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Do not forget the future European citizens!
A Manifesto to make the EU involve citizens and the civil society in the accession process
di Staff
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network – BCSDN, made up of 14 main civil society development organizations from Western Balkans countries and EU Member States (Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia), is calling on the new Parliament and the new Commission to not forget the future European citizens once they take office. The manifesto calls on:
– sustaining the enlargement agenda fully on course amidst the economic crisis and uncertain future of the Lisbon Treaty;
– immediate effect of the Schengen visa liberalization, based on criteria defined in the Roadmaps.
In particular, in order to be able to support the reform agenda the civil society sector needs:
– clearer and more accessible EU funding and procurement guidelines; sustainable EU funding for civil society development in the potential and candidate countries in the Western Balkans remains sustainable and is programmed in consultation with civil society in light of withdrawal of other external donors and lack of alternative sources from national and the private sector funding;
– enabling legal and financial environment for civil society is put in place as part of the political criteria for progress towards EU membership as a long-term strategy for sustainability of the sector after accession;
– Governments are held accountable to fulfil their commitments for development of civil society and civil dialogue as part of the political criteria for progress in the EU integration process;
– growing initiatives for a more open, transparent and structured dialogue between civil society and the EU institutions are reflected in stronger inclusion of the civil society of the future EU member states in the policy dialogue regarding EU Enlargement.
The full Manifesto is available here.
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