Consultation meeting held with CSOs and EESC representatives on Future of Europe

In cooperation with the CSO representatives in the European Economic and Social Committee, the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs organized the fourth thematic meeting on 19^th May 2017, with the aim of encouraging a discussion, a level of awareness and more active engagement on the part of CSOs in the processes of drafting documents and creating European policies.

As part of professional consulting provided to the main EU institutions by giving opinions on the proposals of legislative and other acts, the European Economic and Social Committee organizes national discussions in the EU member states on the proposal of the European Commission of the EU future development, presented in the recently published White Paper on the Future of Europe.

The national discussion among all the three sectors of organized civil society (employees, trade unions and associations) will be held on 29^th May 2017 in the Hall of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, the Roosevelt square no.2, Zagreb. Therefore, the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs, in cooperation with Mr Toni Vidan (from the Green Action Association), a member of the EESC working group for national consultations, organized a preparatory discussion in order to inform civil society organizations about the main views on and scenarios for EU27 until the year 2025 presented in the White Paper on the Future of Europe. The aim of this paper is to encourage an open and comprehensive discussion with the citizens about the development of Europe in the upcoming years.

The representatives of the Office for Cooperation with NGOs explained the aim and concept of the consultation meeting, while Mr Toni Vidan presented the White Paper on the Future of Europe. After this introductory part, the group of 12 representatives of CSOs, members of the Council for Civil Society Development and employees of the Office for Cooperation with NGOs participated in the detailed discussion on the scenarios for EU27 till 2025, with a specific review on the year 2020 when the Republic of Croatia will preside over the European Union for the first time.

Additionally, the Common appeal to European leaders by European Civil Society Organisations and Trade Unions under the title “The Europe we want:  Just, Sustainable, Democratic and Inclusive” from March 2017 was presented. More information about this document can be found here (whereas the Croatian translation provided by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs can be found here).

Everyone who were not able to participate at this meeting, but are interested in this topic, can send their comments and/or answers to the framework questionnaire on the White Paper on the Future of Europe (available here) to the Office for Cooperation with NGOs.  

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