Working Better Together

'TEAM EUROPE' was born out of the extraordinary conditions created in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, as a united European response to the major needs emerging in the partner countries. Team Europe combines the collective development resources of the EU, Member States — including their respective financial institutions and implementing agencies —, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Its response is global and addresses three priorities:

1. emergency response;
2. support to health, water/sanitation and nutrition systems; and
3. support to socio-economic recovery that helps partner countries to ‘build back better’ by focusing on a sustainable, green, and digital recovery.

Work is ongoing to extend its purpose beyond the corona crisis.

'WORKING BETTER TOGETHER'

73. In response to global challenges, the EU and its Member States will further improve the way they deliver their cooperation, including by working together better, taking account of their respective comparative advantages. This includes improving effectiveness and impact through greater coordination and coherence, by applying the development effectiveness principles and by delivering development cooperation as one part of the overall internal and external action to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. To be more effective in pursuing its objectives, and consistent with the primary aim of eradicating poverty, the EU’s development policy should be adaptable and responsive to changing needs, crises and priorities.

74. The EU and its Member States will coordinate and develop common positions in international fora on matters related to development policy. This will enhance the EU’s and Member States’ collective influence and will contribute to more effective multilateral discussions.75. At country level, the EU and its Member States will enhance Joint Programming in development cooperation to increase their collective impact by bringing together their resources and capacities. Joint Programming should be promoted and strengthened, while being kept voluntary, flexible, inclusive, and tailored to the country context, and allow for the replacement of EU and Member States’ programming documents with EU Joint Programming documents. Partner country engagement, appropriation and ownership are essential for this process. Joint Programming should be led by the partner country’s development strategy and aligned to the partner country’s development priorities. The EU and its Member States will work together to develop strategic responses grounded in shared knowledge, added value, lessons learnt and joint analysis of the country context, including poverty and sustainability, and the country’s overall relations with the EU. In doing so, they will take account of available means for development financing, in line with the AAAA. The EU and its Member States will also pursue enhanced coordination and synergies in fragile and conflict-affected countries, including through Joint Programming processes and joint conflict analysis. This will also contribute to the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States.

76. The increased use of EU joint responses derived from Joint EU Programming can ensure greater impact and visibility for the EU and its Member States on the ground. This approach will help pool resources, reduce fragmentation and boost effectiveness. Joint monitoring and results frameworks will be core elements of the joint response to maintain momentum, inform dialogue and enhance mutual accountability. Joint Programming should be open to other relevant donors and inter- national actors when this is assessed to be relevant at country level by EU Delegations and Member States’ Embassies and field offices.

77. The EU and its Member States will also seek to support partner countries through joint implementation whenever appropriate. Joint implementation is a way of promoting more coherent, effective and coordinated EU support based on shared objectives in selected sectors or on specific cross-sectoral specific themes tailored to the country contexts. Joint implementation will be grounded in joint analyses, will take account of available resources and will be monitored and evaluated jointly. Joint implementation can take place at national, regional or global level and can be linked to other areas of external action as appropriate.

78. Joint implementation will be inclusive and open to all EU partners who agree and can contribute to a common vision, including Member States’ agencies and their development financial institutions, the private sector, civil society and academia. This could also, when assessed to be relevant, include other like-minded governments, the United Nations and other international and regional organisations and financial institutions. Joint implementation can involve various financial modalities, such as co-financing and delegated cooperation, as well as non-financial means of implementation, and should build on different actors’ comparative advantages and sharing of best practices. In this context, the EU and Member States will continue to draw on and share the experiences of all Member States, including transition experience.