Europe

Overview

The continent of Europe, with its wide geopolitical span, is made up of a diverse group of over 50 sovereign nations, with the European Union now encompassing 27 of these. With an impressive historical and cultural heritage and housing over 700 million people, Europe is known the world over for its landmark cities and attractions. While the region is home to some of the most economically advanced countries, there are still development challenges to be addressed. These include higher rates of poverty in the countries outside of the EU, high unemployment (especially for youth), growing challenges with access to affordable housing and energy, difficulties addressing migrant and refugee challenges, and the recent outbreak of conflict in Ukraine.

Projects

Regional Consultations: Towards Real Diversity and Gender Equality in Artificial Intelligence – Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Project

This project aims to provide the AI ecosystem, in particular the member States of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), with a framework including concrete tools and recommendations to ensure diversity and gender equality throughout the AI cycle based on existing guidelines, good local practices from around the world, international human rights and gender equality standards.

Policy Paper “Sharing is Caring: Four Key Requirements for Sustainable Private Data Sharing and Use for Public Good”

How data are shared and used will determine, to a large extent, the future of democracy and human progress. In this context, the authors of the paper “Sharing is Caring” describe four key requirements that must inform European efforts to ensure that private data are shared and used for the public good in a safe, ethical, and sustainable manner. This paper, co-published with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications, is part of the “Digitising Europe” initiative and part of a series of discussion papers that are focussed on the challenges of European digital policy.

Position Paper “How to Use Big Data? Leading Experts’ Roadmap to Data-Driven Innovation Projects. Key Results from the Digitasing Europe Initiative”

This paper, developed in cooperation with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications, highlights overall takeaways and recommendations in the areas of privacy protection, responsible data governance, transparency and accountability for unleashing big data-driven innovation, including: (1) putting ‘privacy by design’ into action: privacy-preserving technical procedures and standards for data sharing and use; (2) focusing on responsibility in data use: establishing internal responsible data governance standards and (3) keeping transparency, trust, and user control at the center: engaging all data stakeholders.

Event Paper: “Big Data and Privacy: Understanding the Possibilities and Pitfalls of the Data Revolution in Germany”

How can we make full use of data analytics in a responsible and human-centered manner? Which forms of data use should be excluded, and who should set the rules? As the first event paper in the “Digitising Europe” series (published with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications), this publication captures the major key themes emerging from the initiative’s events in Berlin in November 2015, which explored the possibilities and pitfalls around the data revolution and served to identify key insights and practical solutions for facilitating the use of data while protecting the privacy of citizens.

Racial Justice Data Project

DPA is developing a “Racial Justice Data Project” that will provide a transcontinental view of racial inequality and injustice through the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data from a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional sources (including existing datasets, reports from civil society organizations, legal documents, and social media) to present a fuller picture of the effects of racism in an accessible and actionable manner. The resulting indicators and insights will aim to advance policy, advocacy and awareness raising efforts by civil society associations and policymakers to address structural racism and inequalities in selected countries, including where such data are not collected. The project will: 1) monitor racial violence and inequalities within and across countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe, 2) document demands for racial justice in those regions; 3) highlight institutional actions taken to address these issues; and 4) fill gaps in state-collected data related to racial disparities and violence.

Measuring the Unmeasured: Innovative Approaches to Measuring SDG Tier III Indicators

In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), DPA provided support to the Europe and Central Asia Regional Hub in Istanbul in the project “Measuring the Unmeasured” to contribute to SDG measurement and achievement. The effective use of data for public policy is of critical importance to the UN in its efforts to strengthen evidence-based programming and policy development; in particular, generating, analyzing, presenting, and using data is vital to global and regional efforts to monitor and promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our project aims were: scoping, developing, and testing different methods for measuring Tier III indicators of high SDGs priorities for 11 countries in Arab States, Europe & Central Asia, and Asia Pacific; with the main goal of utilizing this information into policy responses.

The African Union-European Union (AU-EU) Data Economies

In collaboration with the European Union and the African Union, and support from German development agency GIZ, DPA developed an overview of the Data Economy Framework between Europe and Africa in a concise report focused on the potential of the data economy in Africa, and its potential to boost the African-European data market exchange. The final report discussed the landscape of the African data economy and mapped the potential fields of common interest between the African and European Unions. It further synthesized findings from recent in-depth studies, as well as from indices on inclusive internet, affordability drivers and network readiness.

Technical Assistance Facility for Africa-EU Relations in the Field of Economic Development

DPA supported INTPA Headquarters (HQ) in its strategic approach to Africa-EU relations by providing technical assistance through policy material, including study, analysis and policy briefings, to strengthen the service’s capacity in “knowledge-based” policymaking, taking into account EU political interests towards Africa, as well as relevant existing legally-binding agreements, political declarations and strategic documents. The main objective of the technical assistance facility was to provide the service with reliable and comprehensive policy material on Africa-EU relations in: (1) Transport and Infrastructures, (2) Digital technologies and services, (3) Sustainable Energy and climate change and (4) Private sector and Trade. The project was funded by OCA Global Consulting and Technical Advisory Services.

Strategic Assessment of the European Commission’s Work in Digitalization in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study, produced in collaboration with ADE, assessed the European Union’s external cooperation for development in the cross-cutting field of digitalization in SSA, with a view to issuing a series of lessons learnt and recommendations to inform current and future cooperation work. In particular, this evaluation focuses on understanding and analyzing DEVCO’s investments and projects in the region, the extent to which these projects are strategically promoting the pillars, objectives and values of the EU frameworks, and to identify complementarities or (lack thereof) with other relevant national, regional and international stakeholders.

Evaluation of the EU Cooperation with the United Nations in External Action

This evaluation, led by our partner ADE, provided an independent assessment and evidence on the EU-UN cooperation in external action-building through the analysis of five thematic areas: 1) Green Deal; 2) Sustainable, economic, social, human development; 3) Governance, security and governance; 4) Migration and forced displacement; 5) Transition to a new digital era (led by DPA). The evaluation assessed the EU’s influence and visibility in the UN system in relation to achieving EU priorities and EU support of multilateralism. It examined the mechanisms for actual implementation and delivery of support, as well as their effectiveness and efficiency, including mechanisms for policy dialogue, programming, and cooperation. Additionally, the evaluation provided inputs on how to further improve cooperation between the EU and the UN.

Evaluation of the Contribution to the Implementation of SDGs by the EU External Action Between 2016-2021

The main objective of this evaluation, led by our partner ADE, is to provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of the contribution of the EU’s external actions in support of the implementation of the SDGs – not only as a set of individual goals, but also in relation to their integration into the EU’s external policy framework. In line with EU policy, this evaluation seeks to be a stock-taking, lesson-learning, and forward-looking exercise, as well as an accurate assessment of achieved results.

Evaluation of the EU Cooperation with the World Bank

This evaluation, led by our partner ADE, provides an overall independent assessment and evidence on the WB cooperation in external action building via an ex-post and prospective analysis of the partnership. Among other research objectives, the evaluation assesses the achievement of EU objectives and priorities in the field of international cooperation and development as a result of this partnership; the reinforcement of the role of the EU as an international actor and a global player; the promotion of multilateral dialogue, solutions, and cooperation; and the effective and efficient delivery of development support to countries and development partners. It also provides a roadmap to gauge the opportunities and constraints the EU faces in relation to its partnership with the WB.