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Doc. 8873
16 October 2000
Implementation of Committee of Ministers Resolution (93) 38 on relations between the Council of Europe and international non-governmental organisations
Communication of the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
1. In accordance with the revised rules for consultative status as set out in Committee of Ministers Resolution (93) 38 1, the Secretary General has the honour to communicate to the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly the names of the international non-governmental organisations to which he has decided to grant consultative status.
They are as follows:
- Association Europa (Regular academic conferences for administration in Europe);
- Conference of European Rabbis (CER);
- EUROCLIO;
- European Commissions Justice and Peace (Justitia et Pax);
- European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI);
- European Confederation of Workers' Co-operatives, Social Co-operatives and Participative Enterprises (CECOP);
- European Landowners' Organisation (ELO);
- European Network against Racism (ENAR);
- European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA);
- EURORAI;
- Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE);
- Foundation for the Economy and Sustainable Development of the Regions of Europe (FEDRE);
- Frank Internationale Kinderhilfe e.V.;
- Open Society Institute (OSI);
- The Howard League for Penal Reform;
- Union for the Cultural and Professional Future in Europe (UCAPE).
2. The information on which the Secretary General based his decision to add these organisations to the list of NGOs enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe is appended. In the absence of any objection founded on the conditions set out in paragraph 9 of the appendix to Resolution (93) 38 2, the above organisations will be added to the list of those enjoying consultative status at the end of a period of three months following the date of this document.
3. The Secretary General has also decided to grant again consultative status to the World Confederation of Don Bosco Past Pupils' Associations. This organisation was removed from the list of NGOs enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe on 19 February 1998 for failure to fulfil the conditions laid down in Committee of Ministers Resolution (93)38. In the interim period, this NGO has demonstrated its ability to meet the requirements governing consultative status.
4. Since the last communication of 13 January 2000 to the Committee of Ministers, and of 29 September 1999 to the Parliamentary Assembly on the implementation of Committee of Ministers’ Resolution (93)38 (CM(2000)8/Doc 8550), the Secretary General has given thorough consideration to the files of some fifty or so non-governmental organisations seeking consultative status with the Council of Europe.
5. In deciding to grant consultative status to the NGOs listed in paragraph 1 above, the Secretary General took account of the following reports and regulations:
- the provisions of the revised rules for consultative status as set out in paragraphs 2, 5, 7 and 8 of the appendix to Committee of Ministers Resolution (93) 38;
- the fact that the great majority of the organisations interested in having consultative status have already established working relations with different Council of Europe departments on an ad hoc basis. Moreover, both the quality of these working relations and the review of these NGOs' files show that the latter are in a position to make a useful contribution, through their activities, to the work of the Council of Europe in particularly important and topical areas;
- on the other hand, the Secretary General took account of the fact that at their 593rd meeting of 27-28 March 1997, the Ministers' Deputies called upon him "to apply scrupulously Committee of Ministers Resolution 93 (38) on relations between the Council of Europe and international NGOs in order that the Council may take greater advantage of its relations with NGOs in the pursuit of its aims".
6. As for the NGOs to which the Secretary General decided not to grant consultative status:
i. The Secretary General rejected ex officio the applications for consultative status from twenty-one NGOs which did not meet the conditions set out in paragraph 2 of the appendix to Committee of Ministers Resolution (93) 38.
They are as follows:
- Action européenne pour l'Education;
- Alpha Omega;
- Antigone Onlus;
- Association of Professional Women from Moldova;
- Associazione Amici dei Bambini;
- Cadr'express;
- Centre européen des Témoins de Jéhovah anciens Déportés et Internés;
- Centre international d’Initiation aux Droits de l’Homme;
- COJEP Europe;
- European Council of Rudolf Steiner Schools;
- European Students' Society;
- Européenne pour l'Education;
- Fédération européenne des Banques alimentaires;
- Fédération internationale féline;
- Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe;
- Fondation Heri;
- Fondation San Patrignano;
- International Association "CAUCASUS: Ethnic Relations, Human Rights, Geopolitics";
- International Association for the Full Protection of the Wolf;
- Journalists about Children and Women Rights and Environment in Macedonia;
- La maison de sagesse.
ii. Furthermore, the Secretary General considered it appropriate to postpone examining the files of eight NGOs seeking consultative status for a period of two years.
