European activists call on MEPs to focus on development

Over the past ten days, international development, human rights and climate change activists have taken hundreds of actions all across Europe to call on candidates for the European Parliament to promote these issues if they are elected.

Since Europe's Day on 9 May, these activities have included organising a televised debate on international development on French television, 13 public debates between MEP candidates on international development issues in the United Kingdom, a voter barometer on international development in the Netherlands, and a pan-European launch of AidWatch, a report which looks at EU governments' performance on aid quality and quantity.

Other activities have raised the awareness of the public about development issues so that European voters call on MEP candidates to become champions of international development, climate change issues and human rights if elected in June.

"During these 10 days of action for Europe, participants sent a strong message to European politicians that they must prioritise international development issues if they are elected to the European Parliament," says Olivier Consolo, Director of CONCORD, the pan-European confederation for development and relief organisations.

"At a time when European citizens are facing financial turmoil, European voters were talking about how their leaders and elected representatives could ensure a future for the poorest of the poor also in the Global South, and to act forcefully to stop climate chaos globally," adds Olivier Consolo.

 European NGOs believe in a European Union and Parliament which has a strong and constructive voice in international debates and decision making on international development issues. The European Union is the largest aid donor in the world, and has considerable powers to eradicate global poverty through reforming key policy areas such as trade, agriculture and climate change. The actions of the European institutions in the coming five years will have a huge impact on the developing world.

Following these 10 days of intensive action, European NGOs call on MEP candidates to support international development, climate change issues and human rights if elected in June.

CONCORD is a pan-European confederation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with international development and relief issues. In total, CONCORD represents around 1,600 NGOs supported by millions of individuals.