Work
15.November 2004 - 00:00
Cooperation with NSAs in the EU and in the ACP countries
‘Non-State actors’ (NSAs), in other words the private sector, trade union organisations, and civil society, are described in Articles 4 to 7 of the Cotonou Agreement as ACP cooperation partners. Initial steps have been taken to establish cooperation practices, but a great deal of work has still to be done to enable NSAs to play a real role in planning and implementing EU development cooperation both in Europe and in the ACP countries.
How do the Member States propose to put cooperation with NSAs into effect according to the spirit of the Cotonou Agreement and to the definition of a true partnership? What kind of dialogue arrangements will the Council set up, for instance for delegations to promote the partnership? Could the actions of any one Member State be taken as a model for the others?
Reply on behalf of the Council
The Cotonou Agreement recognised NSAs (the private sector, economic and social partners, civil society) as cooperation partners in their own right in the context of ACP-EC partnership, and various dialogue mechanisms have been set up bearing witness to the importance attached to them.
The ACP-EC Council of Ministers maintains sustained dialogue with the representatives of the economic and social partners and other civil society actors in the ACP and EU. Joint Council meetings exchange views on subjects which are important for the partnership, such as good governance or HIV/AIDS. The ACP-EU Council adopted a Joint Document on access to EDF funds for NSAs. The document establishes eligibility criteria for NSAs: representativeness, remit, independence, transparency.
The European Economic and Social Committee has set up an ACP-EU Follow-up Committee. Made up of European and ACP economic and social agents, the Committee monitors developments in EU-ACP cooperation, gives opinions and publishes reports that enhance dialogue with the Joint Council.
Every Presidency endeavours to contribute towards implementing the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement regarding the participation of civil society in the partnership. Fora and conferences are held regularly with civil society.
There have been frequent informal contacts and exchanges of view between the Presidency and numerous NGOs; the practical measures for supporting NSAs have also been included in the list of topics for the current revision of the Cotonou Agreement, at the request of the European Union, with a view to defining the conditions and procedures for direct access to EDF financing, which needs to be facilitated.
As regards the Member States, the Council would ask the Honourable Member to contact the competent authorities directly.
‘Non-State actors’ (NSAs), in other words the private sector, trade union organisations, and civil society, are described in Articles 4 to 7 of the Cotonou Agreement as ACP cooperation partners. Initial steps have been taken to establish cooperation practices, but a great deal of work has still to be done to enable NSAs to play a real role in planning and implementing EU development cooperation both in Europe and in the ACP countries.
How do the Member States propose to put cooperation with NSAs into effect according to the spirit of the Cotonou Agreement and to the definition of a true partnership? What kind of dialogue arrangements will the Council set up, for instance for delegations to promote the partnership? Could the actions of any one Member State be taken as a model for the others?
Reply on behalf of the Council
The Cotonou Agreement recognised NSAs (the private sector, economic and social partners, civil society) as cooperation partners in their own right in the context of ACP-EC partnership, and various dialogue mechanisms have been set up bearing witness to the importance attached to them.
The ACP-EC Council of Ministers maintains sustained dialogue with the representatives of the economic and social partners and other civil society actors in the ACP and EU. Joint Council meetings exchange views on subjects which are important for the partnership, such as good governance or HIV/AIDS. The ACP-EU Council adopted a Joint Document on access to EDF funds for NSAs. The document establishes eligibility criteria for NSAs: representativeness, remit, independence, transparency.
The European Economic and Social Committee has set up an ACP-EU Follow-up Committee. Made up of European and ACP economic and social agents, the Committee monitors developments in EU-ACP cooperation, gives opinions and publishes reports that enhance dialogue with the Joint Council.
Every Presidency endeavours to contribute towards implementing the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement regarding the participation of civil society in the partnership. Fora and conferences are held regularly with civil society.
There have been frequent informal contacts and exchanges of view between the Presidency and numerous NGOs; the practical measures for supporting NSAs have also been included in the list of topics for the current revision of the Cotonou Agreement, at the request of the European Union, with a view to defining the conditions and procedures for direct access to EDF financing, which needs to be facilitated.
As regards the Member States, the Council would ask the Honourable Member to contact the competent authorities directly.