31.1.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 24/34

1.1

The Northern Dimension Second Action Plan (NDAPII) (1) entered into force in January 2004.

1.2

The NDAPII covers five priority sectors:

1.3

The NDAPII also pays attention to specific regions: Kaliningrad and the Arctic region. It encourages concerted actions by all partners involved to reinforce economic, employment and social policies.

1.4

The NDAPII describes different possibilities for action in these sectors, leaving the practical conduct of actions to interested stakeholders. The ND has no separate budget, but is financed from various EU programmes (i.e. Tacis), the governments concerned, and the International Financing Institutions (NIB-Nordic Investment Bank, EBRD-European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, etc.).

1.5

The European Commission prepares annual progress reports on the implementation of the NDAPII. The 2004 Annual Progress Report refers to a vast number of activities in the five priority sectors. The report also makes reference to the EESC's conclusion that civil society organizations are poorly aware of the ND activities and calls for enhanced public information and further involvement of regional organizations in the implementing and monitoring of the ND activities.

1.6

The implementation of the NDAPII is monitored annually: a meeting of Senior Officials took place in 2004; the Ministerial Conference in 2005, and a Senior Officials' meeting scheduled to take place in the second half of 2006.

2.1

The NDAPII requests a contribution of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in the implementation of the NDAP: ‘To provide for the broad participation of civil society groups in reviewing progress under the Action Plan, it would also be helpful if the EESC would be able to organise annual Forums on the implementation of the Action Plan, bringing together representatives from the social and economic organisations represented in the Committee’  (2).

2.2

The request was based on the EESC's contributions in previous years: the opinions on relations between the European Union and the countries bordering the Baltic Sea (3), on the EU's Northern dimension including relations with Russia (4), on Northern Dimension: Action plan for the Northern Dimension in the external and cross-border policies of the European Union 2000-2003 (5) and on the EU/Russia strategic partnership: What are the next steps? (6); the statements to the ND Ministerial meetings in 1999, 2001 and 2002; the conclusions from the two ND Conferences (Forums) arranged by the EESC in 2001 and 2003.

2.3

The EESC responded positively to the Commission's request and decided to gather information about the CSO's views on:

2.4

The CSOs' views were in 2004 collected with a questionnaire, which was widely distributed to civil society organisations in all the countries concerned, and through fact-finding missions to Gdansk, Kaliningrad and Riga.

3.1

The EESC was represented in the Senior Officials' meeting in October 2004, and it presented conclusions and recommendations in a report to the meeting (7).

3.2

The general conclusion about the CSOs involvement in the Northern Dimension Action Plan II was that:

The situation in these three aspects seemed to be more positive in ‘the old’ EU-Member States in the region than in the other states.

There was a general interest among the CSOs, which were contacted, to get more information about the ND and the NDAPII, to be engaged in projects and to participate in the monitoring, both at national and European level.

The EESC proposed that spreading of information to the CSOs about the NDAPII, as well as engaging them in the implementation and the monitoring, should be improved.

The EESC offered assistance in information and monitoring activities at European level, but, at the same time, underlined that the ND activities should be, primarily, at sub-regional, national and local levels, with the intention to involve the authorities and interested CSOs in a constructive interaction.

The EESC supported the principle stated in the NDAPII (8), that representatives of civil society should be encouraged to participate in the annual meetings of the Senior Officials.

It was also proposed that the EU should consider some additional aspects during the NDAPII:

3.3

These recommendations are still relevant.

4.1

The EESC expressed in the 2004 report its intention to provide a contribution to the Ministerial Conference in 2005, as well as to the Senior Officials' meeting in 2006, based on the same criteria as in 2004.

4.2

The EESC has in the context of the newly established Eastern Europe Contact Group (EECG) carried on its activities in the field of the Northern Dimension. The EECG is composed by members of the EESC and handles the Committee's activities towards the Eastern European countries. The aim of these activities is to support the EU's policies to improve relations with the East-European countries, to contribute with the views of the civil society organisations in this context, and to establish direct contacts with CS actors in these countries.

4.3

The EESC has spread information about the Northern Dimension through own contacts and by referring to the Commission's Northern Dimension Information System (NDIS).

4.4

The EESC has, as part of the preparation of the opinion, distributed a questionnaire to approximately 100 civil society organisations. The Committee has also discussed ND with Russian CSOs during the preparation of the EU-Russia opinion. The conclusions in this opinion, therefore, also reflect views of CSOs in Partner Countries.

5.1.1

The survey on general public awareness of the NDAPII was conducted in June 2005. The questionnaires were sent out to various civil society organizations in the countries that are mainly covered by the activities of the Action Plan (the Baltic and Nordic countries, Germany, Russia, including Kaliningrad and Poland). The questionnaire asked for information and views about the same aspects as it did in the previous year: a) the awareness of civil society actors about the ND and the NDAPII, b) the opinion of the CSOs about the ND, and c) the involvement of CSOs in the implementation and monitoring of the NDAPII.

