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March 2015
 

Editorial


Globalising the notion of solidarity in Tunis 

Another world is possible – exchanging on the issues at stake was the role of the 1000+ seminars, workshops and debates which took place during the World Social Forum in Tunis, from 24 to 28 March 2015. It’s the second time Tunis hosts the World Social Forum. In 2013, it honoured the democratic waves that had swept across the region, starting in Tunisia. In 2015, it comes as a reminder that although positive evolutions have been made in some countries, there is still much to do in order to consolidate the dynamics of changes born thanks to the Tunisian revolution and to the democratic movements. But also, the presence of representatives from Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi and other countries of the region remind us about the challenges at stake in countries facing civil war.

A massive participation – it is reported that more than 70 000 participants and about 5 000 organisations were present – was the de-facto answer to the recent attack at Bardo Museum, located just a couple of kilometres from the Farhat Hached d'El-Manar campus.  Beyond the need to express the rejection of terrorist actions, participants rallied Tunis to show that civil society can be in the forefront to bring sustainable alternative solutions to the economic, social and political crisis present worldwide.

The opening march set the stage for the Forum: citizens’ aspirations to justice, freedom and equality are greater than obscurantism and their will to have an impact on global decisions is stronger than governments’ positions.

A truly “ideas incubator”, the World Social Forum in Tunis provided a space for participants to envision a common narrative for transformative change, building on positive examples from grassroots’ initiatives, connecting local and international struggles for rights and dignity, for a more just and sustainable world, with strong environmental and development accents, notably due to the proximity of the Post 2015 agenda and COP21.

One question unfolding our way back home is how does such kind of dialogue process and space for alternative thinking create the conditions for real political impact and systemic change?

Part of the answer is that another world is not only possible, it is already happening! Citizens’ organisations and movements are definitely instrumental in facilitating this transition process, in scaling up from individual to collective, from local to global, from social to political. New institutions and governance systems are necessary to support this change. Otherwise the growing crisis faced by millions of citizens may soon lead to a new “barbarian” age.

 

News from the Forum
 
Create Europe. Our Opinion has power / NGO Forum / Riga / 2-3 March 2015. ECF took part in Latvian Presidency NGO Forum. It gathered circa 250 people representing NGOs, policy and decision-makers, opinion leaders and experts, including EEA Countries. ECF participated in this framework, at the drafting process of the conference background document: Roadmap for the implementation of Article 11(1) and 11(2) TEU Towards better EU Civil dialogue and involvement of citizens for better policy-making. Read more...
 
 
ECF held its General Assembly in Riga on 4th March 2015, alongside the NGO Forum, as a way to keep up with the dynamic of mobilising civil society during the EU Presidencies, initiatd by the ECF in 2008 when the first NGO Forum was held in La Rochelle, France, during French EU Presidency. Read more about the GA outcomes here...  The ECF AGA also elected its Board of Directors and new Steering Committee. ECF 2014 Annual Report available here...
 

Civil Society Europe General Assembly
 
Since its creation in December 2014 in Rome, Civil Society Europe is gaining solid ground in terms of growing membership, internal organisation, public awareness and institutional support. Following the press launch in the European Parliament on 3rd February 2015 and intense preparatory work of a motivated task force, the next General Assembly will meet on 27 April in Brussels to elect the Steering Committee, whose mandate will be to oversee and co-ordinate the implementation of the aims and objectives of CSE set in its Manifesto. This meeting will also be an opportunity to discuss proposals for action in 2015, mainly the launch of a working group on monitoring shrinking civic space and Human rights across Europe and the organisation of a joint event together with the EYD2015 Civil Society Alliance.
 

News from the network   
 
Citizenship Academy / Hosts Cities in Transition Field trip to Lisbon / 12-15 March 2015. "Our cities are in transition. Also, the role the city fulfild is changing". This is the leitmotiv that guided Cities in Transition (Pakhuis de Zwijger) to Lisbon, Portugal, where they were greeted by ECF member Citizenship Academy. Read more...
 

GONG / Open Data / Governance Principles for the 21st Century / Zagreb, Croatia. As Croatian government will soon be launching its data.gov.hr website, Gong staged, with Code for Croatia, a hackaton on „Governance principles for the 21st century“, supported and hosted by the Zagreb University Computing Centre, took place on 20-21 February in Zagreb. Questioning the availability of data, how data brings added value and profits, confronting freedom of information to the fundamental right to privacy, in light with the UK examples, the conference underlined that although there is still much to be done, any measure of open data provides not only the fuel for democracy – in the sense that openness and transparency foster citizens' trust – but also the raw materials for economic growth, as they can help open new markets and workplaces. Read more…


IRI-Europe / ECI Campaign. Fearing ECI obsolescence, IRI-Europe launches a campaign circulating 12 proposals on how to make an ECI work. Building on the Ombudsman’s 11 suggestions on how to improve a process that otherwise is in real danger of disappearing, the initiative aims at reforming the ECI procedure and tearing down administrative restrictions hindering genuine civic participation. It will hold a public hearing and debate after Commission Report is released (1st April) on 13th April in Brussels at the ECI Day 2015.
 

News from the Institutions

Education / Declaration / 17th March 2015. During the informal meeting in Paris on 17 March, which was honoured by the presence of the French President François Hollande, Education Ministers from the European Union Member States and Mr Tibor Navracsics, the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport adopted the Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education. In light with the recent terrorist attacks in Europe, they wish to highlight the deep link between preservation of these values and education. Indeed, “the primary purpose of education is not only to develop knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes and to embed fundamental values, but also to help young people - in close cooperation with parents and families - to become active, responsible, open-minded members of society”. Although Education remains in the realm of national competence, the EU level should be used as platform for exchange of the best ideas, experiences and practices that will benefit all Member States.
Read more the Declaration here…


Council of the European Union / Justice and Home Affairs / 13rd March 2015. Managing migratory flows, fighting terrorism, ensuring data protection… read more about Council of the European Union meeting on Justice and Home Affairs here… 

 
PNR / Fight against terrorism and protecting data and right to privacy: is it possible? The PNR file is back on the table. Since Europe was hit by terrorist attacks in France and Denmark, the means to fight against terrorism have never been such an urgent matter. The heart of the issue on PNR lies in their compatibility with fundamental rights and the principle of proportionality, an urgent matter for political reasons, but also with regard to the recent ECJ judgement invalidating the data protection Directive. Read more...

 
Services of General Interest / EESC / 11-12 March 2015.  The EESC, together with the Minister for Labour and Social Policy of Poland, is organising an exchange of views on the role of the non-profit sector as a provider of social services of general interest on 11-12 March in Warsaw. Read more…

 
Iceland / EU accession / Full stop. The Government of Iceland decided at its cabinet meeting on 10th March that it did not intend to restart accession negotiations with the EU. Read the letter to the EU here…

 

Agenda
 
08. 04. 2015 / International Romani Day. Read more here and here…

13. 04. 2015 / ECI Day 2015 : Review, Renew, Reset ! / Brussels, Belgium / Celebrations and Debates

15-16. 04. 2015 / OSCE-ODIHR / Civil Society Forum / Enhancing the Participation of Associations in Public Decision-making Processes / Conference. Read more about the conference, the programme...

 
 
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