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Spotlight on civil dialogue in Central and Eastern Europe

At the Annual Conference of the Social Platform, SOLIDAR co-organised, together with Mental Health Europe, a workshop to discuss the role of European networks as a capacity-builder, mediator and facilitator of information flow between national and European level. Mental Health Europe presented the 'National Focus Points' which they recently set up as one model to improve information flow and increase capacity building of national members to get more involved in European level policy processes. A second presentation under the auspices of SOLIDAR highlighted structures and processes of civil dialogue in the Czech Republic.

In his contribution, Karel Schwarz, President of the Association of NGOs in the Czech Republic (Associace NNO), started by sketching out the main legal and financial framework conditions for the operation of NGOs. He further explained the structures of NGO umbrella organisations and the framework set up to work in partnership with government and public authorities. Based on examples from different sectors and ministry portfolios, he went on to describe processes of civil dialogue within this structural framework. Even though there have been some achievements, many shortcomings still exist. A positive point being that in the field of social services, NGOs are part of a joint working group; but this is counteracted but the fact that social NGOs have barely been involved in any processes around the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion, with their contributions and assessments being mostly ignored.

A detailed report from this workshop including the agreed recommendations will be made available in early 2009.

Detailed information on MHE/SOLIDAR Workshop| Karel Schwarz's presentation in German | English and text (in German)