From 20 – 21 November, the EU-Majalat Civil Society Forum 2018 is taking place at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels. This multi-stakeholder event aims at further strengthening the dialogue between the EU and civil society from the Southern Mediterranean region.
Ahead of his participation at the Forum, Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said: “The EU believes that societies are stronger when civil society is empowered and vibrant. However, in some parts of this region, the space for civil society is shrinking. Today's dialogue with the EU is a signal of our support for civil society in the Mediterranean, but also a great opportunity to discuss challenges where the voice of civil society is crucial to future EU cooperation activities”.
The EU-Majalat Civil Society Forum 2018 brings together representatives of the EU and NGOs, trade unions, business associations, think-tanks and practitioners mainly from the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood partner countries. This dialogue, which is for the first time governed by the civil society itself, builds upon previous editions of the Civil Society Forum Neighbourhood South organised by the Commission over the last four years. The event is a unique opportunity for participants to have a say on policymaking and its implementation. Over the course of two days, the Forum will cover four thematic key areas: governance and the rule of law, migration and mobility, economic development and social dialogue, as well as security and countering violence. Cross-cutting topics such as civil society participation in policies, rights-based approach to development and civil society protection will also be expanded upon.
The Forum is part of the Majalat project, a regional initiative supported by the European Union. The project provides an important space to foster exchanges and contribute to a constructive dialogue between the EU and civil society from the Southern Mediterranean region.
Details
- Publication date
- 19 November 2018
- Author
- Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations