This training tool, together with the related handbook, has been developed by CONCORD Europe, and then integrated with new content by GVC and CONCORD Italia in the framework of the project “More and better Europe”.For further information visit the website of CONCORD Italia http://www.concorditalia.org and the website of GVC http://www.gvc-italia.org/