TITLE V - THE UNION'S EXTERNAL ACTION
CHAPTER IV - COOPERATION WITH THIRD COUNTRIES AND HUMANITARIAN AID
SECTION 1 - DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
ARTICLE III-316
1. Union policy in the field of development cooperation shall be conducted within
the framework of the principles and objectives of the Union's external action.
The Union's development cooperation policy and that of the Member States shall
complement and reinforce each other.
Union development cooperation policy shall have as its primary objective the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty. The Union shall take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries.
2. The Union and the Member States shall comply with the commitments and take
account of the objectives they have approved in the context of the United Nations
and other competent international organisations.
ARTICLE III-317
1. European laws or framework laws shall establish the measures necessary for the implementation of development cooperation policy, which may relate to multiannual cooperation programmes with developing countries or programmes with a thematic approach.
2. The Union may conclude with third countries and competent international organisations
any agreement helping to achieve the objectives referred to in Articles III-292
and III-316.
The first subparagraph shall be without prejudice to Member States' competence
to negotiate in international bodies and to conclude agreements.
3. The European Investment Bank shall contribute, under the terms laid down
in its Statute, to the implementation of the measures referred to in paragraph
1.
ARTICLE III-318
1. In order to promote the complementarity and efficiency of their action, the
Union and the Member States shall coordinate their policies on development cooperation
and shall consult each other on their aid programmes, including in international
organisations and during international conferences. They may undertake joint
action. Member States shall contribute if necessary to the implementation of
Union aid programmes.
2. The Commission may take any useful initiative to promote the coordination referred to in paragraph 1.
3. Within their respective spheres of competence, the Union and the Member States shall cooperate with third countries and the competent international organisations.