Header

UZH-Logo

Maintenance Infos

Multi-bI aid in european development assistance: the role of capacity constraints and member state politics


Michaelowa, Katharina; Reinsberg, Bernhard; Schneider, Christina (2017). Multi-bI aid in european development assistance: the role of capacity constraints and member state politics. Development Policy Review, 35(4):513-530.

Abstract

We analyse the patterns of multi-bi aid in the European Union. Using newly available multi-bi aid data and a large number of staff interviews at the European Commission, the World Bank and bilateral donors, we draw three conclusions. First, the Commission's capacity constraints and lack of specific expertise have prevented it from becoming an important host of trust funds like other international development organizations. Second, the same capacity constraints can generally explain its extensive participation in trust funds at other international development organizations. In the case of large global funds, however, Commission participation often reflects the outcome of member state politics. Third, once the Commission delegates its aid to multilateral agencies, it does not impose strong substantive earmarking, but requires a high level of legal and administrative controls.

Abstract

We analyse the patterns of multi-bi aid in the European Union. Using newly available multi-bi aid data and a large number of staff interviews at the European Commission, the World Bank and bilateral donors, we draw three conclusions. First, the Commission's capacity constraints and lack of specific expertise have prevented it from becoming an important host of trust funds like other international development organizations. Second, the same capacity constraints can generally explain its extensive participation in trust funds at other international development organizations. In the case of large global funds, however, Commission participation often reflects the outcome of member state politics. Third, once the Commission delegates its aid to multilateral agencies, it does not impose strong substantive earmarking, but requires a high level of legal and administrative controls.

Statistics

Citations

Dimensions.ai Metrics
9 citations in Web of Science®
11 citations in Scopus®
Google Scholar™

Altmetrics

Downloads

9 downloads since deposited on 10 Jan 2018
3 downloads since 12 months
Detailed statistics

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:06 Faculty of Arts > Institute of Political Science
Dewey Decimal Classification:320 Political science
Scopus Subject Areas:Social Sciences & Humanities > Geography, Planning and Development
Social Sciences & Humanities > Development
Physical Sciences > Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Uncontrolled Keywords:European Union, multilateral agencies, delegation, multi-bi aid, earmarking
Language:English
Date:July 2017
Deposited On:10 Jan 2018 10:48
Last Modified:26 Jan 2022 14:58
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:0950-6764
OA Status:Green
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12193