ODA Coordination in the EU: Role of European Commission

The growing number of aid donors and the ambiguous impact of this trend on the recipients’ welfare remain relevant both globally and in Europe. The coherence of donors and their actions is one of the ways to overcome the possible repercussions of aid fragmentation. This article examines how the European Commission coordinates Member States and other European donors in delivering aid to developing countries. The authors seek to find new answers to the following questions: how exactly does the European Commission exercise its coordinating role in welfare development policy? Are the Member States themselves interested in this coordination? The study demonstrates the evolution of the European Commission's priorities as aid coordinator from increasing aid effectiveness to accumulating financial resources and responding promptly to crises. The study also elucidates the thesis that the European Commission aspires to strengthen its authority as aid coordinator in Europe to boost its political role. The member states (as well as Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom) are really interested in the coordinating role of the European Commission, despite the factors hindering the coherence of European donors (such as differences in priorities and resources, domestic politics, etc.). It is underlined that the scale effect and the recognizable “Team Europe” brand are the key advantages of the European Commission as aid coordinator.

official development assistance, EU Development policy, aid coordination, European Commission, Team Europe