Less than two years before reaching the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), it is clearthat some goals are out of reach. Much more remains to be done all over the world to save the lives of youngchildren and their mothers, to stop violence against women and children, to guarantee access to health careand to decent work, and to protect the environment. Europe is part of the problem as well as part of the solution: if Europe lives up to its responsibilities, it can makea major impact on people’s lives not just in Europe, but all over the world. The Parliamentary Assembly should thus call upon member States to step up their efforts under the currentMDG framework. Europe needs to foster democratic governance and institutions and to address the keyobstacles to a more balanced global development by guaranteeing equal opportunities, protection and rightsto women and girls in particular and the young more generally. Europe should take a strong stand and ensurethat its voice be heard in global development processes, including in the design of the next set of globalobjectives beyond 2015.