They are as follows:
- ATTAC;
- European Centre for Workers' Questions;
- Fédération européenne des Centres de Recherche et d'Information sur le Sectarisme;
- Fédération des Unions des Consuls honoraires en Europe;
- International Academy of Finance, Economics and Law;
- International Academy of Psychology;
- International Centre for Trade Union Rights;
- Réseau européen Eglise et Liberté.
Although these NGOs do not fully meet the requirements for consultative status at the present time, they nevertheless appear to be in a position to contribute to certain Council of Europe activities. Consequently, these NGOs have been invited to establish initial contacts with the operational directorates concerned on an ad hoc, pragmatic basis. Arrangements for possible fruitful future co-operation with these NGOs might be determined, in years to come, on the basis of the results of those contacts.
iii. A number of NGOs have been invited to complete their files in conformity with the provisions of Committee of Ministers Resolution (93) 38.
7. Moreover, a large number of NGOs have sought details of the procedure for the granting of consultative status and have already given the Secretary General an initial overview of their activities. They have not yet submitted a formal application for consultative status in conformity with Resolution (93) 38, paragraph 7, of the appendix.
8. The Secretary General has been informed that the following NGO enjoying consultative status has ceased its activities:
- International Information and Ecology Parliament.
Association EUROPA
(Regular academic conferences for administration in Europe)
Application for consultative status:
17 July 2000
Founded:
1994
Headquarters:
Faculté de Droit et des Sciences économiques de Limoges, Hôtel de la Bastide (bureau 204), 32, rue Turgot, F – 87000 LIMOGES, tel/fax: +33 5 59 27 46 11, e-mail: europa@unilim.fr.
Aims:
EUROPA is active in the following fields:
- public administration, civil service and public management;
- public services/territorial cohesion and management;
- social protection of citizens and public officials;
- reform of administrative and property law;
- organisation and functioning of the judiciary.
The organisation aims to share European experience in these fields with European countries from outside the EU, especially in central and eastern Europe. It also seeks to assist decision-makers from these countries in the democratic restructuring and modernisation of their administrative systems, and more generally to broaden the scientific knowledge of public officials, elected representatives and citizens from these and European Union countries.
Structures:
Organs:
Executive Board: comprising representatives from the four sections into which the association’s members are divided (founder members, local and regional authorities and public institutions, private-law corporations and private individuals), it decides on the association’s general policy and priority areas.
Bureau: elected from among the members of the Executive Board, it comprises the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary General and manages the association in the period between each general assembly.
Scientific Council: comprising experts and specialists (academics, judges, civil servants and professionals in the field), it is responsible for ensuring the scientific and educational quality of all assignments carried out by the association.
Members:
Honorary members: appointed by the Executive Board for outstanding service to the association.
Benefactors: pay a membership fee and an annual subscription.
Active or affiliated members: through their participation or support, promote the association’s activities and initiatives.
Activities:
EUROPA devises, organises, carries out and enhances:
- visits to provide expert advice, legislative assistance, guidance and appraisal;
- training initiatives and study days;
- research programmes, projects and a website on developments in public services in Europe;
- European colloquies and seminars.
Representation:
The association is represented in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom (in other words, 9 Council of Europe member states).
Personalities:
President: Bernard VAREILLE;
Vice-President: Frederick RIDLEY;
Treasurer: Philippe PAULIAT-DEFAYE;
Secretary General: Michel SENIMON.
Funding:
The organisation’s resources mainly derive from subscriptions, subsidies from European countries’ public authorities and European and international organisations and institutions, assistance from private-law corporations, proceeds from studies, audits or information and training initiatives carried out by the association, donations and bequests.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The EUROPA association, which has already worked with the Council of Europe in conjunction with the ADACS programme and the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on the Budget and the Intergovernmental Work Programme, pursues objectives and carries out activities which are likely to assist the Council of Europe in its work.
Its legal expertise and experience in the field of public services, public administration and policies, at local and regional level, could be called on in activities of the CLRAE. Its
communication means and organisational structures could be used to the benefit of further disseminating information on the Council of Europe's and CLARE's activities.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
Conference of European Rabbis
(CER)
Application for consultative status:
20 April 1999
Founded:
1957
Headquarters:
29 Albert Road, GB - LONDON NW4 2ST, tel: (44) 181 731 9025, 181 455 9960,
fax: (44) 181 209 1565, e-mail: Cllr.ADunner@barnet.gov.uk
Aims:
The CER advises and consults with Rabbinical and lay leaders of Jewish communities throughout Europe on all their communal, social, educational and religious problems. The organisation has been set up to improve the cultural atmosphere in Europe, to assist in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Jewish communities.
