A unique opportunity to push for an ambitious development and financing framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals, 2015 is turning out to be a bitter year for the European Union.
Accused of foot-dragging, the EU has recently come under intense fire by nongovernmental organizations. Ignoring calls for an overhaul of the global financial system, the 28-member bloc has not backed the creation of an intergovernmental body that would decide on global tax standards. Meanwhile, activists have warned that the failure of EU ministers to set a deadline for their pledge to dedicate 0.7 percent of gross national income to development aid constituted a “historic mistake.”
Ongoing austerity measures also paint a grim reality at the level of EU member states.