Minutes of the meeting

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Meryl Cain
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1 The Steering Committee meeting April, Prague In attendance: Jeff Lovitt, Vugar Bayramov, Markijan Zelak, Aytakin Asgarova, Ivana Skalova, Jan Pieklo, Andrei Yahorau, Lilia Carasciuc, Oleksandr Sushko, Kristina Vaiciunaite, Boris Navasardian, Leila Alieva, Hennadiy Maksak, Nikolai Kvantaliani, Ivane Chkhikvadze, Rostyslav Dzundza, Tsvetelina Borissova Filipova Regrets: Daiva Kvedaraite, Aleksandra Kujawska Secretariat was represented by Director of the Secretariat Natalia Yerashevich and Communication Manager Ivanna Volochiy. I. Decisions of the Steering Committee Minutes of the meeting 1. Adoption of Policy Memorandum on NATO security policy concerning Russian military intervention in Ukraine The Steering Committee drafted and adopted a policy memorandum addressed to the EU and NATO decision- makers, in which it calls upon NATO and NATO members to respond with maximum speed and urgency to the security threat now facing Europe through the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Full Policy Memorandum 2. The sixth annual meeting of the EaP Civil Society Forum in Tbilisi - - The dates have been set to November 20-21, 2014; - - Task force on the organisation of the annual meeting has been established. It includes Ivane Chkhikvadze, Kristina Vaiciunaite, Nikolai Kvantaliani, Lilia Carasciuc, Ivana Skalova, Leila Alieva, Hennadiy Maksak; - - SC discussed the application form and the selection of participants for the coming annual meeting; - - Lessons learnt from the previous annual meeting of the Forum were discussed: - - Panels and welcome speeches: smaller panels; provide more opportunities for comments and interaction with the audience; more creative, provocative debates; fewer welcome speeches; include officials in the thematic discussions; parallel session on the strategy of the Forum is needed - - Elections: electoral team should be assigned beforehand and be given clear instructions; election monitors should be selected from those in the status of observers - - Declarations: Should be submitted a week before the Forum so that the resolutions committee can prepare them for adoption; the committee has to follow on how Resolutions are implemented; all the adopted resolutions need to be available online and be easy to locate at the website; - - Strategy discussions: 1

2 - - A report on the activities of the Steering Committee should be presented; more attention should be paid to the impact the Forum has managed to produce; more space for strategic discussion is needed in the form of parallel session that will focus on priority setting for Forum s activities; - - Venue: the panellists should not be too far from the audience; rooms for break- out sessions need to be easy to find; more clear announcement of what is going to happen and where. 3. Advisory Board It has been decided not to pursue the creation of the advisory board as it might complicate already complicated organisational structure of the Forum and the value- added is not guaranteed. 4. Closing of the annual account of the Secretariat The Steering Committee closed the annual account of the EaP CSF Secretariat for The General Assembly will need to approve the Management Letter and the closed account. 5. EaP CSF Strategy The Strategy inputs are planned to be finalised during the next couple of months. Inputs from NPs and WGs that have not submitted it yet are expected by the 1 st of June. The input of WG1 will be submitted after the WG meeting in June. It was decided by the next Steering Committee meeting in June to produce the factsheet on how the Forum affected the EAP with a yearly perspective. The information will be prepared by each National Platform and will cover the regional dimension as well. 6. Funding Priority Regional Civil Society Facility. Secretariat will apply together with 6 organisations from the EaP countries (to be determined in cooperation with the Steering Committee) focusing on the activities within the WG frameworks. Several organisations of the WGs might also apply creating a consortium. Co- funding for the operating grant for the Secretariat will need to be found for CSF representation at the Policy Forum for Development (PFD) It was decided that a report from Vazha Salamadze on his participation in the meetings of the Policy Forum for Development and in general expectations from a CSF delegate in PFD need to be requested so that the SC is able to take a more informed decision on how to elect/nominate the second CSF delegate to the Policy Forum for Development. 8. Annar Mammadli nominated for Vaclav Havel Human Rights Award The Steering Committee has decoded to nominate Anar Mammadli, chair of the Azerbaijan- based Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center and member of the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF in 2013 for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Anar Mammadli is currently held in custody on trumped- up charges. 9. The dates of the next SC Committee The dates have been set for June. 2

