CONCORD recommendations for a more effective and meaningful participation of Civil Society in the future EU- ACP relations

Transcription

1 CONCORD recmmendatins fr a mre effective and meaningful participatin f Civil Sciety in the future EU- ACP relatins In the current cntext f grwing criticism and restrictin f civil sciety actin in all parts f the wrld it is essential fr the future EU-ACP agreement t defend the space and rle f civil sciety and t put human rights, fundamental freedms, including freedm f expressin and pinin, assciatin and peaceful assembly at its cre. The parties shuld recgnize the psitive cntributin f an independent and diverse Civil Sciety (CS) that is demcratically and transparently rganised, in prmting demcracy, peace, and wellbeing and in implementing the Agenda 2030 fr sustainable develpment. The parties shuld acknwledge the rle f civil sciety rganizatins as develpment actrs in their wn right and respect their ability t seek, receive and use resurces bth dmestically and freign as inherent t the right t freedm f assciatin. The experience with the current ACP-EU Ctnu Partnership Agreement (CPA) has shwn that it is nt enugh t recgnise CS as an actr f the partnership t ensure a meaningful participatin in all its dimensins. The CPA gaps n CSOs effective participatin cannt be addressed by best practices frm ther reginal partnerships such as the JAES which isn t exemplary with regard CSOs participatin. Cncrete mechanisms have t be established and financially supprted t make this happen. The purpse f this paper is t make a prpsal n the frm these mechanisms culd take and hw they culd be structured and supprted. Key fr the success f a renewed impetus fr civil sciety participatin will be t build the participatin and dialgue mechanisms n existing structures and initiatives f civil sciety; t make sure that there is plitical will and interest t take accunt f civil sciety cntributins; t allcate the necessary administrative and financial resurces t ensure effective and n-ging prcesses; and t facilitate the participatin f a diverse grup f CS actrs and a balanced representatin f CS frm all regins invlved, EU included. The 4 elements f civil sciety participatin Based n ur past and current experience n mdels f CS participatin in different EU partnerships and assciatin agreements with develping cuntries, we identified 4 main elements that are critical and cmplementary fr an effective CS participatin in the future EU-ACP partnership. I. On-ging dialgue with CS at the natinal, sub-reginal and reginal levels Build the dialgue n the mapping and assessment at natinal and reginal levels, n bth ACP and EU side, f existing structures and mechanisms f CSOs engagement including dialgues, capacity building, supprt prgrams and CS structures. Supprt the creatin and wrk f CS natinal and reginal platfrms, calitins, and wrking grups n thematic issues and their interactin with the relevant authrities at natinal, subreginal and reginal levels thrugh thematic r natinal and reginal wrkshps and dialgues Increase and reinfrce the engagement between EU Delegatins and civil sciety, thereby ensuring that they engage with a diverse grup f civil sciety actrs including grass rts rganisatins: Jint implementatin f cuntry radmaps and HR strategies Include CSOs in jint analysis, prgramming and Mnitring & Evaluatin prcesses taking place at cuntry level

2 Facilitate dialgues between CS and gvernments at cuntry level by invlving CSOs in the plicy dialgue thrugh tripartite discussin (EUD/partner gvernment/cs) Maintain and increase EU supprt t capacity and institutinal building f ACP CS II. Standing CS bdies at reginal levels Fr each regin (A, C, P and EU) an independent standing CS Bdy acting as an advisry grup shuld be established thrugh a specific prvisin in the fundatin f the agreement. The advisry grups wuld be cmpsed f accredited CS representatives frm the regin, nminated by their peers thrugh a transparent and pen prcedure, and wuld be the main interlcutrs f their respective reginal institutins fr issues relating t the EU-A/C/P partnership. The advisry grups wuld meet in bi-reginal settings (EU-A/C/P) twice a year r mre if required. Other frmats f meetings culd als be envisaged (EU-ACP r the 3 ACP reginal grups meeting tgether) when relevant. Apprpriate financial and administrative supprt shuld be prvided t each advisry grup and fr the rganisatin f their jint meetings. Regular briefings and debriefings befre and after fficial meetings at ambassadrial, thematic experts, senir fficials as well as ministerial level shuld be rganised fr CS standing bdies and/r it shuld be envisaged t give an bserver status t a few f their representatives in these fficial meetings. The standing CS bdies will themselves be nurished and reinfrced by CS acting at natinal and reginal level including wrking grups n thematic issues The standing CS bdies will als take the lead in regularly rganising pen and self-rganised CS frums at bi-reginal r EU-ACP level with the supprt frm the respective institutins. Fr example, nce a year, alternatively in the regin r in Eurpe, an pen CS Frum wuld be rganised befre a jint meeting f the advisry grups. III. IV. EU-ACP CSOs cllabratin and frums Based n the wrk at natinal and reginal levels, bi-reginal CS thematic wrking grups culd be established arund the jint pririties f the EU-A/C/P partnerships that wuld be financially supprted in rder t meet amngst them but als feed in the plicy making and plicy dialgue Thematic wrkshps and seminars as well as brader frum meetings between CSOs frm the 4 regins shuld be rganised t encurage sharing and learning and cperatin at civil sciety level. Onging stimulatin, crdinatin and facilitatin f CS participatin The discussins arund the partnership shuld cntinuusly be energised and stimulated. A facilitatr/mderatr rle culd be shaped as an nline platfrm managed by an independent secretariat (based n the idea f upr-inf.rg ) which wuld gather the latest infrmatin, updates n all the meetings, uplad reprts frm CSOs, share calendar f meetings, cllect individual suggestins r cmplaints n specific issues and facilitate n-line debates.

