There is a crisis in 26 African countries. At least, according to the EU. Because a crisis clause, hidden in a European decision, allows the EU to circumvent her own procurement rules. #migration #eutf👇
2. We're talking about the European Union Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF): created in the summer of 2015 at the height of the "refugee crisis". It had to provide a quick and flexible way of funding programs to tackle "the root causes of migration and displacement in Africa". 
3. The problem: the EU is bypassing its own public procurement rules. It does so on the basis of a hidden clause in the founding documents of the fund, which declares a crisis in ALL countries the fund operates. That includes stable countries like Ghana and Senegal.
4. As a result, no public tenders are required for EUTF projects. Most of the money thus ends up with UN organisations and agencies of EU Member States. NGO's and African organisations - which might as well carry out the projects - hardly stand a chance.
5. And this is despite the fact that the procurement rules within the EU are intended precisely to promote fair and free competition. Read the full article that I wrote with @giacomo_zando and @ajibolaamzat : thecorrespondent.com/166/how-the-eu…
6. We also presented our findings to the EU Court of Auditors. Their reply:
- The EUTF's focus on flexibility comes at the expense of impact
- EUTF is at risk of duplication of other EU funds
- If speed is what the EU wants, there are better ways to do it
thecorrespondent.com/172/the-eu-byp…
- The EUTF's focus on flexibility comes at the expense of impact
- EUTF is at risk of duplication of other EU funds
- If speed is what the EU wants, there are better ways to do it
thecorrespondent.com/172/the-eu-byp…
7. We owe much to the research of professors @TSpijkerboer and Elies Steyger. More about their work in this blog: eumigrationlawblog.eu/does-the-eu-vi…
