‘Promotion of Civil Society Dialogue Between EU & Turkey’ P roject

1. ‘Promotion of Civil Society Dialogue Between EU & Turkey’ Project An EC financed project, implemented by Turkey’s Secretariat General for EU Affairs (EUSG)‏

2. Contents of this Presentation • What is Civil Society Dialogue • Background & Context to the EU-Turkey Civil Society Dialogue (CSD) Project • Objectives & Components of CSD • Examples of emerging Good Practice in CSD • Immediate Challenges & How To Address Them !

3. What is Civil Society Dialogue ?

4. EC’s Strategy for Accession Negotiation is based on 3 pillars : • Support to reform process • Provide framework for negotiations • Strengthening political & cultural dialogue The long term objectives of this third pillar are to prepare civil society from the EU and candidate countries for future enlargement and to assist them in contributing to the process

5. European Commission Communication in 2005 : ‘...establishes objectives and priorities for further development of a civil society dialogue between the EU and Candidate countries. It aims to bring citizens and different cultures, political and economic systems closer in order to bridge the information gap, achieve better mutual knowledge, thus ensuring a stronger awareness of the opportunities as well as the challenges of future accessions. ‘

6. Definitions EC Communication focuses on the broadest and most inclusive definition : “all society structures outside of Government and Public Administrations” (but including local self-government structures)‏ The Civil Society Dialogue project focuses particular on parts of Turkish Civil Society that are least engaged with the Accession process, or which have, up until now, had little support in the process, or which show the greatest unrealised potential.

7. Recent Developments and Related Programmes • Connections between Turkish CSOs and counterparts in EU beginning to increase (eg. Through Framework Programmes for Research, Bridges of Knowledge scheme, municipal twinning activities, Culture in Action grant scheme, support to NGO platforms and study visits, EuroChambers)‏

8. Recent Developments and Related Programmes It is vital that the current CSD Project builds on past achievements and the ongoing, emerging dialogue between EU and Turkish social partners

9. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Objectives • To strengthen contacts and mutual exchange of experience between civil society in Turkey and the Member States of the European Union; • To ensure better knowledge and understanding of Turkey within the European Union, including Turkish history and culture, thus allowing for a better awareness of the opportunities and challenges of future enlargement; • To ensure a better knowledge and understanding of the European Union within Turkey, including the values, on which it is founded, its functioning and its policies.

10. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Components of CSD • Grant Schemes • Universities • Youth Initiatives for Dialogue • Towns and Municipalities • Professional Organisations • Translation & Interpretation Facility

11. Universities Professional Organisations Towns & Municipalities Youth Initiatives Translation/Interpretation Facility 28 Projects 25 Projects 41 Projects 25 Projects Estimated 40 activities Av.17mths Av.14mths Av. 15mths Av. 13mths Av.275000 EUROS Av. 133000 EUROS Av. 151000 EUROS Av. 81000 EUROS Av 7500 EUROS Total 7.7MEURO Total 3.3 MEURO Total 6.2 MEURO Total 2 MEURO 0.3 MEURO Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Scope of Components

12. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9Project Partners from EU & Candidate Countries

13. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 What are the grant projects doing ? What expected results ?

14. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9Examples Bringing EU standards and methods for community awareness-raising to the Fire Dept of Kayseri Municipality with cooperation from German fire-fighters from Duisburg

15. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Examples Establishing a network of Youth NGOs, with hubs in Turkey, France, Greece, & FYROM, to share information and practices on EU policies towards sustainable development

16. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9Examples Piloting a model for organic farming to promote tourism on the island of Gokceada, by applying experience & practices from Sardinia

17. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Examples The Universities of Akdenis in Antalya and Hamburg in Germany developing an EU Information Centre that will support research and dissemination on EU policies for communities in southern Turkey.

18. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Examples Applying Anthropological research networks to better understand how EU Agricultural Policies impact on rural communities, in a programme implemented between Marc Bloch University in France, Leiden University in the Netherlands, and Bilkent in Turkey.

19. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9Examples A Turkish Association for Architects is establishing a working relationship with a similar association in Germany to assist Turkish architects and urban planners to learn more about the policies and practices in the EU which effect the built environment.

20. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Interpretation & Translation Facility An innovative facility which will assist smaller NGOs and other Civil Society Organisations to receive language support in building up relationships between Turkey- EU partners and holding joint events. Organisations can receive up 10,000 euros worth of translation/interpretation services.

21. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 The Challenges • Turkish Civil Society to become more organised and easier to ‘do business with’ • Matching-making between CSOs in Turkey and the EU - how to find a partner and how to talk to them ?

22. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 The Challenges • Many CSOs (both in Turkey and Member States) are unclear what CSD is, how it might benefit them, and how they can concretely contribute.

23. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 The Challenges • The CSD needs to build momentum, to be scaled up, to draw in more and broader stakeholder groups, and to have an infrastructure that supports sustainability

24. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Addressing the Challenges Ensure that there is a clear message to deliver to CSOs to demonstrate what will be the main contributions of Turkey’s membership to the EU, and most particularly how that membership will benefit an enlarged EU Civil Society

25. Civil Society Dialogue Project 2007-9 Addressing the Challenges Stakeholders in the EESC (including members of the JCC) can assist by : • Helping CSOs find partners; hosting events and study visits; awareness-raising; sharing information (NB Upcoming CSD II grant schemes). • Supporting the CSD Project to expand its database of contacts, to further disseminate promotional materials, and generally by being ‘ambassadors of Dialogue’

26. Thank You If you would like to know more and find ways to contribute to the promotion of the Dialogue, please visit the web pages at : www.csdproject.net Or email or call us : info@csdproject.net Tel. (0090) 312 286 3222