» Most recent actions » Conference "Building a value based EU budget for the future - What role for NGOs?"

Conference "Building a value based EU budget for the future - What role for NGOs?"

Over 90 participants, mostly NGO representatives, attended the Civil Society Contact Group conference on Thursday 24 of January in Brussels on the EU budget review. The morning saw a training session attended by about 70 participants. Warren Krafchik, Director of the International Budget Project, an NGO that "works to enhance the effective participation of civil society organizations in public budgeting in developing and transition countries" made the case for citizens involvement by outlining:

The value that civil society organizations can add to budget negotiations
The types of budget work
Possible changes in budgets
The challenges for advocacy
Successful strategies

Jan Seifert, assistant to Helga Truepel, Green MEP and member of the budget committee, explained how the EU budget currently functions and what the issues at stake in the review are. He explained

The annual budget
The seven year financial framework
The EU's own resources
Examples of successful lobbying

More political discussions toke place during the afternoon session. European Commission representative Vasco Cal (cabinet member of the cabinet of Commissioner Grybauskaite, responsible for the EU budget review) urged the participants to use the opportunity to submit to the Commission their own ideas on the future priorities of the EU. He underlined that this stage was not about amounts but about the headings in the budget. It is crucial to link such a vision to the values as set out in the Lisbon treaty, insisted Roshan Di Puppo, director of the Social Platform. Finding the synergies between sectorial interests of NGOs and at the same time focusing on what the EU can do what member states can not to do on their own is the challenges NGOs are confronted with.

The Civil Society Contact Group will further reflect how to support the participants of the conference in contributing to the consultation and following the review.

Find the conference report (including the presentations) here.

INVITATION

to EU Civil Society Contact Group conference

24 January 2008

Residence Palace, Brussels

European values and policy priorities need to be better reflected in the EU budget. The EU budget for a long time has been the result of negotiations between national interests. It is time for the EU budget to become a real European budget. The ongoing EU Budget review (a consultation is running until April 15) is meant to generate debate about the vision for the EU and how it relates to the budget.

The EU Civil Society Contact Group's conference on January 24 wants to stimulate the debate among NGOs by asking

Which priorities for the EU and how to reflect them in the EU budget?
How can NGOs work in solidarity to influence the future EU Budget?

In the morning session NGOs will have the opportunity to learn more about the EU budget (priorities, management, resources, consultation) and how NGOs can engage in budget work. Please note that the number of participants for the morning session is limited to 55. The seats are all taken. The afternoon conference offers a framework for broader political discussions and you can register until January 22.

Find the program here.

WHY PARTICIPATE?

The conference offers an exceptional opportunity for the participants and speakers to think beyond sectorial concerns and engage in a debate about common priorities for the future of the European Union.

HOW TO REGISTER?

Please send the registration form to coordinator@act4europe.org and transfer the participation fee of 10 Euro to the Bank account 068-2381969-64 (for international transfer IBAN BE29 0682 3819 6964, BIC/SWIFT GKCCBEBB) as soon as possible.

HOW TO PREPARE?

It you wonder what the EU budget review is, didn't know that there was a consultation running on the EU budget and it happens to you to be confused about financial perspective, financial regulation and shared management, then the EU Civil Society Contact briefing on the EU Budget review consultation may be helpful for you.

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Civil Society Contact Group - c/o Social Platform, 18 Square de Meeus - 1050 Brussels Ph : +32-2-511 17 11 - Fax :+32-2-511 19 09 coordinator@act4europe.org // www.act4europe.org © Horus (Xtracms)