We are happy to inform you that Andra Tanase from Romania will be the new TRIALOG Capacity Building Officer. She will be based in Vienna and start her work with us in the beginning of November 2009. She will be responsible for the planning and implementation of TRIALOG's capacity building programme and will be reachable at a.tanase@trialog.or.at.
Many of you know Andra from her previous work in her organisation PATRIR, the board of the Romanian platform FOND, or as vice-chair of CONCORD's Development Education Forum and from many other occasions and international events.
We are happy to welcome her in our team and are looking forward to good cooperation with all of you.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Bulgarian NGO searching for project partners in the area of migration and asylum
The Bulgarian NGO "Animus Association Foundation" is looking for partners in Moldova, Ukraine and/or Belarus. The project is focused on cooperation to combat human trafficking in Eastern Europe. It is planned to apply to the Europaid call for proposals “New thematic programme cooperation in the area of migration and asylum” (deadline on November 13).
The working title of the project is: "Cooperation between third countries and EU member states on the problem of combating human trafficking in Eastern Europe."
For more information on planned activities, a brief project description, requirements for partner organisations and contact details, please refer to the following document:
http://www.trialog.or.at/images/doku/bg-animus-association-foundation.pdf
Please note that interested organisations have to get in contact with the Animus Association Foundation as soon as possible but the latest by Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
Information provided by Martina Bunk, Animus Association Foundation
The working title of the project is: "Cooperation between third countries and EU member states on the problem of combating human trafficking in Eastern Europe."
For more information on planned activities, a brief project description, requirements for partner organisations and contact details, please refer to the following document:
http://www.trialog.or.at/images/doku/bg-animus-association-foundation.pdf
Please note that interested organisations have to get in contact with the Animus Association Foundation as soon as possible but the latest by Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
Information provided by Martina Bunk, Animus Association Foundation
AidWatch Seminar 2009 and TRIALOG paper on NMS challenges
The annual AidWatch seminar will take place in Brussels this year on 4-6 November. It is the second major event in the AidWatch calendar, after the report launch in the spring (see June TIS: http://trialog-information-service.blogspot.com/2009/06/launch-of-aidwatch-report-2009.html).
The agenda will include an induction day for newcomers to the AidWatch initiative, which will introduce them to the process and how they can be involved. The rest of the seminar will focus on reviewing and evaluating AidWatch in 2009, and making plans for 2010, a year when important aid targets should be being met by EU member state governments. Participants will look at the situation of ODA levels due to the recession and other challenges to the aid calendar next year; share information on upcoming policy and pan-European actions; and look at the strategy and structure of AidWatch. An ‘AidWatchers fair’ will allow participants to share publications and information about work on aid this year in their respective countries.
The new member states are currently underrepresented among those participants registered for the AidWatch seminar. If you would like to attend, please contact Rebecca Steel-Jasińska urgently: trialog@concordeurope.org
A former intern in the Brussels TRIALOG office, Grant Berg, has produced a paper looking at the different challenges faced by old EU member states and new member states in terms of meeting aid quantity and quality commitments that were highlighted by the 2009 CONCORD AidWatch report. The paper can be downloaded from the TRIALOG website: http://www.trialog.or.at/images/doku/nms-aidwatch-oct2009.pdf
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
The agenda will include an induction day for newcomers to the AidWatch initiative, which will introduce them to the process and how they can be involved. The rest of the seminar will focus on reviewing and evaluating AidWatch in 2009, and making plans for 2010, a year when important aid targets should be being met by EU member state governments. Participants will look at the situation of ODA levels due to the recession and other challenges to the aid calendar next year; share information on upcoming policy and pan-European actions; and look at the strategy and structure of AidWatch. An ‘AidWatchers fair’ will allow participants to share publications and information about work on aid this year in their respective countries.
The new member states are currently underrepresented among those participants registered for the AidWatch seminar. If you would like to attend, please contact Rebecca Steel-Jasińska urgently: trialog@concordeurope.org
A former intern in the Brussels TRIALOG office, Grant Berg, has produced a paper looking at the different challenges faced by old EU member states and new member states in terms of meeting aid quantity and quality commitments that were highlighted by the 2009 CONCORD AidWatch report. The paper can be downloaded from the TRIALOG website: http://www.trialog.or.at/images/doku/nms-aidwatch-oct2009.pdf
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
October EPAN meeting in Malta
The CONCORD working group on enlargement, pre-accession and neighbourhood (EPAN), which is convened by TRIALOG, met for one of its twice-yearly meetings at the beginning of October 2009. The meeting, which took place in Malta’s capital Valletta, was an opportunity for members to meet and exchange information as well as plan activities for 2010 around the group’s focus areas – the European neighbourhood and the pre-accession areas of the Western Balkans and Turkey.
