What French NGOs will do during the French Presidency of the EU

France is taking the lead of Europe on 1st of July. This French presidency of the EU is taking place in a particular context, marked by the French rejection of the European Constitutional Treaty by France in 2006 and the recent No from Ireland. Moreover, the European elections and the eventual entry into force of the amended Treaty will closely follow the French EU presidency. The future of Europe will be central in the debates.

The French national association ”Coordination SUD” has foreseen several activities to raise the importance of development cooperation, both at national level and, with CONCORD, at European level. Its presidency program is focusing on Europe’s relationships with countries from the South and more widely Europe’s role in globalisation. Future of Europe will be the cross-cutting theme tackles from different angles.

Advocacy actions towards French and European decision takers, communication and awareness raising activities will be carried out to ensure that civil society’s main concerns are taken into account in the official EU agenda. A manifesto for the French EU presidency by Coordination SUD, is presenting NGOs analysis and demands for the future of Europe and Europe’s relations with countries from the South.

For each theme, a European seminar will be organised:

• Development financing (1 July): in the context of the international summits on aid effectiveness in Accra and development financing in December in Doha.
• Agriculture and development (16 September): in the context of the review of the European budget and the re-evaluation of the Common Agricultural Policy.
• Climate change and development (25 September): impact of global warming on development in the South.
• International conferences on the role of national platforms (27-28 October) and on Europe viewed by the rest of the world (29-30 October, co-organised with CONCORD) with 80 representatives from all over the world sharing their opinions on different aspects of the European external policies and the role of Europe.
• Citizens, Europe and international solidarity (18-19 November): role of citizens in the elaboration of the European project and particularly in regards to development and solidarity.
• Europe-African relations (5 December): after the joint EU-Africa strategy, adopted at the end of 2007, it is necessary to carry on with the analysis and advocacy work that was undertaken under the preceding presidencies on this subject. The aim is to have proposals for a balanced and mutually enriching relationship between the two continents

For further information http://www.coordinationsud.org/ or contact Florence McBain: mcbain@coordinationsud.org
Find soon all information also on: http://www.europe-solidairesponsable.org/

Information provided by Agnes Philippart, CONCORD