3 Hw t translate these 4 elements in the future EU-ACP agreement A. Putting in place the cnditins fr an pen civil sciety space in the fundatin a) Refer t human rights cnventins and fundamental freedms as essential elements f the partnership with an explicit mentin f the freedms f expressin and pinin, assciatin and peaceful assembly. b) Mrever, refer t the ability fr CSOs t seek, receive and use resurces especially prvided thrugh the natinal indicative prgrammes r thematic prgrammes as inherent t the right t freedm f assciatin. c) Recgnise CSOs as independent actrs r stakehlders in their wn right by referring t existing UN definitin f civil sciety d) Refer t the specific mandates and frmats f the Ecnmic and Scial Cmmittees and distinguish them frm the brad terminlgy f Nn State Actrs. Civil Sciety includes and ges beynd the actrs invlved in the ESCs, hwever; they shuld remain separated frm the private sectr. e) Recgnise the multiple rles and cntributins f civil sciety rganisatins (advcates and watch-dgs, human rights defenders, service prviders, implementers and partners f develpment prgrammes as well as experts, actrs f change, civic educatin and awareness raising) and therefre the necessity t invlve them at all levels f plitical and plicy dialgue and when implementatin plans are prepared, mnitred and evaluated. f) Establish transparent and accessible infrmatin, mnitring and accuntability mechanisms n the implementatin f the partnership that are sufficiently transparent and user friendly t allw citizens access and CS t play its watchdg rle. g) Put in place a central cmplain and grievance mechanism giving the pssibility fr citizens, CSOs and ther stakehlders t enter cmplaints in cases f serius and evidenced breach f human rights and rule f law bligatins r ther essential elements by ne f the parties r by a third implementing party.

4 B. Putting in place stable and frmal mechanisms f dialgue between CS and the jint institutins in the fundatin a) In the fundatin, make reference t the establishment f standing civil sciety advisry bdies at reginal levels with the fllwing features: CS representatives nminated by their peers accrding t criteria agreed upn between CS and the jint institutins; financial and administrative supprt allwing fr meaningful and n-ging activities f the advisry bdies, including regular meetings between them and with the jint institutins (at parliament, senir fficial, ministerial and HS levels) in the bi-reginal cntext (EU-A/EU-C/EU-P) and whenever relevant at all ACP and EU-ACP level. b) Make als reference t the rganisatin f CS cnsultative meetings befre, jint parliamentary and ministerial meetings and Heads f States Summits. c) Make reference t the fact that financial resurces will be allcated t mechanisms fr the participatin f CS and ther stakehlders. C. Putting in place the cnditins fr mainstreaming CS participatin in the whle agreement a) Refer t CSOs and ther nn-state stakehlders in all aspects f the agreement such as in the fundatin and in the 3 reginal prtcls as implementer f the strategic pririties and especially where their participatin wuld bring value and wuld cntribute t a peple centred partnership. The rle f CS needs t be particularly highlighted as key actr especially in the plitical dialgue but als as watchdgs, prjects implementers, plitical, human rights and scietal experts. b) Whenever relevant, refer t CSOs as actrs f dialgue, partners r implementers in the descriptin f the pririty areas fr cperatin. CS rle is relevant fr all areas f cperatin and shuld nt be cnfined t human develpment r human rights. c) In particular, recgnise the imprtance f the scial dialgue and the necessity t invlve trade unins, small farmers and entrepreneurs (including wmen entrepreneurs) and prfessinal assciatins in any prcess f dialgue and refrm regarding labur rights, business climate r investment and trade agreements. d) In the area relating t human rights, rule f law and gvernance make reference t the prtectin f human rights defenders and f civil sciety space and t the necessity fr invlving these actrs in the HRs dialgue. Further, it is essential t als include in this area the supprt t capacity building and cre csts f HR rganisatins and ther civil sciety rganisatins as essential parts f stable and functinal demcracies.

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