NGOs

							The European Civil Society and its
   dealings with the European
           Institutions
I. The role of civil dialogue in the EU


• The search for a participatory democracy

• Institutional definitions

• The role of CSOs
The search for a participatory
democracy

   Participation to policy formulation
   The EU legal framework for civil society
    participation
   Gaining legitimacy through civil dialogue
   Involving the candidate and accession
    countries civil society in the enlargement
    process
Institutional definitions

   Civil Society organization: economic, social
    operators outside government and public
    administration
   NGOs: non member-oriented objectives
    International focus
   NGOs platform: cross-thematic co-ordination
   NGOs networks: thematic co-ordination
European institutions involved

 European Economic and Social Committee:
Advisory body for the Commission and the
  Parliament. Employers / employees/ Diverse
  activities components
 Council of Europe: focus on Human rights.
  No direct link to EU institutions.
 European court of Human Rights: linked to
  the Council
European Institutions relations with
SCOs

 Council of ministers
                                                                                      European Parliament:
 ADOPTS LEGISLATION WITH THE PARLIAMENT
                                                                                             Chamber
 TRHOUGH CO-LEGISLATION PROCEDURE
                                                                 Bureau Sanding Committees: Development / of Foreign Affairs /
 Amends legislative proposals from the Commission
                                                                                     International Trade etc.
 Defines and implements the EU common foreign policy
                                                               Proposes guidelines for the legislative programme to the
                                                               Commission.Request / gives opinion on legislative proposals from
                                                               the Commission


                                                                                           Policy formulation level
                                                COMMISSION
    DG Trade               DG Enlargment               DG External Relations              DG Development
  Commissioner             Commissioner                   Commissioner                      Commissioner
                                                                                      Formulates co-operation         Other DGs
    Trade policy             Monitors the             Co-ordination of the          policy, co-ordinates relations
 formulation (WTO)       enlargement process            external activities                   with ACP
                                                  Interface Council of Europe

      EuropeAid Co-operation Office                                                                             Policy
      Implements the external aid instruments                          ECHO Humanitarian Aid Office:
                                                                       In charge of implementing and            implementation
      CARDS / TACIS / MEDA / Africa / Asia/                                                                     level
      Latin America                                                    Moitoring humanitarian projects




                                                        SCOs
The role of civil dialogue

   CSOs as dialogue facilitators
   CSOs as implementation actors
   CSOs as information relays
II. Origins of the European NGOs
networks and platforms

   The immediate post-war period: networks
    around the United Nations
   Networks development around the Council of
    Europe during the 60’s
   European and national platforms constitution
    around the European Institutions
   Networks and platforms joining into
    CONCORD
Networks development around the
Council of Europe

   NGOs consultative status (SCOs observers,
    SCOs communications)
   The Council direct link to the governement
    and it’s focus on human rights
European and National platforms
constitution around the EU institutions

   The CLONG creation: a Commission
    monitored process
   CLONG creation impact on the national level
    co-ordination
NGOs Networks and platforms joining
into CONCORD


 Examples of positive impact from NGOs
  advocacy on the EU institutions
 Previous NGOs organizational pattern
  weaknesses
-Lack of co-ordination
-NGOs double representation
-EU institutions financial dependency
 CONCORD creation (2003)
III.NGOs Platforms and networks
structure and mission

   National platforms
   European Networks
   CONCORD
National platforms

   Mission: REPRESENTATION, information, advice,
    development education, (activities in the South)
   Structure: Board, General Assembly, Executive
    Committee, Secretariat
   Funding: membership fees, governemental funding
   Registration criteria: legal status, country bases, min.
    years of experience, development focused, statutory
    organs
European networks

   Mission: ADVOCACY, information, advice
   Structure: similar to national platforms+
    sometimes working groups and steering
    committee
   Categories: professional / NGOs. Different
    families of NGOs
   Funding: Commission and membership fees
CONCORD

   Mission
   Membership (18 national platforms, 15
    networks)
   Structure
   Funding (75% Commission, 25%
    membership fees)
   Registration criteria
CONCORD mission

   To co-ordinate co-operation among NGOs in order to
    influence political debate and policy at EU level
   To improve legitimacy of NGOs as strategic EU
    institutions partners
   To ensure stable and quality access to the EU
    institutions
   To contribute to capacity building at NGOs level
               CONCORD Structure


                                                               General Assembly



           Advisory Council                                    Convenors Forum                           The Board


    WG                WG               WG            WG                               WG             WG              WG              WG
EU Financing      EU Presidence   Dev. education
                                                                  WG Trade
                                                   Cotonou                        Dev. funding   Food Security   Enlargement   Future of Europe




                                                             Secretariat
IV. CSOs dealings with the European
Institutions

   Main existing consultation processes
   European Economic and Social Committee’s
    role in debate
   The European institutions Minimum
    standards and principles for consultation
Main existing consultation processes

   Macro level
-DG External Relations/DG Dev/DG Trade/DG Employment and Social
   Affairs
-ACP-UE Joint Parliament
   Meso level
-Group of 8 and DG Environment
-European Initiative for H.R. dialogue
-Food Security dialogue (EuronAid)
 CONCORD –EuropeAid dialogue on funding instruments
The European Economic and Social
Committee role in debate

   The EESC self image as an intermediary
    position between the SCOs and the
    european institutions
   The NGOs conception of the EESC as
    facilitator of a direct dialogue with the
    institutions
Minimum standards and principles

   Welcomed as a first step in the consultations
    regulation process by the CSOs
   Target groups:favours European level
    organizations as interlocutors
   Feedback mechanisms
V. Challenges in the EU-SCOs dialogue

   Networks and confederation internal
    challenges

   EU institutions – SCOs dialogue

   Enlargement impact on EU institutions -
    SCOs dialogue
Networks and confederation internal
challenges

   Search for financial autonomy
   Establishing joint positions notwithstanding
    huge heterogeneity
   National and European levels advocacy
    activities co-ordination
   Taking small NGOs into account
EU institutions- SCOs dialogue

   Eligibility criteria
   Need for a legal basis and a Commission-
    wide framework for consultation
   More informal and flexible mechanisms
   Improve EU inter-service co-ordination
Enlargement impact on EU institutions
-SCOs dialogue

   A different relation to developing countries
   Aid structures implementation
   Capacity building in CSOs
VI. Turkish CSOs prospects

   Current European funding available
   Advantages and constraints of joining a
    network
   Turkish CSOs access to the EU co-financing
    scheme
   Guidance et technical advice
Current European funding available

   Civil Society development programme
   European Initiative for democracy and
    Human Rights
   Development of H.R., Democracy and
    Citizenship Education
   Public Sector- Civil Society Cooperation
    Programme
Advantages and constraints of joining
platforms and networks

   Increase in advocacy capacities
   Information and knowlege sharing
   Technical support
   Staff and time consuming
   Financial constraints
Turkish CSOs access to the European
co-financing scheme

   Recent Turkish association law reform
   Attracting EU funding
   Legal framework for foreign CSOs
-   Conditions for establishment
-   Respect of national law
Guidance and technical advice

 Guidance for the accession countries: The
  Trialog project
-Aims
-Activities
Trialog objectives

   Linking NGOs
   Building capacities
   Raising awareness
Trialog activities

   Training
   Joint projects
   CSOs online database
   Support in platform constitution
Useful links