Civil Society Contact Group

The Civil Society Contact Group, of which EPHA is a member, has published a new training handbook “Making your voice heard in the EU - A guide for NGOs”. The handbook can be downloaded for free, in 8 European languages.
It is specifically designed for relatively new NGOs and activists that are in the process of establishing a European strategy.
The handbook provides information on EU institutions, the way European NGOs work, as well as lobbying “tips”, illustrated by (...)

**UPDATED with EPHA response** The long awaited Green Paper on a European Transparency Initiative has been adopted in May 2006.
The Green Paper aims to strengthen etchics rules for EU policy-makers and the estimated 15,000 lobbyists, NGOs and other pressure groups who seek to influence them in Brussels.
In a Nutshell... The European Commission adopted the Green Paper on a European Transparency Initiative on 3 May 2006. The European Transparency Initiative aims to strengthen etchics rules (...)

Civil Society Contact Group (CSCG) organised a conference focusing on participatory democracy in EU on 12 July, 2006. EPHA’s Latvian-based project coordinator and her colleague from Civic Alliance Latvia (CAL) attended the event.
The overall aim of the conference was to focus on participatory democracy - namely, what does it mean to EU institutions and to NGOs, and should NGOs be part of the dialogue or protest with EU institutions. The debate fed into CSCG contribution to the transparency (...)

The Civil Society Contact Group and ALTER-EU hosted a joint brainstorming meeting, in response to the publication of the Green Paper on Transparency Initiative publication.
On 23 May EPHA attended the brainstorming session, which discussed the content of the Green Paper on the European Transparency Initiative and in particular the challenges it raises for civil society organizations. This was also an opportunity to discuss queries on the Transparency Initiative.
To begin there was an (...)

On the 12 July 2006, the Civil Society Contact Group organises a conference on civil dialogue: make the civil dialogue work better.
On this occasion, they will present the study "Civil Dialogue: making it work better", which assesses dialogue and consultations between NGOs and EU institutions in seven different policy areas, at EU and national level.
The aim of the conference is to bring together EU and national level NGO activists, giving them the opportunity to discuss the study’s main (...)

An alliance of European civil societies have launched a campaign entitled the European Citizens’ Initiative. It is calling for the introduction of the citizens’ right of initiative in the EU.
The European Citizens’ initiative (ECI) would require the European Commission to respond to a proposed change in European law signed by at least one million EU citizens. This would enable European citizens and civil society organizations to directly influence the political agenda of the EU for (...)

Latvian Prime Minister, Mr Aigars Kalvitis, organised a full week of discussions with representatives of national NGOs from 6-12 February 2006 to evaluate current cooperation and to develop the system further.
In 15 May 2005, a memorandum establishing guidelines of cooperation between public authorities and NGOs was agreed upon. So far, 61 national NGOs have endorsed it.
The Civic Alliance Latvia (CAL) briefly summarised the positive aspects of the document:
Foreseen co-financing for (...)

Silvana Koch-Mehrin MEP (ALDE DE) has recently questioned NGOs on the ground of lack of transparency. The Civil Society Contact Group responds.
This follows the growing debate on lobbying in Brussels, launched by Siim Kallas, Commissioner for administration and the fight, in 2005 through the European Transparency Initiative. It also coincides with an initiative from Commissioner Frattini to establish a Code of Conduct for NGOs.
The Civil Society Contact Group responds to Silvana (...)

The Russian Parliament’s lower house has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would would severely undermine the sovereignty of Russian and foreign NGOs by imposing heightened surveillance and re-registration procedures. European NGOs call for an EU action.
In its first (out of three) reading, the Duma has endorsed a bill that would ultimately impose contrainsts on citizen activism, the closure of many Russian NGOs and even the departure of foreign NGOs. Besides, it has come to light that (...)

The Civil Society Contact Group , of which EPHA is a member, is running a study on the participation of civil society organisations in the EU policy process.
The study will be published by the end of April 2006. Its aim is to give some input to important debates at the European level such as Plan D, improving transparency and the future since the failed constitutional process.
Up till now, there are many missing points in the development of the civil dialogue such as lack of coherence (...)