Committee seeks views on international development cooperation after Brexit

16 November 2018

The EU External Affairs Sub-Committee has published its Call for Evidence for the International Development Cooperation after Brexit inquiry. Written evidence should be submitted online by Friday 11 January 2019 23:59 (extended deadline).

The inquiry

The External Affairs Sub-Committee intends to contribute to public debate on possible UK cooperation with the EU on international development assistance after Brexit, and to scrutinise and influence the UK Government's consideration of this issue.

Background

The EU External Affairs Sub-Committee has launched an inquiry into international development cooperation between the UK and EU after Brexit. EU development policy is a 'shared parallel competence', which means that EU Member States have their own development policies in addition to the EU's common development policy. Of the £13.4 billion the UK spent on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in 2016, approximately £1.5 billion was spent through the European Development Fund (EDF) and other EU development programmes.

In a letter to the Committee on 19 December 2017, Lord Bates confirmed that "the UK will honour commitments to the EU budget made during the period of our membership", including commitments to the current and previous European Development Funds.

In its White Paper 'The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union' of July 2018, the Government proposes a cooperative accord which would allow for "UK participation in specific EU programmes, instruments or bespoke projects, with appropriate influence and oversight." Such participation would include "appropriate financial contributions" and the UK could participate in both EU development programmes and instruments, and in EU external spending programmes, including individual projects under such programmes.

Further information

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