European Union is the world's biggest donor!
The European Union is the key player as regards international development aid.
"Development is at the heart of the EU's external action along with its foreign security and trade policies. The primary and overarching objective of EU development policy is the eradication of poverty in the context of sustainable development, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals".
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/index_en.htm
The main important documents:
The European Consensus on Development: is a policy statement that reflects the EU's willingness to eradicate poverty and build a more stable and equitable world.
Policy Coherence on Development
Cotonou Agreement: The Cotonou Agreement’s main objectives are the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty and the gradual integration of African, Caribbean and Pacific States into the global economy, whilst adhering to the aims of sustainable development.
INSTRUMENTS:
Development Cooperation Policy in Romania
In line with the European practice, Romania adopted, through Governmental Decision (no 703/2006), the National Strategy on the international development cooperation policy and the Action Plan for the implementation of the National Strategy on the international development cooperation policy.
Regarding the geographic priorities, the Strategy states that, in time and reflecting the consolidation of Romania’s donor capacity, the list of the beneficiary states shall be expanded to include states from Central Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The specific ODA actions are regulated by the Governmental Decision (GD) no. 747/2007 adopted on the 2nd of August, 2007. According to the mentioned document, the types of assistance granted by the Romanian Government are:
• technical assistance (services, supplies and works supporting the development process of the partner countries);
• financial support (financial grants and debt relief for developing countries);
• humanitarian assistance (emergency aid granted in case of disasters and prolonged armed conflicts);
• development assistance in the field of education and public awareness activities (activities to promote better understanding of problems facing developing states, considering the need for a strong support from the public opinion in favour of the national development cooperation policy).
Important links:
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s05031.htm
DAC List of ODA Recipients used for 2008, 2009 and 2010 flows
EuropeAid Development and Cooperation
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD/ Developmen
Other pages from this section: