Changes from plenary report to adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Articles 79 and 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to Articles 3(5) and 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

– having regard to the Commission staff working document of 30 June 2021 entitled ‘Applying the Human Rights Based Approach to international partnerships – An updated Toolbox for placing rights-holders at the centre of EU’s Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation’ (SWD(2021)0179),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657),

– having regard to the Pact for the Mediterranean,

– having regard to the joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission of 7 June 2017 on the New European Consensus on Development – ‘Our world, our dignity, our future’,

– having regard to the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and European Court of Auditors special report 17/2024 of 25 September 2024 entitled ‘The EU trust fund for Africa – Despite new approaches, support remained unfocused’,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 4 June 2025 entitled ‘European Water Resilience Strategy’ (COM(2025)0280),

– having regard to the joint communication by the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’ (JOIN(2021)0030),

– having regard to the joint communication by the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 2 October 2024 entitled ‘Building sustainable international partnerships as a Team Europe’ (JOIN(2024)0025),

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 17 October 2024 on migration,

– having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 73/195 of 19 December 2018 entitled ‘Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration’,

– having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 71/1 of 19 September 2016 entitled ‘New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants’,

– having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 70/1 entitled ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015 in New York and establishing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular to SDG 10.7,

– having regard to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, and its 1967 New York Protocol,

– having regard to the guidelines of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on migration-related activities in official development assistance (ODA) and the associated toolkit,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950,

B. whereas irregular population movements include different categories of migrants, such as refugees and asylum seekers seeking international protection; whereas applicants for international protection can remain in the Member States responsible, pending a decision on their application;

C. whereas development cooperation plays a fundamental role in eradicating poverty, addressing fragile contexts, promoting human development and sustainability in all its dimensions, addressing global challenges through international partnerships that uphold and promote European values and interests, and contributing to peace and prosperity in the world;

D. whereas EU development policy fosters sustainable development and stability in developing countries, with the ultimate goal of eradicating extreme poverty in line with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, as per Article 208 TFEU, while upholding the principle of policy coherence for development;

E. whereas development cooperation must be based on verifiable results and on a concrete shared commitment to sustainable development;

F. whereas the EUTF was created to address the root causes of instability, forced displacement and irregular migration and to contribute to better migration management; whereas the European Court of Auditors found in its review that the EUTF fell short of achieving many of its objectives because effective strategies were not always clearly identified;

O. whereas the Global Trends Report and surveys of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) show that most refugees and displaced people do not want to leave their countries but are compelled by threats such as conflict, persecution, violence or extreme hardship; whereas a 2023 UNHCR survey found that the vast majority of refugees would prefer to remain in their communities if their security and livelihoods were guaranteed;

P. whereas development cooperation plays a fundamental role in poverty reduction and addressing situations of fragility by supporting human development, promoting and supporting the principles of democracy, the rule of law, gender equality, human rights and fundamental rights, and by strengthening law enforcement as well as creating sustainable economic opportunities, enhancing governance and fostering peace and stability, thus addressing the root causes of irregular migration;

Q. whereas the improvement of living conditions, education and job prospects in countries of origin is key to ensuring that people can build a future for themselves in their own communities rather than being forced to migrate; whereas targeted and effective cooperation can therefore reduce incentives for irregular migration by promoting stability, security and self-sufficiency in partner countries;

R. whereas increased fragility, also in relation to climate change and environmental degradation, and the depletion and overexploitation of natural resources, may have an impact on migration; whereas 90 % of all natural disasters are water-related, with possible impacts on food insecurity, increased societal conflict and migration;

U. whereas the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum emphasises the importance of the external dimension of migration by developing comprehensive partnerships based on political dialogue, mutual commitment and a whole-of-route approach;

V. whereas the Pact for the Mediterranean calls for the extension of Erasmus+ to several countries in the Middle East and Africa to connect young people, and support a more integrated and inclusive higher education and skills development environment; whereas the Pact also calls for the scaling up of talent partnerships, including through the launch of the EU Talent Pool to facilitate links between EU employers and job seekers from partner countries;

W. whereas the Global Gateway strategy and human development investments should offer an opportunity to align development cooperation with partner countries’ priorities, including migration, by promoting job creation, education, vocational training, democratic values and high standards, strengthening good governance and transparency and sustainable investments, including on water security, in countries of origin and transit;

X. whereas the Global Gateway strategy should also aim to promote sustainable and trusted partnerships in green energy and infrastructure; whereas climate adaptation and renewable energy investment are essential for tackling the socio-economic drivers of migration;

Y. whereas economic cooperation and private investment are important tools for reducing poverty and increasing self-sufficiency, stimulating sustainable local growth in partner countries;