The Impact of Brexit on the EU Development Policy. Selected Financial Issues

Abstract

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union – if it happens, regardless of the chosen variant – will be associated with various consequences for both sides. Brexit (British exit) will also impact the EU development policy, as London is one of the leading providers of ODA – in 2018 it financed 11.67% of its world’s total, and with Germany and France ensured two thirds of the EU ODA (65.61% in 2018). This paper attempts to answer the main research question: what impact will Brexit have on the EU development policy? The analysis covers the financial plane, and the following elements will be taken into consideration: the impact of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the organisation on the general EU budget, the European Development Fund and the sum of funds transferred to ODA by the EU institutions and its Member States, guaranteeing the status of the world’s most generous donor, currently providing more than 50% of total ODA. However, I argue that in the post-2020 perspective the fact that Brexit will happen will matter more the EU’S ODA than the actual form that it will eventually take. The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European polity may be associated with a significant reduction of the financial resources at the EU’s disposal and directed towards development assistance, but the European Union will remain the most important ODA donor, contributing around 41% of all global development aid.