European Development Fund (EDF) 2023 Created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome and launched in 1959, the European Development Fund (EDF) is the EU's main instrument for providing development aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and to overseas countries and territories (OCTs). The EDF is established within the framework of an international agreement between the EU and its partner countries. The current ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, the `Cotonou Agreement´, was concluded in 2000. The 11th European Development Fund entered into force on the 1st March 2015 and the total financial resources amount to 30.5 billion euro for the period till 2020 of which the Danish share is approx. 2 pct.  The EDF is financed outside the EU budget by direct contributions from EU Member States.  The EU's aid efforts are particularly focused on the following areas: Trade, regional integration, environment, infrastructure, transportation, water & energy, food security, support for economic & institutional reforms, conflict prevention, human rights, and democracy & good governance.

The Danish strategic priorities for the participation in development cooperation through the EU focus on three areas:   
1.The EU as a global force for human rights (HR). The EU must incorporate HR in all its relations and policies with developing countries through a human rights-based approach to development.
2.The EU as a stable partner in fragile states. The EU must unfold its full potential in terms of preventing conflicts, creating security and building stable and legitimate states. The EU's involvement must be strengthened and the synergies between EU policies must be utilized to an even greater degree.
3.The EU as a driver of green growth and employment. The EU must prioritize green growth and employment as a key to prosperity and as a precondition for sustainable development. The EU must use its influence in international negotiations to ensure that development, environment and climate are addressed in a coherent way.