Brussels, 19th September 2019
While the European Parliament committees are preparing their questions for the hearings of Commissioner-designates starting on 30th September, about 200 civil society organisations from across Europe co-sign an open letter to MEPs drawing their attention on the missing elements in President-elect Von der Leyen’s mission letters and portfolios.
As pointed out in the letter, in an echo to numerous reactions from across Europe, the signatories deplore “unacceptable nominations or unfortunate titles of portfolios”. They notably find it “unacceptable that a former Justice Minister from the Hungarian government is given the responsibility to monitor the Rule of Law in accession and neighbouring countries” while he contributed to dismantle it at home.
The open letter reminds MEPs of their longstanding commitments to develop civil dialogue under the provisions of article 11 of the TEU, urging them for support to reconsider mission letters accordingly. The mandates should cover the whole spectrum of civil dialogue tools. With regards to its field expertise and connection with citizens, organised civil society should be explicitly considered as a valuable dialogue partner for policy making and evaluation. Our demands come in support of the concerns and proposals put forward by Civil Society Europe in a Roadmap for Civil Dialogue in Europe.
Raffaella Bolini, Vice-President of the European Civic Forum and a long-term activist with ARCI in Italy says that “recognising our role, defending and protecting our space should be a key responsibility of the European institutions willing to uphold the European democratic project.”
“Today, the EU is not just a union of nations and states and of markets and money, it is also a union of citizens.” adds Roger Casale, Vice-President of the European Civic Forum and Founder of New Europeans. “The European Commission needs to up its game and demonstrate that civil society actors can operate safely across the whole of the EU.”
“We are in a critical juncture with the European Union” as believes Jean-Marc Roirant, President of the European Civic Forum. “This Commission and the newly elected Parliament must set a priority to protect civic space and make sure that the voice of civic associations and movements is heard in European processes, alongside the voice of the social partners and corporate interests”.
A real dialogue between institutions and a vibrant and independent organised civil society is vital for an open civic space, a healthy democracy and strong social justice as it allows people to organize themselves, amplify their voices and be heard at local, national and supranational level. Let us see that the Commissioners’ mandated recognise it!
[ENDS]
Press contact:
Alexandrina Najmowicz / anajmowicz@civic-forum.eu
Note to the editor:
The full letter is available on the website of the European Civic Forum and will be regularly updated with the list of signatories (see below).
European Civic Forum – Europe
SOLIDAR – Europe
A Buon Diritto – Italy
Academia Cidadã – Portugal
Anne Frank Stichting – Netherlands
ANO pro Evropu – Czech Republic
ANIMAFAC – France
ARCI Associazione – Italy
AEGEE Europe – Belgium
AEDE France
AEDE Europe
ANACEJ – France
Asociace NNO V Ceske Republice – Czech Republic
Asociace Občanskych Poraden – Slovakia
Asociatia Pro Democratia – Romania
Associação À Praça – Portugal
Association for Democratic Initiatives – ADI – North Macedonia
ATD Quart-Monde – France
Athens network of collaborating experts – Greece
BlueLink Foundation – Bulgaria
Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement – Germany
Cap Magellan – France
Centrum pre Europsku politiku – Slovakia
Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej – Poland
CMJCF – France
CNVOS – Slovenia
Community Development institute – North Macedonia
Coordinamento di Iniziative Popolari di Solidarieta Internazionale – Italy
Democracy international e.V. – Germany
Documenta – Spain
Europa Haz – Hungary
European Association for the Defense of Human Rights – Belgium
European Institute Foundation – Bulgaria
Movimento Europeo – Italy
ENNA Europe – Belgium
Fondation pour la Solidarité – Belgium
