A/HRC/4/WG.2/TF/2 page 12 D. Lessons learned for a methodology to apply the criteria 49. After highlighting the main issues discussed in the first two days, the Chairperson-Rapporteur introduced Jorge Vargas Gonzalez, member of the task force, who presented some reflections regarding a strategy to apply the right-to-development criteria. He stated that the aim of this right was to close the gap between more and less developed countries and between rich and poor, to create a large middle class. He identified the right to development as an ecosystem acting simultaneously and reciprocally at different levels, national, regional and international. 50. Mr. Vargas Gonzalez outlined that the following criteria should be taken into account to achieve the right to development at the national level: accountability, political representation, division of powers, institutionalism and transparency. He also referred to the private sector and the regulation of markets. He pointed out the need for progressive and redistributive fiscal policy, as well as indexes including on MDGs, gender equity, child rights, health and education. In conclusion, he referred to the need for economic integration, South-South cooperation and peer self-evaluation (e.g. the APRM strategy), at the regional and international levels. 51. The ensuing discussion involving task force members and observers focused on the following issues: the need to cover a wider range of areas, particularly those encompassed by MDG 8 and which received less attention; possible linkages of the right to development with poverty reduction activities; and the definition of global partnership. Particular attention was paid to further refining the criteria. In this regard, the criterion on “the extent to which a partnership respects the right of each State to determine its own development policies, in accordance with its international obligations” was discussed at length. First, the need to clarify the content of “international obligations” was highlighted. Furthermore, sub-criteria were suggested for this criterion, namely: whether a partner country’s national development plan was used as the point of departure for the partnership’s policies; the trend of the percentage of untied aid; and the requirement, contained in article 2 (3) of the Declaration on the Right to Development, that the national policies in question must “aim at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population and of all individuals, on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of the benefits resulting therefrom”. 52. In concluding its first efforts at applying the criteria to global partnerships, the task force members recognized three highly promising trends. First, there is the genuine collaboration and commonality of purpose among the members of the task force representing key development, finance, trade and technical-cooperation institutions, on the one hand, and the independent experts, on the other. Secondly, they recognized the keen interest expressed by representatives of the partnerships considered by the task force to take steps in order to make the policies and practices more attentive to the right-to-development issues, which emerged from the review. Thirdly, there is the commitment expressed by member States to encourage the task force in its practical approach to operationalizing the right to development through assessment tools for global partnerships from the perspective of this right. The combined impact of these trends could lead towards the ultimate objective of contributing to the transformation of the principles underlying the right to development into development practice.