Roundtable "The Influence of the Lisbon Treaty in International Development Cooperation"

On June 28, 2010, a roundtable on the influence of the Lisbon treaty on the international developmental cooperation was organized by Sloga at the European Commission Representation in Slovenia. Representatives from the government, EU, and NGOs gathered to talk about the novelties that the Lisbon treaty brings with regards to the functioning of the European Union in the field of development cooperation.

Matej Marn, the political director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, talked about the creation of the External Action Service (EAS) and pointed out some issues which are still under discussion, such as the scope, budget, and personnel of the EAS. The head of Office of the European Parliament (EP) for Slovenia, Nataša Goršek Mencin, emphasized the role the national parliaments play in influencing development policy through the cooperation with the EP as well as their respective governments. She also talked about the role of the EP as one of the oversight organs of the EAS. The roundtable continued with the EUROSTEP representative Verena Winkler who provided a critical point of view of the decision-making process at the European level, as too many actors are involved and no clear hierarchy is established. The event was rounded up by SLOGA coordinator Marjan Huč who presented the main novelties and challenges of the Lisbon treaty and the implications they have on the functioning of developmental NGOs.

Information provided by Anja Novak, Sloga