ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the post 2000s evolution of international development policy in the European Union (EU) in terms of change and action. There are two reasons for this time demarcation. First, legally speaking, 'development cooperation' has only been an EU competence since the Maastricht Treaty, and arguably, the European Commission has only become a 'real' development donor since the 2000s. The chapter provides the EU competences in development and suggests that only 'shallow' Europeanization has taken place. It focuses more closely on the differences between the Member States (MS) development policies, as it is clear that key Member States account for change and action in this policy field over time. The chapter explores the challenges of politicization and securitization of aid at the EU and MS levels and the limits of Europeanization in this area. Finally, it highlights the importance of domestic preferences and international developments in explaining convergence and divergence between EU MS.