The southern neighbourhood subgroup prepared for a development forum that will meet in November on the impact of the financial crisis in the region and at which the group’s chair will represent EPAN. The subgroup members also exchanged information on a number of regional initiatives, following up the Istanbul conclusions of 2006 on the role of women in the region, a conference planned by the French Euro-Med platform and the Slovenian NGDO platform SLOGA for March 2010 and the Civil Med Forum.
The eastern neighbourhood subgroup focused on the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which will be meeting for the first time in November. EPAN has been invited to join the forum, and several member organisations of platforms active within EPAN will also be in attendance. They also discussed the Black Sea NGO Forum which is taking place these days (Oct 29-31) in Bucharest, and where it might overlap with Eastern neighbourhood priorities.
The pre-accession subgroup outlined a table of next steps to take on various issues: reviewing the country progress reports which have been released in the middle of October (see related TIS article “The EC releases its enlargement package”), a couple of weeks after the meeting; contributing to the EP lobbying that will be part of the CONCORD General Assembly in November and taking forward a forum to share best practices on civil dialogue with organisations in the region.
The whole working group discussed the European Commission initiative ‘European Transition Compendium’ with Adolfo Sanchez, the consultant hired to draft the compendium. It was a lively debate, with Mr Sanchez offering answers to questions on challenges previously identified by members of the group and others in NMS platforms (see earlier TIS articles in July and June TIS).
The decisions taken in Malta will shape the work of the group in 2010. More details are available from the minutes, which will be available on the CONCORD extranet from the beginning of November. For any further questions, please write to TRIALOG policy officer Rebecca Steel-Jasińska at: trialog@concordeurope.org
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
The southern neighbourhood subgroup prepared for a development forum that will meet in November on the impact of the financial crisis in the region and at which the group’s chair will represent EPAN. The subgroup members also exchanged information on a number of regional initiatives, following up the Istanbul conclusions of 2006 on the role of women in the region, a conference planned by the French Euro-Med platform and the Slovenian NGDO platform SLOGA for March 2010 and the Civil Med Forum.
The eastern neighbourhood subgroup focused on the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which will be meeting for the first time in November. EPAN has been invited to join the forum, and several member organisations of platforms active within EPAN will also be in attendance. They also discussed the Black Sea NGO Forum which is taking place these days (Oct 29-31) in Bucharest, and where it might overlap with Eastern neighbourhood priorities.
The pre-accession subgroup outlined a table of next steps to take on various issues: reviewing the country progress reports which have been released in the middle of October (see related TIS article “The EC releases its enlargement package”), a couple of weeks after the meeting; contributing to the EP lobbying that will be part of the CONCORD General Assembly in November and taking forward a forum to share best practices on civil dialogue with organisations in the region.
The whole working group discussed the European Commission initiative ‘European Transition Compendium’ with Adolfo Sanchez, the consultant hired to draft the compendium. It was a lively debate, with Mr Sanchez offering answers to questions on challenges previously identified by members of the group and others in NMS platforms (see earlier TIS articles in July and June TIS).
The decisions taken in Malta will shape the work of the group in 2010. More details are available from the minutes, which will be available on the CONCORD extranet from the beginning of November. For any further questions, please write to TRIALOG policy officer Rebecca Steel-Jasińska at: trialog@concordeurope.org
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
The EC releases its ‘enlargement package’
The European Commission adopted its annual enlargement strategy and progress reports on each candidate and potential candidate country on 14 October 2009. This ‘enlargement package’ sets out the general policy on EU enlargement as well as giving details on progress made by candidate countries Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
The EC has recommended to member states that accession negotiations be opened with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which has undertaken political reforms that meet the Copenhagen political criteria. This will now put extra pressure on both parties to end the name dispute with Greece.
In the conclusions and recommendations given at the end of the strategy document, the EC emphasises the encouragement the enlargement process gives to political and economic reform in the countries concerned. The EC also points to the effects of the financial crisis that have been felt in the region and the major challenge posed by the fight against corruption and organised crime. Particular recommendations are provided for each country, with Cyprus and Iceland also included.
