(08 April 2015) – The European Union and its Member States have kept their place as the world’s largest aid donor in 2014. They provided more than half of the Official Development Assistance (ODA). This is demonstrated by data published today by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
The new figures show that EU collective ODA (EU institutions and Member States) has increased to EUR 58.2 billion (up 2.4% from 2013) – growing for the second year in a row and reaching its highest nominal level to date. EU collective ODA represented 0.42% of EU Gross National Income (GNI) in 2014.
In 2005, the EU and its Member States pledged to increase their collective ODA to 0.7% of EU GNI by 2015. The European Council confirmed in June 2014 that this remains a key priority, in support of achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite a real growth in EU ODA of almost 50% since 2002, the EU is off track to meet this target by the end of 2015.
Four EU Member States exceeded the 0.7% ODA/GNI mark: Sweden (1.10%), Luxembourg (1.07%), Denmark (0.85%),and the United Kingdom (0.71%).
ODA/GNI ratio saw a decline in France (0.41% to 0.36%), Ireland (0.46% to 0.38%), the Netherlands (0.67% to 0.64%), Portugal (0.23% to 0.19%), and Spain (0.17% to 0.14%) and in 11 other EU Member States.