Structures:
Organs:
Conference: meets every two years, with an attendance of 130 Rabbis from 22 countries. Its role is to ensure the stability of European Jewry by maintaining Rabbinic standards and providing a leadership platform for the religious heads of European Jewry.
Standing Committee : it is composed of some 20 Chief Rabbis and meets every six months in a different European capital.
Activities:
- establishment of an educational committee which co-ordinates exchange of information and assistance between schools throughout Europe through a headmaster consultative conference;
- establishment of a chaplaincy advisory service in order to increase the number of chaplains on university campuses;
- organisation of seminars and other outreach projects. These cover Jewish education, teacher and leadership training as well as discussion panels and events which involve the local Jewish Community, encouraging and fostering a renewal of Jewish identity;
- organisation of smaller forums to focus on fields of specific interest such as marriage, divorce, combating antisemitism, ecumenical relations, etc ;
- publication of a biannual journal containing articles and reports on complicated judicial and religious issues.
Representation:
The Conference of European Rabbis enjoys a representation in 27 member states of the Council of Europe (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine).
Personalities:
President: Grand Rabbin Joseph SITRUK.
Vice- President: Chief Rabbi Jonathan SACKS.
Secretary General: Cllr A M DUNNER.
Funding:
Donors from Jewish communities as well as various charitable trusts.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The Conference of European Rabbis appears to be the most representative Jewish organisation at the European level. It shares common views and objectives with the Council of Europe as far as intolerance, racism or antisemitism are concerned, and will be able to co-operate fruitfully in Council of Europe activities.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
EUROCLIO
European Standing Conference of History Teachers Associations
Application for consultative status:
November 1999
Founded:
1993
Headquarters:
Juliana van Stolberglaan 41, NL - 2595 CA DEN HAAG, tel/fax: (31) 70 385 36 69,
e-mail: joke@euroclio.nl, http://www.glasnet.ru/~EUROCLIO.
Aims:
- to promote and strengthen the position of history in the curriculum of schools in Europe and the intellectual freedom of the teachers;
- to contribute to democracy, peace, stability and human rights through history education;
- to innovate the quality of history education;
- to support History Teachers Associations as active NGOs;
- to promote the development of Associations of History Teachers in countries where none exists;
- to study the role of Europe and its relations with the rest of the world.
Structures:
Members:
Members: Associations of History Teachers at all levels of education in the member states of the Council for Cultural Co-operation of the Council of Europe.
Associate-members: university institutes, associations concerned with the study of history and its teaching, editors of historical and scholarly publications, etc.
Organs:
General Assembly: held once a year. Each member is entitled to participate in the session of the General Assembly.
Board: consists of at least 5 members and meets on at least two occasions each year. Members of the Board hold office for 3 years and can be re-elected once.
Controlling Body: has two members and a substitute member and is elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years.
Activities:
EUROCLIO runs many international projects in the field of innovation of history education. It organises and takes part in activities such as in-service teacher training, initial teacher training, conferences, scientific research, textbook development, consultancy, curriculum development and assessment procedures.
It is a European-wide network of specialised expertise in the field of history education and is consulted by many organisations. EUROCLIO also constitutes a discussion platform for history educators from Europe.
Representation:
EUROCLIO has 57 member organisations in 36 European countries, among which all member states of the Council of Europe.
Personalities:
President: Sue BENNETT.
Vice-President: Chantal de LASA.
Funding:
Members’ subscriptions, voluntary subscriptions and occasional revenues.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The values and aims of EUROCLIO took as their starting point the fundamental values of the Council of Europe and a lot of the work of EUROCLIO refers closely to the Council’s work on history.
The Council of Europe frequently invites EUROCLIO to be represented at national, regional and multilateral seminars. The contributions of the representatives of EUROCLIO during the seminars organised by the Council are always of the highest quality and greatly appreciated by all the participants in the seminars.
With 57 member associations in 36 countries, EUROCLIO is representative at European level. The membership of EUROCLIO is made up of teachers’ organisations and its activities are aimed at teachers. The organisation is therefore an essential partner in any work that the Council of Europe carries out on history education because of its access to teachers in many countries.
