SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

European Union Office

Challenging EU policies to make them work for people in poverty

EU Office

Freeze of anti-poverty aid in long-term budget pushes EU off track

Media Reaction | 8 February 2013
Reacting to the conclusion of the European Council on the EU long-term budget, which is freezing EU anti-poverty aid at near current levels, Natalia Alonso, Head of Oxfam's EU Office, said: “The...
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Freeze to humanitarian and development aid in long-term EU budget is a breach of faith

Media Reaction | 8 February 2013
Reacting to the draft conclusions of the European Council on the EU long-term budget, which are freezing EU development and humanitarian aid at current levels, Natalia Alonso, Head of Oxfam's EU...
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Compromise on the EU budget will put millions of people on the line

Press Release | 6 February 2013
Oxfam estimates that the proposed EU aid cuts could be enough to have lifted more than 4.6 million people in the poorest countries out of extreme poverty. The proposed cuts to emergency aid alone would mean the EU is turning a blind eye on the plight of 150 million people affected by disasters or conflicts.
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Oxfam calls for the European FTT to be a Robin Hood tax

Media Reaction | 22 January 2013
Reacting to the vote of the European Finance Ministers in favour of the 'enhanced cooperation procedure' for a financial transaction tax in eleven European countries, Nicolas Mombrial, Oxfam’s...
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MEPs’ vote of confidence for FTT sends strong signal to EU Member States

Media Reaction | 12 December 2012
In reaction to the European Parliament's plenary vote on the Financial Transaction Tax, Nicolas Mombrial, Oxfam’s EU Policy Adviser said: “The European Parliament's overwhelming support for an FTT...
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EurActiv - EU budget hawks succeed in €960-billion cap

13 February 2013
http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-budget/eu-budget-hawks-succeed-cap-960-new...

Devex – EU budget deal freezes foreign aid spending

13 February 2013
https://www.devex.com/en/news/blogs/eu-budget-deal-slashes-foreign-aid?mkt_tok=3...

The Guardian - EU budget cut spells bad news for foreign aid

13 February 2013
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2013/feb/08/eu-budget-cut-foreign-a...

The Parliament Magazine - New report calls for major cuts to EU's 'inflated' budget

13 February 2013
http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/new-report-calls-fo...

thejournal.ie - Oxfam Ireland fears EU budget cuts will leave millions in poverty

13 February 2013
http://www.thejournal.ie/eu-budget-aid-oxfam-ireland-poverty-784766-Feb2013/

Hungry? The EU biofuels industry has feed for you


 
Oxfam has long been concerned that increasing production of biofuels pushes up food prices, encourages land grabs and in many cases increases rather than reduces dangerous greenhouse gas emissions. Within the GROW campaign, we are fighting to end policies promoting biofuels and threatening food security and the climate. This issue was in... Read more »

25 Feb 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

Aid must be protected from hard bargaining on the EU budget

In this age of austerity, the forces of frugality are powerful; so is the temptation to defend national self-interest. The negotiations on the next 7-year budget of the EU are a case in point. And the biggest casualty of EU financial squabbles may well be humanitarian and development aid.
Given the existing divergence of views between member states, a bit of a... Read more »

29 Jan 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

European Parliament to vote on EU reporting rules for extractive industries

21 May, 2013
Strasbourg
The European Parliament will vote in plenary on a European anti-corruption legislation (EU Transparency and Accountability Directive), which would require oil, gas and mining companies as well as the logging industry to report what they pay to governments in countries where they do business. Oxfam urges Europe to follow the US lead in resisting the lobbying efforts of powerful extractive companies and enforcing a law that champions the rights of developing countries to benefit from their natural resource wealth.

European Council Meeting

22 May, 2013
Brussels
President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy has announced that the meeting of European Heads of State in May will focus on tax evasion. Oxfam welcomes this initiative and its comprehensive agenda, which will take in the possible reactivation of the European Saving Tax Directive, information exchange, and the strengthening of the Mutual Cooperation Directive. Oxfam is calling on EU Heads of State to take bold collective actions against tax evasion and tax avoidance, which cost the EU around €1 trillion per year. EU Member States should also discuss how to support developing countries in fighting against tax dodging practices which know no borders.

EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting

27 May, 2013 - 28 May, 2013
Brussels
Foreign Ministers will adopt conclusions on the European Food Security Implementation Plan, on resilience and on the Post-2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework. They are also expected to discuss the report on the impact of biofuel production in developing countries issued by the Commission earlier this year.

Oxfam releases a ‘score card’ on EU commitments relating to settlements in the West Bank

27 May, 2013
A year after EU leaders made a public commitment to take unprecedented action to halt the expansion of Israel settlements and provide support to vulnerable Palestinian communities in Area C of the West Bank, Oxfam is to release a ‘score card’ assessing to what extent this rhetoric has led to concrete action and results.

EU Energy Ministers’ meeting

7 June, 2013
Brussels
Energy Ministers are expected to discuss the report on the impact on food prices and land rights of the EU biofuels policy and a proposal put forward by the European Commission in October to limit the contribution of biofuels made from food crops towards the 2020 renewable energy target at 5% of total energy in transport. They will also discuss whether to put in place a reporting mechanism on carbon emissions caused by expanding agriculture to accommodate new biofuels demand.

Oxfam International’s European Union office in Brussels works to influence key decision-makers to ensure that EU policies affecting poor countries have a far reaching, positive impact on the lives of those most in need.

Our work spans numerous policy areas including food security, climate change, development policy and finance, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to victims of conflicts and natural disasters.

The EU office works together with Oxfam’s eight European affiliates in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. We also join forces with allied NGOs and civil society organizations.

Meet the team:

Natalia Alonso
Head of EU Office
Tel: +32 2 234 11 14
Email: Natalia.Alonso@oxfaminternational.org

Natalia Danailov
Office Administrator
Tel.: +32 2 234 11 10
Email: Natalia.Danailov@oxfaminternational.org

Angela Corbalan
EU Media & Communications Officer
Tel:  + 32 2 234 11 15
Email: Angela.Corbalan@oxfaminternational.org

Marc Olivier Herman
EU Economic Justice Policy Lead (Food Security > Biofuels / Financial Market Regulation)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 12
Email: Marco.Herman@oxfaminternational.org

Lies Craeynest
EU Economic Justice Policy Advisor (Food Security > Climate Change / Agricultural Development Policy)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 20  
Email: Lies.Craeynest@oxfaminternational.org

Nicolas Mombrial
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Aid quantity & quality / Financial Transaction Tax / EU budget 2014-2020)
Tel: + 32 2 234 11 13
Email: Nicolas.Mombrial@oxfaminternational.org

Catherine Olier
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Health & Education / Budget Support / Domestic Resources)
Tel: +32 (0) 22 34 11 25
Email: Catherine.Olier@oxfaminternational.org

Tidhar Wald
EU Humanitarian Policy Advisor (Conflict & Humanitarian Affairs)
Tel: +32 2 234 11 16
Email: Tidhar.Wald@oxfaminternational.org

Eimear Gavin
PA to Director of Advocacy and Campaigns & Administrative Assistant
Tel +32 (0)2 234 11 21
Email: eimear.gavin@oxfaminternational.org

Isabel Martins
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 28
Email: Isabel.Martins@oxfaminternational.org

Serena Merrino
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 19
Email: Serena.Merrino@oxfaminternational.org

Nicholas Todd
EU Media and Communications Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 29
Email: Nicholas.Todd@oxfaminternational.org