This paper argues that for the focus on poverty to become effective, it is essential that the European

Community concentrate on the following issues:

• First, the participatory elements of the Community's efforts for poverty reduction should be strengthened through the promotion of a broad based social dialogue on poverty and the concretisation and wider use of participatory approaches and tools for aid management.
• Second, aid management systems need to be adapted in line with the new focus, including personnel policy.
• Third, the effectiveness of poverty reduction efforts at the Community level depends on consistency with bilateral efforts.