Concern said these principles have the potential to improve the lives of the people in developing countries but stressed that their effective implementation was key.
 
“The Lisbon Treaty clearly states that the reduction and eradication of poverty is the primary objective of the EU’s development policy. It reaffirms the EU’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and to reaching the target of giving 0.7 percent of GNP to overseas development” said Mr Tom Arnold, Chief Executive of Concern.

“The Treaty also creates for the first time a legal basis for EU humanitarian aid, in compliance with the principles of international humanitarian law of impartiality, neutrality and non-discrimination. This provision, allied to the adoption last December of the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid by the Council, Commission and the European Parliament, provides the basis for Europe to play its part in the various international initiatives to improve the coordination of humanitarian aid. This is particularly important at a time when there is an increasing number of natural disasters which require an effective response” said Mr Arnold.

Concern Worldwide has been working with the EU on development issues for over thirty years and plays a leadership role in a number of European NGO networks seeking to influence the direction and substance of European development cooperation policy.
 
“While we are not advocating a yes or a no vote on the Treaty, we are pleased that many of the principles and policy measures Concern has advocated for in recent years, to the Irish government and the European institutions, are given expression in the Treaty text”, he said.
 
Concern also welcomed provisions for greater coordination and cohesion in regard to EU policy making on development issues while stressing that if the Treaty is adopted, much work remains to ensure the provisions of the Treaty are reflected in the new institutional structures. He also expressed the hope that Ireland would continue to play a positive role in shaping this, as it has done in EU development policy for thirty five years.