EU 'Global Player'

The North-South Policy of the European Union

EU Global Player by Mirjam van Reisen has been produced by terre des hommes Germany, Weed, the Transnational Institute, and Eurostep in order to generate a broader debate on changes that are needed to achieve a fundamentally different and more coherent European North-South policy framework. EU Global Player provides a profound analysis of the development policies and practices of the EU. It argues that the objective of a coherent North-South policy should be placed higher on the EU's external agenda and offers concrete proposals as to how EU development policies can be made more effective.

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The EU is the largest economic block by any measure. Collectively it also has the greatest voting power in all the multilateral institutions. It is, therefore, in a position to shape the global macro-economic and political framework for national development policies. Nevertheless, the economic and political power of the EU has not been translated into real political influence in shaping the enabling environment for sustainable social development.

EU Global Player examines the reasons for the lack of influence of the EU in shaping conditions conducive to development. It is argued that the EU could, and should, take greater responsibility for poverty eradication by creating a macro-economic and political framework for sustainable social development.

Based on thorough analysis of the development policies and practices of the EU, and related policies, such as trade and investment, EU Global Player offers concrete proposals as to how EU North-South policies can be made more effective. It is argued that by placing the objective of a coherent European North-South policy higher on the political agenda, and through a radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, more consistent policies can be achieved which determine the overall economic framework for developing countries.

Mirjam van Reisen is a renowned development expert in European Union policies based in Brussels working with various NGOs, Networks, and the European Parliament. She is the author of several studies related to EU North-South policy, among others the annual contributions of Eurostep in the Reality of Aid (published by Earthscan in London) and Social Watch (published by Instituto Tercer Mundo in Montevideo).

EU Global Player is published by International Books and can be ordered from them at: International Books, Alexander Numankade 17, 3572 KP Utrecht, The Netherlands. Fax: +31 30 273 36 14; E-mail: i-books@antenna.nl. Price NLG 59.95/US$ 29.95 (+shipping costs NLG 10.00/US$ 7.50). In Germany, copies of the book can be ordered from: terre des hommes, Dr. Peter Eisenblätter, Ruppenkampstraße 11a, 49084 Osnabrück, Fax: 0541-70 72 33, e-mail: vernetzung@tdh.de