5.1.2

Only 20 responses were received — an indicator that general awareness about the ND and the NDAPII is still very low. This was further supported by the results of the questionnaire — while most of the CSOs answered that they had some awareness of the ND&NDAPII, only in some cases it was obvious that the CSOs had real knowledge about the NDAPII. A third of the CSOs replied that they had heard something about the ND&NDAPII, but, clearly, they had little idea about the aims and contents of it.

5.1.3

Some actors seem to be aware of the few public private partnerships (PPP) in the ND, above all the environmental partnership (NDEP). Several CSOs have, in addition, noted the ND through various regional organisations in the Baltic Sea Region, above all the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS). The employers' (BAC-Business Advisory Council) and the trade unions' networks (BASTUN-Baltic Sea Trade Union Network) have also promoted awareness on ND among their members.

5.1.4

NDAPII is seen by some actors as a programme, which is not concerning CSOs, but rather intended as a political project for regional cooperation between the governments and relevant authorities. This seems to be the case, regardless the Commission's efforts to improve public information through the NDIS-initiative.

5.2.1

Results of the questionnaires clearly show that there have been very few initiatives by the governments, authorities or other associations to inform and involve the CSOs in NDAPII. There were only a few responses that confirmed such an engagement. Relevant authorities have, however, in some countries initiated seminars and workshops, which have addressed the implementation of the NDAPII. This is also the case with regional bodies.

5.2.2

Only a few CSOs have been involved in NDAPII by own initiative. This concerns activities related to strengthening investment conditions in the ND area, cooperation with other associations in the ND countries, debate on future of ND, and generally following the ND developments.

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Labour market issues, employment and social dialogue

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Promotion of small and medium sized enterprises

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Facilitation of trade and economic relations

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Enhancing the conditions for cross-border investments

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Interlinking infrastructure and improvement of transport networks

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Actions to involve civil society actors in the implementation of NDAPII

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Establishment of structures for implementation of the NDAPII

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Allocation of sufficient resources for NDAPII

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Distribution of progress reports on implementation of NDAPII.

6.1

The EESC supports the continuation of regional cooperation in the northern part of Europe through structured, multilateral, cross-border cooperation, which also includes non-EU states in the region. The Northern Dimension seems to be well suited for this aim.

6.2

The EESC supports intentions to link the ND to the EU-Russia cooperation and the Four Common Spaces. The EESC has in its recent opinion ‘The contribution of civil society to EU-Russia relations’ (9), para 3.2.5. stated: ‘The EU and Russia should also work together to revamp regional cooperation — the Northern Dimension… The EESC is pleased to note that this aspect has also been duly taken into account in the Road Maps and encourages further measures to develop regional cooperation as part of the EU-Russia relations’.

6.3

Successful regional ND cooperation would require that Russia properly participate in the preparation and implementation of future ND policy. Mechanisms for cooperation in this context, for instance a joint steering council should be considered, also taking into account the other non-EU countries in the region.

6.4

The EESC underlines the recommendations in its opinion on EU-Russia relations that civil society matters should be upgraded in the EU-Russia Road Maps, and that civil society actors should be involved in the EU-Russia cooperation. One should among others consider ways to establish a structured consultation of CSOs in the future ND mechanisms.

6.5

The five sectors of ND cooperation are relevant for the future. One should, above all, take advantage of the positive experiences of the concept of ND partnerships (environmental, social and health, information-technology). Serious consideration should, in this respect, be given to the creation of partnerships in the following areas:

6.6

Existing regional bodies in the Baltic Sea Region, above all the CBSS, should have a central role in the forthcoming ND exercise. The civil society organisations would in this context have a fair opportunity to be involved in and to contribute to the ND through their own regional cooperation networks and their established links to the aforementioned bodies.

6.7

The EESC reiterates its recommendation from 2004 that spreading of public information about the ND should be strengthened. Upgrading of the NDIS is needed for this purpose. The EESC also stresses that information should, above all, be spread nationally and locally, as it is the responsibility of the governments and relevant authorities in the states concerned. Better information would stimulate broader interest in the ND and encourage civil society actors to increase their participation and contribution.

6.8

The financing of ND-partnerships should be determined on case by case basis, and also the governments and the International Financing Institutions (IFIs) should have a central role in this respect. The Norwegian and EEA financial mechanisms would as well be beneficial in spurring above all joint cross-border ND-actions. The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) should become topical from beginning of 2007.

6.9

The EESC will carry on its ND-related activities and has the intention to contribute to the Senior Officials' meeting in 2006. The contribution may reflect also conclusions, based on the Committee's discussions with CSOs in the partner countries. The EESC would be prepared to contribute to further considerations on the future implementation of the Northern Dimension.