Why the debate over the European Development Fund is a question of politics

The European Development Fund (EDF) is the main instrument through which the EU provides development aid to African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries. However, there has been a long-running debate over whether the EDF should be formally integrated into the EU budget, or whether it should remain a separate fund financed by direct contributions from the EU's member states. Johanne Døhlie Saltnes argues that while integrating the EDF into the budget has been proposed on the basis of enhancing effectiveness, it would downgrade concerns voiced by the EU’s partners in Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific and should therefore be viewed as a question of politics.