EUROCLIO is an invaluable and enthusiastic partner in the Council of Europe’s work.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
Conference of European Commissions Justice and Peace
(Justitia et Pax)
Application for consultative status:
7 January 1999
Founded:
1969
Headquarters:
(from September 1999 until September 2002)
Österreichische Kommission Iustitia et Pax, Boltzmangasse 14, A - 1090 VIENNA
Tel: (43) 1 317 3517, fax: (43) 1 317 35 17-32, e-mail: iustitiaetpax@bischofskonferenz.at
Aims:
The association, which works within the Catholic Church, studies issues concerning justice, peace, human rights and the development of individuals and peoples. It aims to raise awareness of these issues, foster a critical understanding of social reality, develop people’s ability to analyse situations and take action, and instil a sense of responsibility and active participation. It promotes co-operation between organisations and movements concerned by these issues, working in particular with other Christian churches to achieve its objectives.
Structures:
Organs:
General Assembly: the highest decision making body, consisting of delegates from all 26 Justice and Peace Commissions in Europe. It meets every year to co-ordinate and plan the work of the organisation at European level and to provide guidelines and policies.
Executive Committee: (7 to 11 seats) prepares policy guidelines, implements decisions, prepares General Assemblies and Study Days and oversees the working groups.
European Secretariat: rotates every 3 years with the Presidency, responsible for co-ordination, communication and the organisation of General Assemblies.
Working Groups: permanent or ad hoc working groups, which may be set up by the General Assembly for pre-determined objectives and themes or to assure regional co-operation.
Activities:
The Conference has a three year programme around specific themes. Each theme is addressed with a number of projects and activities, such as study days, regional meetings, working groups, lobby work and reports.
Expertise is tapped from the members and networks of national commissions (church and civic groups, universities, government).
Representation:
Justice and Peace Commissions are active in 24 member countries of the Council of Europe, including 7 central and eastern Europe countries. Commissions also exist on all other continents.
Personalities:
(Presidency and secretariat rotate every three years)
President: Dr Gerhard BITNER.
Secretary General: Norbert WECHTL.
Funding:
Contributions from commissions which are members of the General Assembly, donations and subsidies.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The human rights and social justice work of the Justice and Peace Commissions throughout the world is well known. In the context of Europe, several of the national sections have demonstrated a keen desire to work more constructively with the Council of Europe in this field.
There have been several contacts with the European Commission against Racism and Racism-Intolerance and its secretariat (Directorate General II, Human Rights), notably representation at meetings.
The Commissions are active in many other areas of concern to the Council of Europe in the human rights and social justice field, including the prevention of torture, minorities' rights, asylum and immigration and could in many ways contribute substantially to the work of the organisation.
The Secretary General is, therefore, in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions
(CESI)
Application for consultative status:
1997
Founded:
1990
Headquarters:
Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée, 1-5, B – 1040 BRUSSELS
Tel: +32 2 282 18 60, fax: +32 2 282 18 72, e-mail: cesi.akad.eur@skynet.be,
http://www.cesi-bxl.be
Aims:
CESI is a confederation of European trade unions which defends the professional interests and social interests in a wider sense of its member organisations in relations with European employers and the European institutions and other international organisations. The membership are employees in the public of private sector. CESI defends the idea of a broad policy of contractualisation between social partners in the areas for which they are responsible: employment, salaries, working conditions, etc. CESI advocates a strong and efficient public sector.
Structures:
Organs:
Congress: supreme governing body, convened by the Board, it meets every four years and consists of 100 representatives of member organisations plus the members of the Executive Board. Congress decisions are binding on all CESI member organisations.
Board: supreme governing body between congresses, it is convened by the Executive Board and meets at least twice a year and at least once in the year in which Congress is convened. It consists of one representative of the member trade unions and the Executive Board.
Executive Board: administers the routine affairs in accordance with the decisions taken Congress and the Board. It consists of the President, the six vice-Presidents, the General Secretary and the Treasurer.
Activities:
- opinion in the context of official consultation by the European Commission;
- adoption of position on the social initiatives of the European Parliament;
- seminars on social themes – documentation;
- information of member trade unions – conferences – additional training of members – press releases.
Representation:
CESI is represented in 15 member states of the Council of Europe: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland.
Personalities:.
Secretary General: Ms Ilse SCHEDL.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
CESI is a confederation of European trade unions which defends the professional and social interests in a wider sense of its member organisations in relations with European employers and the European institutions and other international organisations. CESI defends the idea of a broad policy of contractualisation between social partners in the areas for which they are responsible: employment, salaries, working conditions, etc.
CESI is very active in its relations with the institutions of the European Union, notably the European Commission and European Parliament and is willing to develop a constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe and its various bodies. CESI organises a considerable number of seminars and training sessions for members of national trade unions. CESI is represented both in the public and private sectors and embodies a large number of workers in Europe. Thus the Secretary General recommends consultative status be granted to this NGO.
