Bilateralisation in EU development policy and international solidarity

The contribution analyses the trend of bilateralisation in the EU’s international development policy and its implications for solidarity in EU external action. Solidarity has long been understood as fundamental policy norm of EU development policy in the sense of a normative driver and principle of cooperation. Bilateralisation refers to the increasing focus on direct, country-specific partnerships that combine direct aid with broader strategic cooperation, exemplified in the Global Gateway strategy. Since Von der Leyen’s geopolitical Commission 2019 the trend towards a stronger strategic alignment with EU interests in development policy has increased, illustrated in the shift from development to international partnerships. International partnerships have emerged as an alternative to the ambition of a global development policy to acknowledge a stronger strategic alignment with EU interests, suggesting a reduced role of solidarity as a normative driver of EU external action. Furthermore, while bilateralisation opens space for third countries’ agency and leverage under changing geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations, it possibly poses a burden on international solidarity as it benefits those third countries in their cooperation with the EU which have something to offer. To examine these propositions, the contribution examines the nature of bilateralisation of EU development cooperation and the drivers of this trend. First, the analysis looks at the changing patterns of EU cooperation across various agreements to see how broader strategic considerations, especially concerning migration and energy, are integrated with development assistance. In a second step, it traces what factors are underlying the integration of these areas of cooperation. The conclusions add to the understanding of international solidarity in the EU’s external action in times of geopolitical tensions and contestation of global norms.