BRUSSELS TO HOST EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.11.2009 18:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum will
gather in Brussels on November 16-17 under the auspices of the
European Commission, the EU Presidency and the European Economic and
Social Committee.
During the Forum, as suggested in the Concept Paper, thematic
working groups could be establish reflecting the priorities of the
multilateral track of the EaP, i.e.: 1. Democracy, good governance and
stability; 2. Economic integration and convergence with EU policies;
3. Environment, climate change & energy security; 4. Contacts between
people.
The final decision on the structure of the Forum will depend on
participants themselves.
Civil society and non-governmental organizations play a crucial role,
within their societies, in providing policy input, following new
initiatives and in holding governments accountable. They can be active
actors in promoting democratic and market-oriented reforms based on
shared values, i.e. respect for democracy and human rights, the rule
of law, good governance, principles of market economy and sustainable
development. These are also the values and objectives of the European
Neighborhood Policy, including the newly created Eastern Partnership.
In its Communication of December 2008 the Commission proposed
"to support the further development of Civil Society Organizations"
(CSOs) and, in particular, "to establish an Eastern Partnership Civil
Society Forum (CSF) to promote contacts among CSOs and facilitate
their dialogue with public authorities".