1. CONCORD WG EPAN Enlargement & lessons learnt sub- group Valentin Burada Civil Society Development Foundation Romania

2. CONCORD WG EPAN Objectives (November 2006)  Forum for bilateral coordination  Exchange techniques and good practices  Tools to enhance public participation  “Twinning” and monitor implementation

3. WG EPAN - Lessons learnt  What have we learnt in terms of: platform building lobby and advocacy financing mechanism ?

4. WG EPAN – Shared experiences (NMS activities)  MVRO - “ODA legal and institutional framework – flexibility in ODA management“, Bratislava, 11-12 December 2006  TRIALOG - Central Training, Tallinn, 24-25 March 2007  Grupa Zaranica – “Official Development Aid Seminar”, Kraków, 18-19 April 2007

5. WG EPAN - Lessons learnt  Do we want to recommend “something” to candidate countries, in terms of: platform building lobby and advocacy financing mechanism ?

6. Lessons learnt - Development cooperation in candidate states (generalization) +  Government support = ~0 (except for weak MFA Development Assistance Units)  Public support = ~0 (lack of information / awareness)  Foreign support (donors) = ~0 -  Support from EC = (?)  Support from European NGDOs (platforms, networks, TRIALOG, CONCORD) = information, training

7. Lessons learnt - Development cooperation in candidate states (generalization) Lack of financial resources (private/public/ foreign) Lack of NGO Involvement (PVD, DE) Lack of information/ awareness (eurocentric/recipient) Lack of public support/approval (legitimacy) Lack of State support (except for weak MFAs’ Development Assistance Units )

8. Lessons learnt - Development cooperation in candidate states  After the accession moment, influencing public policies becomes more difficult (limited leverage for CSOs)  EU and other donor programmes in the pre- accession period aimed at strengthening civil society are not used for creating/strengthening Development Cooperation capacity (ex. Ro/Bg)  Development Cooperation/EU external action is absent from EC Delegations communication strategies and activities

9. Recommendations – to the EC  Recommend the establishment of financing mechanisms, budget allocation and activities for Development Cooperation before the accession  Using EC Delegations’s communication tools for DE and Awareness Raising  EU programmes in the pre-accession period aimed at strengthening civil society should also be used for creating/strengthening Development Cooperation capacity within CSOs  Recommend EC (relevant DGs) to approach, inform, train and involve Finance Ministries in DC programming

10. Recommendations – to EP  Recommend “friendly” EMPs (MPs) from [O]MS to interact with candidate countries MPs and Government officials on Development Cooperation issues

11. Recommendations – to CONCORD/TRIALOG/NGDOs  Identify the right CSOs (committed, capable, sustainable) to work with => need for a good analysis of local CS and environment  Working with local CSOs on concrete issues (strategic planning, lobby & advocacy, DEs, PVDs)

12. Contact Details:  Civil Society Development Foundation Valentin Burada – Project Coordinator Splaiul Independenţei, Nr. 2k, Scara 1, Etaj 4 Sector 3, Bucureşti Tel: +40 21 3100177 Fax: +40 21 3100180 e-mail: valentin.burada@fdsc.rovalentin.burada@fdsc.ro  Romanian NGDO Platform Claudia Iatan – National Coordinator Str. Washington, Nr. 38, Sector 1, Bucureşti Tel: +40 21 3100177 Fax +40 21 3100180 email: office@fond-romania.rooffice@fond-romania.ro claudia.iatan@fond-romania.ro