Newsletter – n°15 – October 2012

In other news

A Eurobarometer survey, ordered by the DG Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid of the European Commission in order to analyse the attitude of the European public towards development cooperation, shows that 85% of Europeans think it is important to help developing countries (as opposed to 88% in 2009).

Half of the respondents think current commitments to increase aid should be kept, and a further 12% think aid should be increased above what has already been promised. Only 18% think aid should be reduced due to the economic difficulties in Europe, a figure still 9% higher than in 2009.

The economic crisis doesn’t seem to affect European solidarity, as shown by the support rate to development aid in Spain (the same as last year) and in Greece and Portugal (only a 2% decrease).

According to 55% of European citizens, emerging economies showing rapid growth should stop receiving aid, even if a part of their population is still touched by poverty.

Human rights (34%), education (33%) and health (32%) are the fields considered most important among development policies.

EU actions in the trade and finance fields are considered to have the highest impact on developing countries (29%), an opinion which increased by 11 points as compared to last year figures.

81% of European citizens think private companies have a social and ethical responsibility when they invest in developing countries and 87% agree that donors such as the EU should try to guarantee the respect of social and ethical norms in the activities they carry out in developing countries.

Finally, it is interesting to note that 44% of European citizens don’t know what use is being made of their country’s development aid, while 53% don’t know where EU aid goes.

Source Special Eurobarometer 392