Thursday 10 May 2012

EPAN (Last?) Spring Meeting

Platforms involved in the EPAN Working Group (the CONCORD working group for members working on Enlargement, Pre-Accession and Neighbourhood) gathered in Brussels on 20/21 March 2012 for the final meeting with TRIALOG as convenor.

The agenda focused very strongly on continuing the internal discussions about the future of EPAN. There are questions about how the group will continue once TRIALOG stops its role as convenor with the end of the TRIALOG IV project in September. Representatives from other CONCORD working groups were invited to join the discussions and input was provided by the Policy Forum and FDR (Financing for Development and Relief).

In addition, a governmental representative attended the meeting as an observer as well as the CSO participants from EU members, the Balkan Civil Society Development Network and FYR Macedonia.

Sessions covered the relevant new instruments proposed for the next multiannual financial framework (European Neighbourhood Instrument ENI and Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance IPA II); the current situation in Serbia, the newest candidate country for EU membership; and subgroup work, where each of the three subgroups reviewed their plans for 2012 and mapped out next steps. The group also welcomed a guest speaker from the cabinet of Commissioner Štefan Füle, who talked to members about the neighbourhood civil society facility, the IPA civil society facility, the instruments and the current status of the European Endowment for Democracy.

Minutes will be sent to participants shortly and will be available soon after on the TRIALOG and CONCORD websites.


Information provided by Rebecca Steel-Jasińska, TRIALOG

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