As negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework intensify, the financing architecture of the future Global Europe Instrument (2028–2034) is quietly being rewritten. Profound political choices about how EU development cooperation will function — and who will control and benefit from it are central in today’s debates about flexibility and innovation. Flexibility without safeguards risks eroding legitimacy. What cannot be traced cannot credibly be claimed as development impact.

We are convening a closed-door, invitation-only exchange with leading experts to discuss the evolving design of the Global Europe Instrument and its implications for how EU development cooperation will be delivered in the next MFF. Drawing on evidence from recent work by ActionAid, CONCORD and Eurodad, the discussion will provide an opportunity to reflect on the growing role of financial instruments and delegated implementation, and how the choice and governance of funding modalities may shape transparency, accessibility and accountability in EU external action. Modalities are not neutral technicalities — they define the politics of EU development policy.

Objectives

This event aims to contribute to a shared understanding of priorities and safeguards needed to deliver sustainable development impacts, as negotiations on the next EU budget progress. As part of an ongoing series of roundtable discussions organised by CONCORD and its allies, experts will have the opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas on how to: 

​-structurally safeguard grant-based development cooperation; 

​-ensure blending, guarantees and loan-based tools are proportionate, transparent and accountable; 

​-embed accessibility, traceability and parliamentary oversight into the next regulation.

Participants

The roundtable will bring together selected partners and experts such as the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), the Practitioners’ Network, the OECD peer review team, and the UN System Representative to the EU. To ensure a broad exchange of perspectives, representatives of the European Parliament, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and select private sector representatives will be invited to contribute. Representatives from Member States, including technical experts engaged in the MFF and Global Europe Fund negotiations, will also be invited to participate.

Contacts

Jaimie Just, CONCORD Europe

Stephanie Derlich, Eurodad

Hamdi Benslama, Action Aid EU