European Federation of Workers’ Co-operatives,
Social Co-operatives and Participative Enterprises
(CECOP)
Application for consultative status:
6 December 1999
Founded:
1992
Headquarters:
Rue Guillaume Tell 59b, B - 1060 BRUSSELS, tel: (32) 2 543 10 39, fax: (32) 2 543 10 37,
e-mail: cecop@cecop.org
Aims:
- research into all economic, financial, social and legal matters regarding the functioning and the development of workers' co-operatives, social co-operatives, and participative enterprises;
- representation of the constituency at European level;
- promotion of cooperative economic and social development;
- creation of partnerships and networks;
- multilateral transfer of information.
Structures:
Members:
Full members: national intersectorial organisations existing within Europe, of which the member organisations are production co-operatives and workers’ co-operatives or social co-operatives in accordance with the principles of the International Co-operative Alliance.
Associated members: sectorial and regional federations which are not full members, and technical and financial organisations and development agencies which act for the benefit of production and workers’ co-operatives or of social co-operatives.
Organs:
Administrative Council/Board of Directors: composed of a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 21 members nominated by the General Assembly.
General Assembly: meets at least once per year and has at its disposal full powers for the achievement of the aims of the Association.
Activities:
CECOP and its members are involved in a broad range of activities. These include legal and fiscal reform with a view to creating a favourable climate for co-operative enterprise development based on solidarity, democracy and self-help, and the building of a sustainable civil society and new approaches to local welfare and economic development, through the creation of social enterprises, in order to create opportunities for people, including those at risk of being excluded for economic reasons or reasons of ability.
To this end CECOP engages in partnerships with universities, local and regional authorities
Representation:
CECOP is a confederation uniting 42 regional and national federations across Europe, representing more than 60,000 production co-operatives, social co-operatives, and participative enterprises at European level.
It is represented in: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Personalities:
Secretary General: Rainer SCHLÜTER.
Funding:
Subscriptions of member organisations.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
CECOP is a well known organisation in the field of social economy, provides work opportunities for vulnerable groups in the labour market and works with the European Commission. The type of co-operatives it represents are present in most of the member states of the Council of Europe.
Considering the useful contribution CECOP could make to the work of the Council of Europe, the Secretary General is in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
European Landowners’ Organisation
(ELO)
Application for consultative status:
15 July 1999
Founded:
1972
Headquarters:
Avenue Pasteur, 23, B - 1300 WAVRE, tel.: (32) 10 23 29 02, fax: (32) 10 23 29 09,
e-mail: elo@skynet.be
Aims:
The ELO aims to defend and promote a prosperous and dynamic rural environment, particularly at European level, by ensuring recognition of the right to property, a fundamental freedom enshrined in Article 1 of the Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. To this end, it takes a stand on various types of land use: agriculture, forestry, spatial planning, heritage, environment and so on.
The ELO informs the public, the media, politicians, European and national civil servants and anyone else with an active role in rural affairs about the facts of rural life; fosters dialogue between representatives of all socio-economic sectors concerned or affected by rural issues; and promotes practical, contemporary local development initiatives in rural areas.
Structures:
Members:
Full members: private rural associations or associations representing private rural landownership in European Union countries.
Affiliated members: associations defending private rural landownership in countries whose application for EU membership has not yet been accepted.
Organs:
General Assembly: meets twice a year and lays down policy guidelines for the organisation.
Governing Board: monitors the practical implementation of the guidelines set by the General Assembly and meets between four and six times a year.
Permanent secretariat: responsible for day-to-day management and contacts with European institutions, other NGOs, etc.
Policy Group: ad hoc meetings of experts to examine technical issues and put forward proposals for action.
Activities:
The ELO houses a collection of studies, which are constantly being updated, on a wide range of topics relating to rural areas. It is involved in a large number of international processes, stating the views of rural landowners on rural issues; helps organise international conferences and seminars; is a founder member of a European forum for discussing rural matters (the European Movement for Rural Affairs – Mouvement européen de la ruralité) and produces a monthly publication on various subjects of interest to its members.
Representation:
The ELO represents twenty national organisations, drawn from all European Union countries, and also has members from the American continent.
Personalities:
President: Johan NORDENFALK.
Funding:
Voluntary contributions, donations, subsidies and revenue from certain initiatives and
campaigns.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The ELO is well represented at European level. The organisation, which makes a serious contribution to property and land use issues, carries weight on account of its members’ experience and technical knowledge.