3 II. Meetings: 1. EU- Russia Civil Society Forum 1 Steering Committee: Stephan Melle, German- Russian Exchange; Harry Hummel, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Rostislav Valvoda, People in Need - - EU- Russia Civil Society Forum came up with the idea to create a "Civil Society Contact Group" with representatives from EU, RU, UA on the basis of both CSFs. It will focus on what can be done in the current crisis between Ukraine and Russia with emphasis on how the societies has evolved in the last few months, including possible monitoring activities in the Eastern Ukraine and Russia and creating a network on the anti- propaganda. The idea has been supported by the German MFA that also suggested to host an official presentation of both CSFs in the 2nd half of June. The civil society contact group is scheduled to meet in Berlin on the 20th of May. EaP CSF will come with suggestions who to include into the contact group and what it will be like. - - Proposal from the EaP CSF on developing a common position on situation in Ukraine and Media propaganda in EaP countries and Russia. The idea of a joint media project was discussed. Proposal on joint actions on fighting Russian propaganda - - Proposal of the EU- Russia CSF on developing a joint position on the importance of common values, human contacts and human rights and democratic values. - - Visa liberalization for Russian citizens as a theme for common statement has been questioned; however an issue of political prisoners - as common advocacy issue for the EaP and Russia has been put forward. 2. Meeting with Stephan Malerius, Team Leader of the project Strengthening non- state actors capacities to promote reform and increase public accountability implemented by KAS Mapping studies of the civil society landscape in EaP are ongoing to be presented in May Difficulties to conduct mapping in Ukraine due to rapidly changing environment and in selection of sociological institutes in authoritarian environments (Azerbaijan and Belarus). Request from the team leader to National Platform of Azerbaijan to provide help with experts for the mapping studies. Support from other NPs is needed on the experts and trainers on policy dialogue. Capacity development 6 face- to- face trainings are planned, also seminars on monitoring policy implementation. Trainings on proposal writing and grant making and training for the civil society organisations on dialogue with authorities are ongoing. 3. Meeting with Victor Cotruta, Strengthening the capacities of the National Platforms project implemented by REC Moldova Project activities in EaP countries: 1 EU- Russia Forum was launched in Prague in Current structure consists of 120 COSs with half from the EU and half from Russia; Forum s Secretariat set up in Berlin at the beginning of

4 - - Armenia: National Platform conference on the 26 th of February and WG1 meeting beginning of March; - - Azerbaijan: campaign on raising awareness on WTO accession with two meetings with COSs and Ministry of economy (held in Jan- Feb) and a civil society training (35 participants). - - Belarus: preparatory meeting in advance of the Working Group 4 meeting in Brussels; advocacy trip of the NP with 3 representatives to Brussels (March). - - Georgia: policy paper on Green economy and a policy paper on benefits of DCFTAs and agriculture market integration for Georgia economy; 100 copies of leaflet printed. - - Moldova: NP meeting; meeting with the EU Delegation; civil society meeting on post- Crimea crisis with a position paper produced in three languages. Communication activities of the NP: a Weekly 45- minute live show is running on a radio station on topics such as EaP, visa liberalization, DCFTA, etc. The radio show will continue until Parliamentary elections in Moldova in November. 3 leaflets have been prepared concerning DCFTA vs Customs Union, visa liberalization, and agriculture topics. - - Ukraine: WG5 meeting conducted. Selection on the project proposals of Working Groups to be funded are at the final stages and will be announced in June latest. III. Briefs from the Steering Committee members Ukraine: The National Platform is working to unite those who advocate for territorial integrity of Ukraine. Overall there is a positive tendency of working with a new government which does not only proclaim European integration but also listens to the demands of the civil society and pushes the reform agenda under difficult circumstances. Members of the National Platform work with parliamentary fractions and the government by suggesting changes to legislation: public procurement and anti- corruption laws; the law on public broadcasting abolishing state- owned television in Ukraine; economic regulations compatible with DCFTA. The Platform will be monitoring Presidential elections. Civil society advocates for an early parliamentary elections as well as for decentralization versus federalization of Ukraine. The support for NATO membership of Ukraine has increased from 20 to 40 %. The National Platform will include many new faces as result of Euromaidan activities. Establishment of EU- Ukraine civil society platform as stipulated in the Association Agreement. NP is taking part in the negotiation process of identifying stakeholders with European Economic and Social Committee and how the new platform will look like. The EESC is suggesting the model (duplicating EESC structure: trade unions, employers unions and civil society), in which 2/3 of the seats in the new structure will be taken by the entities, some of who were the leaders of anti- maidan and supporters of Yanukovych regime, which is not acceptable to the NP. NP will provide a legal analysis of the formulas used in AAs and will provide its suggestions. Armenia: NP priority consolidation for pro- democratic forces supporting the European choice of Armenia. An alliance will be formed based on three pillars: political parties, civil society and individuals. Since April NP has a secretariat (registered entity) with 3 staff members. 4