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network has analysed 2006 and 2007 progress reports in terms of the two benchmarks introduced by the EC in 2007 – civil society development and dialogue. This document will be updated with 2009 data and published in the near future on the network’s website http://www.balkancsd.net/
The enlargement package and additional information can be downloaded from DG Enlargement’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_oct_2009_en.htm
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
The EC has recommended to member states that accession negotiations be opened with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which has undertaken political reforms that meet the Copenhagen political criteria. This will now put extra pressure on both parties to end the name dispute with Greece.
In the conclusions and recommendations given at the end of the strategy document, the EC emphasises the encouragement the enlargement process gives to political and economic reform in the countries concerned. The EC also points to the effects of the financial crisis that have been felt in the region and the major challenge posed by the fight against corruption and organised crime. Particular recommendations are provided for each country, with Cyprus and Iceland also included.
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network has analysed 2006 and 2007 progress reports in terms of the two benchmarks introduced by the EC in 2007 – civil society development and dialogue. This document will be updated with 2009 data and published in the near future on the network’s website http://www.balkancsd.net/
The enlargement package and additional information can be downloaded from DG Enlargement’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_oct_2009_en.htm
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
CONCORD launched Spotlight on Policy Coherence report
Responding to the Commission’s Communication and report on Policy Coherence for Development from September 2009, CONCORD released a report appealing for Europe to stop harming developing countries with its policies.The “Spotlight on Policy Coherence” report was launched in Brussels on October 14, 2009 and looks at the damaging impact that EU policies such as trade and agriculture are having on developing countries, effectively undoing all of the potential achievements of its development aid.
Of particular concern to CONCORD is the new approach proposed by the Commission in its September 15th Communication entitled “Policy Coherence for Development – Establishing the policy framework for a Whole of the Union approach”. This document marks a clear departure from the Commission’s commitment to scrutinising the impact of its policies on the poor by dropping the focus of its ‘policy coherence for development’ framework, from twelve areas to just five. Vital policy areas such as trade, which has massive implications for the lives of millions of poor people, have suddenly been dropped.
For more information, the press-release and introduction to the report given by Rob van Drimmelen (CONCORD/APRODEV) visit the CONCORD website http://www.concordeurope.org/ or use the direct link to the full Spotlight on Policy Coherence report: http://www.concordeurope.org/Files/media/internetdocumentsENG/5_Press/1_Press_releases/00pressreleases2009/CONCORD_PCD-Spotlight-report_light.pdf.
Find the Commission’s Communication on Policy Coherence for Development at:
http://ec.europa.eu/development/icenter/repository/COM_2009_458_part1_en.pdf
Information provided by Agnès Philippart, CONCORD
World Bank and IMF Civil Society Forum
TRIALOG policy officer Rebecca Steel-Jasińska attended the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Civil Society Forum, which accompanied the Bank and Fund’s annual meeting at the beginning of October 2009 in Istanbul. TRIALOG was involved in the Civil Soceitey Organisations (CSO) planning group, which helped with the preparation of the forum, and the opportunity was used to build on links with Turkish NGDOs, many of which were in attendance.
Sessions at the forum featured a vast array of topics, which ranged from human rights, to aid flows, to food security, to climate change, to youth, to women’s empowerment and many of which focused on the current economic situation, looking at how the Bank and Fund could improve their work with other actors. Those of particular interest to TRIALOG included ‘the Crisis in Emerging Europe’ with Marek Belka, former Prime Minister of Poland speaking and ‘Civil Society in Turkey’ organised by The Third Sector Foundation TUSEV.
The event also featured book and report launches as well as networking receptions with almost five hundred civil society representatives as well as those from the Bank and Fund.
More information about the Forum can be found on the World Bank website: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO/0,,contentMDK:22294326~pagePK:220503~piPK:220476~theSitePK:228717,00.html
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
Sessions at the forum featured a vast array of topics, which ranged from human rights, to aid flows, to food security, to climate change, to youth, to women’s empowerment and many of which focused on the current economic situation, looking at how the Bank and Fund could improve their work with other actors. Those of particular interest to TRIALOG included ‘the Crisis in Emerging Europe’ with Marek Belka, former Prime Minister of Poland speaking and ‘Civil Society in Turkey’ organised by The Third Sector Foundation TUSEV.
The event also featured book and report launches as well as networking receptions with almost five hundred civil society representatives as well as those from the Bank and Fund.
More information about the Forum can be found on the World Bank website: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO/0,,contentMDK:22294326~pagePK:220503~piPK:220476~theSitePK:228717,00.html
Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG
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