Federation of Polish Organisations – Poland
Jeunes Européens – France
Jeunesse au Plein Air – France
La Ligue de l’Enseignement – France
Latvijas Pilsoniskā alianse – Latvia
Le Mouvement Associatif – France
Les Francas – France
Ligue des Droits de l’Homme – France
Maison de l’Europe Paris – France
SMART – Croatia
Stefan Batory Foundation – Poland
Citizens Network Watchdog – Poland
Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation – Bulgaria
Maecenata Foundation – Germany
No Somos Delito – Spain
Opportunity Associates – Romania
Center for the Study of Democracy – Romania
FONSS- Federatia Organizatiilor Neguvernamentale pentru Servicii Sociale – Romania
GO FREE – Asociatia pentru Sprijinirea Societatii Civile – Romania
Documenta – Center for Dealing with the Past – Croatia
Close to You Foundation – Romania
PACT Foundation – Romania
Friends of the Earth Europe – Belgium
Centrum Pre Filantropiu – Slovakia
Clean Clothes Campaign – International
ECNL – European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting – The Netherlands
Estonian LGBT Association – Estonia
Polish Donors Forum – Poland
AOI – Cooperazione e Solidarieta’ Internazionale – Italy
Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego we Wrocławiu – Poland
Bündnis für Gemeinnützigkeit – Germany
Transparencia e Integridade/ Transparency International -Portugal
Roots Research Center-Κέντρο Ερευνών Ρίζες – Greece
Fundacion CIVES – Spain
Nyt Europa – Denmark
Fundatia pentru Dezvoltarea Societatii Civile – Romania
GONG – Croatia
Greek Forum of Refugees – Greece
GSI Italia – Italy
Incijativa za Razvoj i Saradnju – Serbia
Instytut Spraw Publicznych / Institute of Public Affairs – Poland
Interessen gemeinnütziger Organisationen – Austria
Kodanikuhariduse keskus – Estonia
Kesalukioseura ky – Finland
Kretakör Foundation – Hungary
La liga de la educacion – Spain
Ligue Luxembourgeoise de l’Enseignement – Luxembourg
Legal information centre for NGOs – PIC – Slovenia
Legambiente – Italy
National Council for Voluntary Organisations – United Kingdom
Netwerk Democratie – The Netherlands
New Europeans – United Kingdom
NISC – Lithuania
Parlement Européen des Jeunes – France
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations – Scotland
SPIRALIS – Czech Republic
TERA Maison de l’Europe Charente – France
The ECI Campaign – Germany
The Women’s Centre – Ireland
Volunteering Matters – United Kingdom
We Are Europe e.V. – Germany
Youth Work Ireland – Ireland
Open Dialogue Foundation – Belgium
ePaństwo Foundation – Poland
Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V. – Deutschland
Human Rights House Zagreb – Croatia
Europuls – Centre for European Expertize – Romania
ARCI Sud Sardegna – Italy
Open Society Foundation – Slovakia
Foster Europe – Austria
Rights International – Spain
Advocates Abroad – Greece
Open Space Foundation – Bulgaria
Center for Analysis and Socioeconomic Innovation (CAIES) – Romania
Focus Association for Sustainable Development – Slovenia
Open Society Institute – Sofia – Bulgaria
Network of Estonian Non-profit Organizations – Estonia
Netherlands Helsinki Committee – Netherlands
Humanitas – Centre for Global Learning and Cooperation – Slovenia
Open Estonia Foundation – Estonia
CROSOL – Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity – Croatia
Hungarian Helsinki Committee – Hungary
Plataforma Portuguesa das ONGD – Portugal
TERRA Mileniul III – Romania
Center for Public Innovation – Romania
The Resource Center for Public Participation – Romania
Front Line Defenders – Ireland
Circolo Arci Grottaglie – Italy
Womanmate Foundation – Hungary
Asociația Ai vointa Ai putere – Romania
Politiscope – Croatia
U dobroj vjeri – Croatia
Cenzura Plus – Croatia
Peace Institute – Slovenia
Federation of Nongovernmental Organisation for Child – Romania
International Commission of Jurists – Belgium
Eurochild – Europe
Board of the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum – Germany
Kollektiv KINOKAS – Germany
Liga Portuguesa dos Direitos Humanos – Civitas – Portugal
Human Rights International Corner – Italy
NGOs’ Information and Support Centre – Lithuania
Obywatele RP – Poland
Umanotera, The Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable Development – Slovenia