5 Azerbaijan: Nomination of Anar Mammadli for the Vaclav Havel Award. Continued pressure on human rights activists Olympic games to be held in Baku should be used to push the Azeri government to respect human rights. Belarus: More intensive diplomatic contacts EU- Belarus; steps forward on visa facilitation, however civil society does not have a place in the process. Dirk Schuebel, EEAS visited Belarus and proposed to set up regular meetings with NP and the Delegation in Minsk. The meeting will take place in May. Due to the Ukrainian events (and its coverage by Russian media) pro- European mood is diminishing with 51% of population wanting to join the Customs Union and only around 30% - the EU. Nine political prisoners remain behind the bars; and it is not clear if they are going to be released before the Hockey Championship. Freedom House and Amnesty and NP will join to call for release. Activities and campaigning of the civil society during the Championship are planned. Georgia: Draft law on anti- discrimination proposed by the NP is discussed by the Parliament. Draft law on Legal surveillance drafted by the NP is currently discussed as well. The public broadcaster law, also a priority for the NP, was adopted. NP in Georgia has organised a civil concert to promote European values in Georgia. The Association Agenda was finalised by the Government with no involvement of civil society. Many pro- Russian NGOs appear and get active in the country. However, the public is supporting Georgia- EU integration (83 %). Moldova: Visa- liberalisation entered into force on the 25 th of April; pressure on the government for putting the membership perspective on the table. National Platform is actively conducting pro- EU public campaigns: seminars at the educational institutions; radio programs, etc. Meetings with the Delegation to discuss judicial reform and anti- corruption strategies. Pro- Russian propaganda is going at full- speed. Informational and audiovisual materials with success stories from representatives of different sectors of the economy from new EU member states are much needed. Working group updates: Working Group 1 Working Group meeting will take place on the 17 th of June. Communication: facebook page has been launched and mailchimp is used for mailing lists. Update on the selection process of the submitted proposals under NP strengthening project, including monitoring of elections and public finance, provided. WG2 working group meeting will take place in 14 th of May. The initiative for launching European Economic Integration Index will be discussed at the WG meeting. WG3 coordinators updated on the project proposals submitted under NP strengthening project. Six proposals have been received, and the applicants have been requested to come up with joined proposals to cover three countries each. Facebook page of WG3 will be re- launched. 5

6 The coordinator from Azerbaijan has informed about a conference in Yerevan on climate change; the involvement of WG participants in the Post 2015 agenda preparation; and the Summit on Climate change to take place in NYC in September, where there will be an opportunity to take part in advocacy events. WG5 coordinator updated about the project proposal submitted to be funded under NP Strengthening project, which will involve three countries - Armenia, Ukraine and Belarus. He also talked about the role of the WG5 in Ukraine in the current social policy reforms and changes and influences on the political level. The SC members drew attention to the issues of subgrouping and involvement of members from other EaP countries. Drafted: 6 May 2014 Adopted: 6

National coordinators then reported about the activities of the National Platforms in the six EaP countries:

National coordinators then reported about the activities of the National Platforms in the six EaP countries: On June 6, 2012 the meeting of the Working Group 1: Democracy, Human Rights, Good Governance and Stability of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (CSF) took place in Brussels with more than 60