This statement was given by Bram van Ojik at a roundtable at the MFA of the Netherlands on the 30 January within the framework of the "Whither EC Aid?" (WECA) project. The main objective of the joint ECDPM and ActionAid project “Whither EC Aid?” (WECA) is to re-position the debate on monitoring the effectiveness of EC development cooperation. This will help to develop an evidence-based, common understanding of the characteristics, added value and impact of EC development cooperation. For more information please visit the WECA website.