The EU-LAT Network, together with other 6 EU-level organisations, representing over 2600 CSOs across Europe and beyond, call on the new European Commission to respect its commitments and base its external action on respect for human dignity, human rights, equality and solidarity.
In the 2023 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen expressed the EU’s commitment to achieving greater equality in the global distribution of power and wealth. In light of an erosion of multilateralism, it is certainly in the EU’s interest to build trust with its partners by working towards global wellbeing and stability. We therefore urge the new Commission President to show leadership in this area and genuinely champion sustainable development and global inequality reduction.
The Commission must strengthen its reputation vis-à-vis partner countries and put the well-being of people and the planet at the centre of the new institutional mandate. Supporting sustainable development in partner countries should not be based on the EU’s commercial or geopolitical interests. Instead, commitment to the 2030 Agenda, including global inequality reduction and the wellbeing of people and the planet must be at the heart of DG INTPA’s mission. Equally, the new High Representative should remain committed to embedding human rights, human security and gender equality as cornerstones of EU external action.
Read the full letter here: Open-letter-to-Ursula-von-der-Leyen-2-1 (1)
