As a development NGO, Oxfam-Solidarity works on North–South relations and how European policy influences development issues. Oxfam-Solidarity, in coordination with our Brussels advocacy office and the Oxfam International affiliates work together with other networks in order to hold the European Institutions accountable for their work and progress on development policy.

Oxfam-Solidarity focuses on the lack of coherence of both EU and Member States’ overall policies. The growing contradiction between pursuing a strategic position in an increasingly competitive world market and the lack of vision on important global challenges such as human security, climate change and its impact on food security means that more and more people are now faced with extreme poverty. Oxfam-Solidarity’s overall aim is to strengthen political leadership and accountability on these issues.

Which areas do we expect the Belgian Presidency to work on? At the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit, which will be held on 20-22 September this year, we expect the Belgian Presidency to push for a rescue package on the MDGs to be adopted at pan-European level. This rescue plan should not only address the availability of development funds at Member State level but also include the next steps towards the “Budget Support Modality” (Seoul-meeting in 2011) and approval of the “Financial Transaction Tax” principle. EU trade policy and the development goals should be approached in such in a way that these become binding principles for fair trade policy.

Opportunities for progress in 2010 that should be seized upon include discussions on the Intellectual Property Rights Framework which impedes access to medicines for populations in the South. Other opportunities include the European Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries that have to be rebalanced and discussions on the development implications of the Investment Agreements model. Oxfam-Solidarity believes that the Belgian Presidency should advocate for increased efforts on health and education policy and urge the EU to put this on the Transatlantic Partnership agenda.

With regards to post-Copenhagen discussions and the preparation of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, the Belgian Presidency should play a dynamic role in closing an ambitious post-Copenhagen deal. The Belgian Presidency must therefore defend additional adaptation funds and urge the EU to stop promoting “false solutions”. It must also adopt ambitious targets at home in Belgium, as this is necessary for its global credibility.

We believe that the Belgian Presidency is well-placed to work together with the President of the European Council and the EU’s Trade Commissioner to enhance this agenda. The gap between European citizens and European Institutions can only become smaller if the interests of developing countries are at the core of the Presidency’s development agenda. Without a sustainable vision of how to address global problems, the moral authority of European institutions and leaders will continue to be undermined.