The European Think-Tanks Group, four of Europe’s leading think-tanks have published a joint briefing paper:

‘The EU’s Multi-Annual Financial Framework post-2013: Options for EU development cooperation‘

 As negotiations around Europe’s post-2013 multi-annual financial framework (MFF) begin, there are major questions around the comparative advantage of a Europe-wide approach to development assistance, and the role of the EU in the future global aid architecture. What should this aid be for? How should it be managed? How can European aid adapt to a development landscape that is going through such rapid change, and address current and emerging global challenges?
The paper reviews this landscape and proposes and analyses a set of options on:

    1. Rethinking priorities and assistance towards MICs and emerging economies;
    2. Ensuring enough flexibility to respond to unforeseen needs;
    3. Dealing with climate finance;
    4. Ensuring adequate long-term funding to strengthen security and development linkages;
    5. Budgetising or maintaining a separate European Development Fund.