The state of the EC “DEAR Study” process

The final report of the “Study on the experiences and actions of the main European actors active in the field of development education and awareness raising” (“DEAR Study”) was officially launched at the last European Development Days on 7 December 2010 in Brussels. The report contains a set of 55 short and long-term recommendations to the European Commission in order to improve DEAR policy and practice. These recommendations relate to areas such as coherence and coordination, sharing learning, global perspectives, grants administration and DEAR management within the EC. The comprehensive annex contains detailed information on DEAR in the 27 EU member states.

The European Commission (DG Devco) has the declared will to apply the recommendations of the DEAR Study as far as possible. In a first step, some of the short term proposals were integrated in the draft annual action programme of the NSA-LA thematic programme, which is the main EC funding instrument for DEAR (for further information see DEEEP website).

On 30 March, stakeholders of the DEAR study process met for a half-day seminar within the last Brussels session of the Structured Dialogue Process, of which the DEAR Study is a “supporting initiative”. The group discussed the results of the DEAR study and formulated the following key messages to the structured dialogue plenary the next day:

1. High appreciation of the DEAR Study process and call to implement the results and recommendations.


2. Global sustainable development needs active global citizens. DEAR is the appropriate tool to promote such citizens empowerment, also through EC instruments.


3. The European Commission should adopt a formal policy statement on DEAR in order to give a strategic framing to its activities in the field.


4. Development education and awareness raising should take place everywhere, not only in Europe. In a mid-term perspective (new European multi annual financial framework from 2014) EC programmes should integrate such a open and global approach to DEAR and citizens empowerment for change, as a contribution to the creation of a global civil society.


5. Any follow-up process to the structured dialogue should integrate a DEAR component, in order to continue the fruitful exchange and to further develop the sector.

These key messages will feed in the final documents of the Structured Dialogue process, which will conclude at an international conference in Budapest from 17 to 19 May.

For further information, contact Tobias Troll (DEEEP advocacy officer) at t.troll@deeep,org

Information provided by Tobias Troll, DEEEP