Uphold EU Global Leadership: Reject the Merger of External Financing Instruments

Dear President von der Leyen,

Your leadership has been instrumental in ensuring the EU remains a global force for stability, sustainability and shared prosperity. These areas are part of Europe’s DNA, enshrined in our treaties. With the U.S. retreating from its global commitments, Europe must stay the course as a beacon of ambitious, principled leadership – building bridges, upholding multilateralism, and forging partnerships.

Ahead of the upcoming communication on the next Multiannual Financial Framework, we urge you to champion a well-resourced budget for development and climate action and to reject the proposed merger of external action instruments [1].

Each external instrument serves a distinct and crucial purpose. Humanitarian action must remain impartial, neutral, and independent to maintain trust and access in conflict zones. Development funding requires strategic, long-term planning to foster sustainable development, peace, and global partnerships, and pre-accession assistance is vital for democratic reforms.

A single, merged instrument risks forcing damaging trade-offs that would weaken the EU’s credibility as a reliable partner. It would blur the instruments’ important distinctions, jeopardizing the predictability and impact of EU engagement with strategic partners. This would be a lose-lose situation.

You have been a champion of multilateralism. Staying the course means protecting Europe’s ability to effectively and proudly operate in the world, and securing robust funding for these essential tools for global engagement. Once again, we count on your leadership.

[1] The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe, the Humanitarian Aid Instrument (HUMA), and the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA).