Promoting good governance through development aid: the European Commission’s approach

Abstract

Governance, as a development policy objective, has been strengthened in recent years and is an important feature of the European Commission’s external assistance. The European Commission supports democratic governance, including anti-corruption, through a partnership-based approach which entails dialogue with partner countries’ governments and civil society, EU Member States and other donors, and the use of various financial instruments. While recognising that outside support is unlikely to deliver results unless there is political will inside the country, the European Commission considers that donors have an important role to play by developing incentivebased approaches and sustaining an adequate level of political and policy dialogue on all dimensions of democratic governance. At country level, the European Commission supports specific interventions in key governance related areas (support to oversight, control and anti-corruption policies and institutions, justice and security reform, democratisation, public sector reform, public finance management reform) adapted to country contexts. Moreover, the Commission intends to better mainstream governance and anti-corruption issues in key sectors of its cooperation (health, water, education, transport, infrastructures, etc.) to ensure that all programmes – through their cycle – take into account the governance dimension and address it where possible. Crime Law Soc Change (2012) 58:551–562 DOI 10.1007/s10611-011-9360-z