Brussels, 05/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - The EU has pledged €1 million to Euro-Mediterranean civil society to fund a pilot phase, the ultimate aim of which will be to set in place “structured dialogue” between the EU and these associations, which have become more active in the field of cooperation between the two sides of the Mediterranean. The democratic uprisings in many of these countries has prompted the EU to change course, whilst previously it had only a marginal involvement with these civil society associations, due to the misgivings of the partner governments.
The announcement was made in Brussels on 30 April, at a meeting held under the aegis of European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle. The EESC (European Economic and Social Committee) and the CoR (Committee of the Regions) took part. The meeting saw the launch of a civil society forum. This civil society forum of the Mediterranean neighbourhood of the EU is a “standing commitment to cooperation and engagement to work together towards the betterment of people's lives in the southern Mediterranean”, said the commissioner.
According to an official source, this structured dialogue will “allow representatives of civil society to express their points of view on European policies for the region and, more generally, on the necessary political priorities to improve the populations' quality of life”.
With the support of €1 million, the Commission is proposing to “fund a series of joint training modules for representatives of civil society and government, workshops focusing on regional problems, such as refugees, migration and the environment, improving and developing the capacity of civil society platforms and networks, and creating full means of communication to allow easier access to information and exchange”. (FB)