The Impact of the European Union's Development Aid Policies

Abstract

The European Union (EU) is currently the world's largest trading region. It has also emerged to be a leading world provider of development and humanitarian aid. In that regard, it and its member states provide over 50% (around $50 billion per year) of worldwide development aid by engaging over 100 countries globally in such aid and co-operation programs.Central to the EU's development cooperation policies are its stated principles of sustainable human and social development which cover: human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance. As a complementary facility to these stated objects, the EU's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), since its establishment in 1992, has provided food, medical supplies, water purification systems, shelter and other essential items to disaster victims around the globe to the tune of some $5 billion. Having regard to the current activities of the EU in the field of developmental aid, co-operation and humanitarian/emergency assistance, this article surveys the emergence of the EU as a major provider of this kind of global assistance. Complementarily, the article outlines the opportunities for recipient countries and developmental aid workers in the field and also examines the EU's current trends in developmental aid policy and activity.