Time to act

on the Future of Europe…

 

www.act4europe.org

Participatory democracy in the European Union: challenges for EU and national NGOs

Riga, 20.04.06

• NGOs organise themselves in the EU

• Current EU approach to civil dialogue

• Next steps and challenges

1) NGOs organise themselves in the EU

• Diversity of NGOs throughout Europe.

- Provision of services and practical resources

- Political advocacy

• Growing impact of EU for NGO concerns.

- Increasing EU competences environment, social.

policies, public health, migration...

- Role in implementation of EU policies (programmes).

Growing impact Growing impact of the EU for NGOsof the EU for NGOs

NGOs organise NGOs organise Themselves at EU Themselves at EU LevelLevel

Different channels (mostly since 90s):

• Setting up of EU office of national NGOs (e.g. Polish NGO Office in Brussels)

• EU branch of international NGOs (e.g. Amnesty International, Save the Children, OXFAM…)

• Umbrella organisations (e.g. European Anti-Poverty Network, European Environmental Bureau)

• Sectoral platforms (European Social Platform, CONCORD- development, HRDN, Green 10…)

WHAT do European WHAT do European umbrella networks umbrella networks do?do?

They represent Members / constituencies / topics on a political level by:

• Collecting information and channeling it between EU and National level

• Lobbying EU institutions (policy and position papers, meetings, press releases)

• Contributing to capacity building on many levels

2) 2) Current EU approach to civil dialogue

•Civil Dialogue ( Social Dialogue) as structured contact with EU institutions

•Dates back to early 90s (democratic deficit, need for better policy-making)

•Civil society contributes to bridging gap between EU and citizens, to a better and more inclusive policy-making:

-Legitimacy

-Expertise

What is Civil What is Civil Dialogue?Dialogue?

•Different types of consultations:

– Biannual meetings (Commission, European Parliament)

– Hearings

– Expert groups, consultative committees

– Stakeholder forums (European Health Forum)

– Public consultations (http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/)

• Structured relations = tip of the iceberg: importance of less formal contacts (“lobbying”)

Civil Dialogue: Civil Dialogue: in practicein practice

• 2001:White Paper on Governance: acknowledges the specific role of civil society

• 2002:Minimum Standards on Consultation of Interested Parties

• 2002:Communication on Impact assessment

• 2004:Constitutional Treaty: article 47 acknowledges participatory democracy

Civil Dialogue: Civil Dialogue: key key developmentsdevelopments

• Commission - focused, no single framework for all institutions: lack of rationalisation?

• Wide definition of civil society (incl. socio-economic actors)

• No accreditation but a database (CONECCS)

• No representativity criteria

• Not binding

• Article 47 of the Constitutional Treaty : more comprehensive approach

Main features of the Main features of the current civil dialogue current civil dialogue frameworkframework

3) 3) Next steps and challenges

Challenges: Challenges: EU institutionsEU institutions

• Respect of time limits (June 2005: 9 out 40 public consultation less than 6 weeks)

• Diverse levels of dialogue across policy fields (environment culture)

• Improving access to consultation • Ensuring a horizontal approach on cross-cutting issues• Need for increased transparency (e.G. Expert groups)• Balance between stakeholders (e.G. Public/private interests)• Does it really matter? Improving feedback• Take dialogue with NGOs seriously

Challenges: Challenges: EU NGOsEU NGOs

• Improving awareness about existing participatory tools

• Enhancing mutual knowledge and trust with EU institutions

• Sharing information and coalition building

• Reaching out « beyond Brussels » (to the national and local level)

• Involving members from the New Member States

• Capacity building

Challenges: Challenges: national NGOsnational NGOs

• Lack of resources (specialised EU officer)

• EU-related activity: implementation of programmes rather than policy work

• Different levels of knowledge /technical skills required

• Finding the right balance: devolving to EU network, participation through EU network or direct participation?

• Transparency initiative (consultation between May and August 2006)

• White Paper on Communication (consultation until July 2006)

• Period of reflection on the Constitutional Treaty (ongoing)

Next stepsNext steps

• How to make the participation of national networks more effective?

• Which type of tools/resources are needed?

• Which lessons can already be drawn from 2004 enlargement?

Questions for debateQuestions for debate