Athens Conference

Civil society participation in the EU development policy

On 5 and 6 May this year, the Greek presidency with the EU is organizing an international conference on "Civil society participation in the EU development policy'. About seventy civil society representatives from the whole world were invited to express their attitudes and encourage ideas for development, as well as to give concrete recommendations to the Greek presidency for the civil society participation in the EU development policy. The following workshops took place: The role of the civil society from northwest Europe in the reduction of poverty; Civil Society in the EU development policy and the EU role in the world: solidarity and sustainable development.

It was emphasized that the EU enlargement will have a great impact on the EU policy development, that the NGOs in the countries-candidates for participation in EU lack experience, and in some instances there is almost no interest about development issues. Two recommendations from this workshop that were emphasized as important were the following: EU should enable the meetings between NGO from the Union and those from the candidate-countries. The Greek presidency will present the recommendations from the conference to the Summit of Head of States - EU members that will take place in Thessalonica, this year in June.

 

G.Sh.