1. Keeping up the Momentum: Improving Cooperation Between Public Institutions and Civil Society in the Western Balkans and Turkey Presentation of the Report Dr. Dragan Golubović European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) Budapest

2. COOPERATION: INSTITUTIONAL AND INFORMAL (CUSTOMARY). REPORT FOCUSES ON INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR COOPERATION – BUT MAKES IT CLEAR IT IS NOT A CONDITION FOR COOPERATION. INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS: CREATE PLATFORM/FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH CSOs AS THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION.

3. PARTNERSHIP: VOLUNTARY AND EQUAL. REPORT ALSO COVERS POLICY DOCUMENTS PERTINENT TO CSOs (COMPACTS, STRATEGIES). DOES NOT COVER INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN DRAFTING LAWS AND OTHER POLICY DOCUMENTS.

4. INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS – BENEFITS: PROMOTES THE CONCEPT OF OPEN AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE. FACILITATES STRUCTURED AND ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH CSOs. SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CSOs. FACILITATES CSOs INVOLVEMENT IN POLICY MAKING, INCLUDING THE EU INTEGRATION ISSUES.

5. INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS (EXECUTIVE LEVEL): OFFICES/UNITS FOR COOPERATION (Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia). DEPARTMENTS FOR COOPERATION (Bosnia). CONTACT PERSONS WITH LINE MINISTRIES (Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia). COUNCILS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY (Croatia, Montenegro).

6. ALBANIA: AGENCY FOR SUPPORT OF CIVIL SOCIETY. CROATIA: NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT. KOSOVO: THE OFFICE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE. TURKEY: DIRECTORATE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY, COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION (EU integration). SERBIA: MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION (EU integration)..

7. INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS (LEGISLATIVE LEVEL): PARLIAMENT WORKING COMMITTEES (Croatia, Turkey). MEMORANDUM ON COLLABORATION (Montenegro).

8. POLICY DOCUMENTS: BILATERAL – COMPACTS (Bosnia). UNILATERAL – STRATEGY FOR COOPERATION (Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo – draft strategy.)

9. RESEARCH ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS: EDUCATIONAL ROLE; PLATFORM FOR ONGOING DIALOGUE; FURTHERING CSO LEGAL REFORMS; IMPROVING CSO FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.

10. RESEARCH ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION MAJOR CHALLANGES: ILL-CONCIEVED MANDATE AND POSITION IN GOVERNMENT; LACK OF CAPACITY AND RESOURCES; FOCUS ON COOPERATION WITH LARGE CSOs.

11. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) ANY INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM MUST HAVE: clear mandate: proper place in the government’s/Parliament’s structure; sufficient and preferably separate funding line; committed leadership; and competent staff. 2) DEVELOP PROPER TOOLS TO MONITOR THE MECHANISMS IN PLACE. 3) ENGAGE IN CAPACITY BUILDING.

12. RECOMMENDATIONS: 4) MAKE SURE THE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS DO NOT OVERALP IN THEIR MANDATE AND STRUCTURE. 5) ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS DOES NOT END GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR COOPERATION. 6) UTILIZE THE IMPACT OF EU INTEGRATION.

13. RECOMMENDATIONS: 7) REACH OUT TO GRASS ROOT CSOs. 8) ENSURE THAT POLICY DOCUMENTS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT ARE REALISTIC AND EVIDENCE BASED. 9) ONE SOLUTION DOES NOT FIT ALL: THE NEED FOR A VIGOROUS DEBATE BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ANY INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM.

14. THANK YOU! DRAGAN@ECNL.ORG.HU

15. comments@tacso.org Deadline: November 15, 2012