Development and Cooperation The Roots of Democracy and Sustainable Development: Europe's Engagement with Civil Society in External Relations

Development and Cooperation Timeline 2 Structured Dialogue Final Conference (Budapest) 19 May 2011 Commission adopts the new Communication 12 Sep. '12 Council adopts Conclusions on the Communication 15 Oct. S takeholders consultation for the Communication March – May 2012 Agenda for Change Council Conclusion adopted 14 May 2012 Agenda for Change Communication adopted Oct. '11 Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation Dec. '

DEVCO 3 Background to the Communication  CSOs recognised as development actors in their own right, but: A changing environment: Increasing number and diversity & more fluid forms of citizen action Rise of Internet & social media Limited dialogue with the state Shrinking space for CSOs & restrictive measures CSO internal challenges (governance, capacity & funding access) Development and Cooperation

DEVCO The Communication in a nutshell (i) Towards a more strategic engagement with CSOs in Developing, Neighbourhood and Enlargement countries Facilitate constructive relations between states and CSOs Three priorities: 4 Development and Cooperation 1.Promoting a conducive environment for CSOs 2.Promoting meaningful and structured participation of CSOs in: -Domestic policy making -EU programming cycle; -International processes and debates. 3.Increasing the capacity of local CSOs to perform their roles more effectively.

DEVCO The Communication in a nutshell (ii) 5 Promoting an enabling environment (1) Strong focus on the country level and empowerment of local actors (2-5) CSOs in regional and global settings (6) Shaping EU support 1. Promoting an enabling environment 2. Inclusive policy-making for better governance 3. Domestic transparency & accountability 4. Social services: partnerships for better quality 5. CSOs’ work for inclusive and sustainable growth 6. CSOs in regional and global settings Development and Cooperation

DEVCO 6 1. Promoting an enabling environment: a multi-stakeholder endeavour The primary responsibility lies with the State … but other actors also play a relevant role International community and the EU Media including social media CSOs themselves Peer pressure through diplomacy and political dialogue Strengthen efforts to monitor CSOs' enabling environment Promote CSO led monitoring initiatives Actions and measures in response to human rights violations Strengthen capacity of public authorities to work constructively with CSOs Reporting, promoting reflection, increasing accountability of public authorities & CSOs Ensuring independence, internal governance, accountability and representativeness Development and Cooperation

DEVCO 2. Inclusive policy making for better governance Dialogue schemes are country-, sector- and actor-specific Dialogue should happen at all levels Importance of multi- stakeholder dialogues CSOs to offer relevance, representativeness and expertise Dialogue schemes are country-, sector- and actor-specific Dialogue should happen at all levels Importance of multi- stakeholder dialogues CSOs to offer relevance, representativeness and expertise 7 EU support: Focus on the quality by ensuring results-oriented, timely, predictable & transparent dialogue Invest in supporting structured and effective mechanisms for dialogue between CSOs and (local, regional, national) & public authorities EU support: Focus on the quality by ensuring results-oriented, timely, predictable & transparent dialogue Invest in supporting structured and effective mechanisms for dialogue between CSOs and (local, regional, national) & public authorities Development and Cooperation

DEVCO 3. Domestic transparency & accountability 8 State institutions: Acknowledging the role of parliaments and other oversight bodies. Role played by CSOs: Analysing budgets proposals – ensuring responsiveness to people's needs Monitoring and tracking revenues and expenditures Supporting budget literacy Ensuring transparency, anti-corruption initiatives EU support: Long term & at local and central level Focus on domestic accountability Budget support: transparency criterion  support to CSOs' oversight role Development and Cooperation

DEVCO 4. Social services: Partnerships for better quality 9 Responsibility of states Including local authorities Provision, organisation, regulation, quality, oversight CSOs can a complementary role Access to services by disenfranchised populations EU support Focus on sustainability of services and coordination Direct support to CSOs – absent/incapable states, notably in situations of crisis or fragility Capacity of states to work with and support CSOs Development and Cooperation

DEVCO The actors: Cooperatives, foundations, NGOs, … Increasingly active players in the economic realm Stimulate the local economy, monitoring policies, delivering support services, etc. The actors: Cooperatives, foundations, NGOs, … Increasingly active players in the economic realm Stimulate the local economy, monitoring policies, delivering support services, etc. 10 EU support: Initiatives combining social & economic ambitions Job creation and entrepreneurship Schemes to extend access to financial services EU support: Initiatives combining social & economic ambitions Job creation and entrepreneurship Schemes to extend access to financial services 5. CSOs' work for inclusive & sustainable growth Development and Cooperation

DEVCO CSOs in global and regional settings Rise of activist movements and networks Emergence of a 'global civil society' Promoting multilateral norms and standards Monitoring international commitments (PCD, aid) Promote global citizenship & solidarity Rise of activist movements and networks Emergence of a 'global civil society' Promoting multilateral norms and standards Monitoring international commitments (PCD, aid) Promote global citizenship & solidarity EU support: CSO participation in multilateral processes & arrangements Dialogue with European institutions  Policy Forum Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) EU support: CSO participation in multilateral processes & arrangements Dialogue with European institutions  Policy Forum Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) Development and Cooperation

DEVCO 12 Capacity development Reinforce capacity of local CSOs Long term, flexible and demand driven approach Partnerships with EU CSOs EU Support: Towards a more strategic engagement with CSOs Funding adapted to local needs Appropriate mix of flexible funding modalities Improving access for local CSOs Coordinated EU action Better understanding of the CSO arena Better coordination between EU and Member States Roadmaps for engagement with CSOs

DEVCO Country roadmaps (EU and Member States)  Strategic EU engagement with CSOs  More impact, consistency, predictability & visibility of EU actions  Efficiency gains: sharing knowledge/experiences and coordination  Smartly designed & building on existing mechanisms.  Linked to the EU cycle of external assistance  More complementarity between EU instruments and with MS support 13

DEVCO 15 October European Council Conclusions! With the Council Conclusions we have now a shared EU and MS policy….. The Council welcomes the Communication for a: " renewed and more ambitious policy in support of civil society, with a focus on CSOs from partner countries and an emphasis on CSOs’ engagement to strengthening democratic processes and accountability systems and achieving better development outcomes". The Councils Conclusions put additional emphasis on: o Rights-based approach to development o CSOs and gender equality o CSOs in contexts of fragility, crisis and post-conflict 14

DEVCO Take away messages – boosting EU engagement with civil society in partner countries New framework reflecting changed role of societies (Arab Spring) & new development policy (Agenda for Change; Busan). Key role CSOs in democratic governance and development. Recognition of CSOs as actors in their own right. Focus on local CSOs in partner countries, recognising country specificities. Better EU coordination: development of country roadmaps with EU Member States. Support to role of CSOs in transparent & accountable governance & inclusive economic development; lesser role in service delivery (in specific contexts). Specific attention to role of CSOs in fragile states (New Deal). Stronger engagement of CSOs in EU all stages of programming. Importance of CSO capacity development and internal governance. 15

Development and Cooperation THANK YOU