2015, European Year for Development

With the aim of achieving the objectives adopted in Rio in 2000, and with the conclusion of United Nations discussions on development objectives for the coming fifteen years, as well as the recent international negotiations on climate change and the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Paris, 2015 is likely to be a historic year for development. It is against this background that the European Union decided to designate 2015 the European Year for Development (EY2015). Thus for the first time in its history, the EU has chosen an external policy as the theme for the European Year.

With this decision, which the Committee of the Regions has promoted and supported from the outset, the EU as one of the world's most prosperous regions is confirming its wish to be a global player that does not forget to support the most disadvantaged. The choice of the European Year for 2015 is also a paradoxical one for the European Union as the main provider of global development aid. On the one hand, a clear majority - over two thirds - of Europe's citizens believe that combating poverty in developing countries should be an EU priority, and even more - almost 85% - think that it is important to help people in developing countries. On the other hand, only a minority of these same citizens are aware of the objectives and thrust of policies pursued, and less than one in six has heard of the Millennium Development Goals, which have guided development policies over the past fifteen years.

With the catchphrase Our world, our dignity, our future, the European Year for Development 2015 has three aims: firstly to raise awareness and inform Europe's citizens about development cooperation, secondly to encourage debate and direct participation of citizens, and thirdly to bring about a change in mentality and behaviour so that people are more aware of development policy issues.

The Committee of the Regions, whose political priorities include supporting the role of local and regional authorities in external relations and development cooperation, will be taking part in the EY2015 campaign. The Committee has adopted a number of opinions on the role and place of LRAs in development policy, for instance its opinion on Local authorities: actors for development (CdR 312/2008), responding to the EU's first reference document, which was issued in 2008 to underline the importance of local and regional authorities in the EU's development policy, or the opinion adopted in 2013 on the European Commission communication Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes (COM(2013) 280 final). Further to a resolution adopted in April 2013, the CoR is now drawing up an opinion on the European Commission communication A decent life for all: ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future, in conjunction with the discussions about the international post-2015 development agenda. This opinion will be presented at the plenary session during the first half of 2015.

As part of the 2015 European Year for Development campaign, the CoR plans to highlight the many, diverse and often crucial contributions from LRAs on general or sectoral development policies. It wishes in particular to promote the local activities conducted by LRAs across the European Union. The CoR is therefore asking LRAs to take part in the debate on development policy, and to step up their communication, particularly addressing young people, on development policy and local initiatives. In this connection, the CoR notes that it is available to support local activities and suggests that the LRAs should promote their initiatives relating to EY2015 both on the European decentralised cooperation portal and on the official EU site of the European Year for Development 2015.

In addition, the Committee of the Regions will be co-organising the Fourth Assises of Decentralised Cooperation for Development together with the European Commission on 1 and 2 June 2015, which will bring together in Brussels almost one thousand representatives of EU local and regional authorities and from developing countries to engage in political dialogue. The Assises will be a major contribution to the European Year for Development.