Mr. Yngve Engstr

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Mr. Yngve Engström Head of Unit, Regional
Programmes Civil Society Facility
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Policy Background

• 2005/2006 Commission Com on the Western Balkans
  and on Civil Society Dialogue in Candidate
  Countries Importance of extended relationship
  between CSOs from Europe and from the region
• 2007/2008 Enlargement Strategy Paper Emphasis on
  fundamental issues such as civil society
  development and people to people contacts in the
  region and with the EU
• 2008 Commission Com on the Western Balkans
  Creating conditions conducive to further growth
  of CSOs activities

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Civil Society Facility

• A common strategy for supporting civil society
  under IPA
• through 3 strands
• - Civic Initiatives and Capacity Building
• - People to People Programme
• - Partnership Actions
• 2008-2010 indicative budget of 130 million, of
  which approximately 90 million for Western
  Balkans and 40 million for Turkey

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Civil Society Facility

• The facility will build on the strategy developed
  over time, but with an increased focus and
  importance to
• Raise capacity of local NGOs
• Strengthen responsibility in the CSOs sector
• Facilitate networking and partnership building
• Create mutual knowledge and understanding

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NATIONAL PROGRAMMES

• The Multi-Annual Indicative Planning Documents
• Key challenge to strengthen the civil society
  dialogue in the overall process of the
  countries accession
• Civil society capacity building will gain in
  importance
• Implemented by EC Delegations or in the case of
  decentralied management (DIS) by the Beneficiary
  (Croatia, Turkey)

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Albania

• IPA 2008 - 2010
• 4,9 million foreseen to support civil society
  (and media) on the basis of the recommendations
  to be provided by the Multi beneficiary "tailor
  made" technical assistance

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Bosnia Herzegovina

• IPA Programming 2008
• Call for proposals (3,5 million) in order to
• Support CSOs cooperation with municipal
  authorities
• Establish a permanent NGOs fee based training
  Centre
• Raise CSOs capacity in addressing environmental
  problems
• Create and implement the National Youth Strategy

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Croatia

• IPA Programme 2008
• 3 Grant Schemes (1 million per call for
  proposals) in order
• to
• Enhance CSOs' monitoring of the implementation of
  the EU acquis and advocacy
• Increase the effectiveness of the Croatian CSOs
  in the policy fields of transparency and
  accountability of public administration and fight
  against corruption comprehensive
  anti-discrimination strategy and sustainable
  development.

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the former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia

• IPA 2008 Programme
• Service Contract ( 0,3 million) in order to
• Assist the Unit for Cooperation with NGOs in the
  General Secretariat
• Grant Contracts (1million) in order to
• Improve NGOs involvement in decision making
  process
• Increase NGOs social services and
  community-based activities
• Raise awareness on fight against corruption and
  organised crime
• Increase quality in inter ethnical relations
• Strengthen NGO management and fundraising
  capacity

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Montenegro

• IPA 2009 Programme
• Grant Contracts (1,2 - 3 million) in order to
• Raise awareness on EU Environmental policy
• Support anti-discrimination
• Enhance cultural dialogue

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Serbia

• IPA 2008 - 2010
• 3-12 million foreseen to support dialogue and
  partnership
• between the Serbian authorities and the Civil
  Society in
• order to
• Consolidate civil society sector through
  mainstreaming civil society issues
• Promote civil society in monitoring the
  effectiveness of government policies and
  programmes

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Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244)

• IPA 2008 Programme
• Call for Proposals ( 0,7 million) in order to
• Strengthen civil society involvement in policy
  making
• Raise awareness in the area of environment and
  equal opportunities
• Additional Assistance of 1 million is foreseen.

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Turkey

• IPA 2008 - 2010
• 30-45 million foreseen to strengthen dialogue
  with civil society organisation in order to
• Facilitate domestic development of civil society
  and its involvement in the shaping of public
  policies
• Reinforce social dialogue and trade union rights
• Promote cultural diversity and minority rights
• Support social inclusion of vulnerable persons,
  including Roma

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Multi-beneficiary ProgrammeIPA 2008

• Technical Assistance (Service Contract, 8
  million, contract Q1 2009)
• Identify priority needs of the civil society
  sector in the region
• Design and deliver training programmes
• Develop communication tools, e.g. website and
  database
• Advise on ad hoc basis individual CSOs
• Evaluate the impact of (donor funded) actions
• Publish and disseminate project results
• Advise on further actions (Call for proposals)

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Multi-beneficiary ProgrammeIPA 2008

• People 2 People Programme (Service Contract, 2
  million)
• Organise EU visits for groups of people belonging
  to existing organisations, individuals who play a
  central role in disseminating information on EU
  policies and are reputed promoters of civil
  society rights and role
• Raising awareness on relevant EU matters
• Bringing the understanding of the acquis closer
  to the citizens
• Stimulating NGOs influence and dissemination of
  knowledge
• Fuelling relationship between CSOs, CSOs and the
  public bodies

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Multi-beneficiary ProgrammeIPA 2008

• Partnership Actions
• Environmental Forum (Service Contract, 0,3
  million)
• Set up NGO/EC platform / system of information
  and discussion
• Environment, Energy Efficiency, Health and
  Security at Work (Grant
• Contracts 2,5 million)
• Developing networks and partnership in the region
  and at the EU
• Encouraging intervention and transparency of
  public administrations
• Fostering public awareness on good practices and
  legal measures

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Multi-beneficiary ProgrammeIPA 2008

• Partnership Actions
• Fight Against Corruption, Organised Crime and
  Trafficking (Grant
• Contracts 1 million, contract Q3 2009)
• Awareness of citizens, CSOs and media about needs
  in the fields
• Create structure for constant monitoring of
  implementation of reform
• Create and develop CSOs networks

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Conclusions

• The Civil Society Facility will harmonise civil
  society support under IPA combining a regional
  and national approach
• The multi-beneficiary programme will prepare the
  grounds for national programmes as concerns some
  countries and at the same time complement the
  national programmes by providing multi-country
  co-operation and exchange opportunities for CSOs
  leading to

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Conclusions

• Further ability of CSOs to collect, analyse and
  disseminate information
• Stronger capacity of CSOs to represent the views
  of citizens in policy dialogue
• Effective communication between all groups of
  CSOs
• Dialogue between CSOs and public authorities
  fostering a participatory democracy

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Contacts

• Yvonne.Kapella_at_ec.europa.eu
• Henk.Visser_at_ec.europa.eu