Editing European Union (section)

==== International cooperation and development partnerships ====
{{Main|Directorate-General for International Partnerships|ACP–EU development cooperation|European Solidarity Corps|European Union Global Strategy|European Neighbourhood Policy|Global Europe|European Political Community}}

[[File:Ilham Aliyev attended EU Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels.jpg|thumb|[[Eastern Partnership]] Summit 2017, [[Brussels]]]]

The European Union uses foreign relations instruments like the [[European Neighbourhood Policy]] which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the European territory of the EU to the union. These countries, primarily developing countries, include some who seek to one day become either a [[member state of the European Union]], or more closely integrated with the European Union. The EU offers financial assistance to countries within the European Neighbourhood, so long as they meet the strict conditions of government reform, economic reform and other issues surrounding positive transformation. This process is normally underpinned by an Action Plan, as agreed by both Brussels and the target country.

[[File:Membreupm.png|thumb|left|[[Union for the Mediterranean]] meeting in Barcelona]]

There is also the worldwide [[European Union Global Strategy]]. International recognition of sustainable development as a key element is growing steadily. Its role was recognised in three major UN summits on sustainable development: the 1992 [[Earth Summit|UN Conference on Environment and Development]] (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, [[South Africa]]; and the 2012 [[United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development|UN Conference on Sustainable Development]] (UNCSD) in Rio de Janeiro. Other key global agreements are the [[Paris Agreement]] and the [[Sustainable Development Goals|2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development]] (United Nations, 2015). The SDGs recognise that all countries must stimulate action in the following key areas – people, [[planet]], prosperity, [[peace]] and [[partnership]] – in order to tackle the global challenges that are crucial for the survival of [[human]]ity.

EU development action is based on the European Consensus on Development, which was endorsed on 20 December 2005 by EU Member States, the council, the European Parliament and the commission.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The European Consensus on Development |url=http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/european-consensus/index_en.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811141039/http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/development-policies/european-consensus/index_en.htm |archive-date=11 August 2011 |access-date=27 August 2011}}</ref> It is applied from the principles of [[Capability approach]] and [[Rights-based approach to development]]. Funding is provided by the [[Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance]] and the [[Global Europe]] programmes.

Partnership and cooperation agreements are bilateral agreements with non-member nations.<ref name="pca">{{Cite web |title=Partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) – EU monitor |url=https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vh7gkuhng0wh |website=www.eumonitor.eu}}</ref>