Civil Society Dialogue - I

Civil Society Dialogue - I

The European Commission strategy for accession negotiations with Türkiye is based on three pillars. The first pillar is designed to support the reform process in Türkiye. The second pillar sets out the framework for accession negotiations. The third pillar concerns the strengthening of political and cultural dialogue through civil society in Türkiye and the EU. With the aim of enhancing mutual understanding by bringing people together, this inclusive dialogue also will involve civil society. The European Council endorsed the European Commission recommendation and broadened its scope by stipulating that "parallel to accession negotiations, the Union will engage with every candidate state in an intensive political and cultural dialogue. The long-term objective of the dialogue is to prepare civil society from the EU and candidate countries for future enlargement."

In 2005 the European Commission adopted a Communication that establishes objectives and priorities for further development of a civil society dialogue between the EU and Candidate countries[1]. 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.

The 2006 Pre-accession Assistance Programme for Türkiye includes a project titled: Promotion of the Civil Society Dialogue between European Union and Türkiye. It provides for implementation of four Grant Schemes amounting to 19,3 MEUR and aiming at intensifying and diversifying the contacts between:

i) Towns and Municipalities (5 MEUR);
ii) Professional Organizations (3 MEUR);
iii) Universities (9,3 MEUR) and
iv) Youth Initiatives for Dialogue (2 MEUR), Depending on the absorbtion capacity and quality of proposals the Contracting Authority reserves the right to reallocate the remaining funds from one component to another component.

The Grant Schemes will address issues that will contribute to better informing the  public opinions from the EU and candidate countries, by addressing the opportunities as well as the challenges posed by future enlargement, encouraging a discussion on perceptions regarding everyday culture and values expressed by the society and the state on both sides, increasing bilateral exchanges, thereby contributing to the sharing of experience, the adoption of best practices and the increased participation of civil society in the political, cultural and economic development of Türkiye and supporting the further development of a lively and vibrant civil society Türkiye, which is key to the consolidation of human rights and democracy, in line with the political criteria for accession.

Universities Grant Scheme Programme
Towns and Municipalities
Youth Initiatives for Dialogue Grant Scheme
Professional Organizations Grant Scheme

 COM (2005) 290 "Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Civil Society Dialogue between the EU and Candidate Countries,
(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2005/com2005_0290en01.pdf).