The ELO’s aims tie in with the Council of Europe’s activities on protecting the environment and the cultural heritage, and its work in the fields of bioethics and ecological tourism.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
European Network Against Racism
(ENAR)
Application for consultative status:
2 July 1999
Founded:
1998
Headquarters:
rue de la Charité 43, B - 1210 BRUSSELS, tel: (32) 2 230 59 30, fax: (32) 2 280 09 25,
e-mail: info@migpolgroup.com, www.enar-eu.org.
Aims:
The European Network Against Racism was established as the culmination of earlier efforts to co-ordinate anti-racist activities across the European Union. The objectives of the organisation are:
- to foster European co-operation between organisations working to combat racism and promote equal treatment and equal rights;
- to facilitate the exchange of information among organisations on European developments in these fields;
- to link existing European initiatives and develop new strategies to combat racism and promote equal treatment;
- to initiate and /or co-ordinate European campaigns for the adoption of legal and other measures in these areas.
Structures:
Organs:
Management Board: manages the organisation. There are 15 Board members representing every member state of the European Union and one or more substitutes. They are elected by the Annual National Meeting and meet at least three times each year.
Annual National Meeting: meets once a year to discuss matters of common concern and European issues, and brings together as many organisations as possible working to combat racism and promote equal rights.
Annual European Meeting: its 32 members meet once a year to give guidelines for the implementation of the programme of action.
General Assembly: sovereign body of ENAR and open for organisations working to combat racism at all levels.
Activities:
Promoting the implementation of international human rights standards and supervision of this implementation by states.
The organisation adopted a programme of action which includes:
- information exchange on policy developments and available budget lines;
- linking initiatives among networks and organisations;
- lobbying and campaigning at European and national levels for anti-racist policies, such as anti-discrimination legislation and equal treatment of migrants and minorities.
Representation:
The European Network Against Racism is represented in all member states of the European Union.
Personalities:
Director: Vera EGENBERGER.
Campaign Officer: Maria Miguel SIERRA.
Funding:
The European Commission supports 90% of the costs of running the network. Other funds are constituted by gifts, contributions and legacies.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The European Network Against Racism has already made useful contributions to the work of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance. It is a serious and dynamic organisation, which is able to represent the values of the Council of Europe.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association
(EPSA)
Application for consultative status:
2 June 1999
Founded:
1978
Headquarters:
13, Square Ambiorix, B - 1040 BRUSSELS, e-mail: epsa@pharm.uu.nl
Aims:
The European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association develops the interests and opinions of European pharmacy students and encourages contact and co-operation between them.
Structures:
Organs:
General Assembly: primary decision-making body of EPSA. It is held at least once a year.
Executive: President, Vice-President, Secretary General, Treasurer, Student Mobility Officer, Promotion and Support Officer, Newsletter Editor and Past-President. Its role is to manage the affairs of EPSA and to co-operate with members.
Editorial Board: not more than four persons who are appointed by the existing members of the Executive and who are responsible for the EPSA Newsletter.
Reception Committee: elected member organisation responsible for organising the annual congress.
Sub-Committees (finance; education; promotion and support; student mobility): not more than four persons including the chairperson, responsible for completing tasks assigned to them by the Executive or General Assembly.
Activities:
In order to fulfil its objectives, the association has the following activities:
- maintenance of a permanent web of contact and exchange of information for and between pharmacy students and their representative organisations;
- development of a campaign to increase the mobility of European pharmacy students particularly for periods of academic, practical or research work abroad;
- development of a consensus of opinion between European pharmacy students on pharmaceutical education and other issues relevant to their interests and the profession of pharmacy;
- development and organisation of activities which serve to increase the profile of pharmacy students and the profession;
- organisation of an annual congress.
Representation:
EPSA has member associations in 29 member states of the Council of Europe (Austria; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; Malta; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; United Kingdom).
Personalities:
President: Diogo CRUZ.
Funding:
Membership fees.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
EPSA is a very active organisation, representative as far as European pharmacy students are concerned. Good co-operation has already been established with the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field of the Council of Europe, and the Secretariat of the European Pharmacopoeia would welcome co-operation with this NGO.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to the European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association.
European Organisation of Regional External
Public Finance Audit Institutions
(EURORAI)
Application for consultative status:
13 March 2000
Founded:
1992
Headquarters:
C/ San Vicente, 4, E - 46002 VALENCIA, tel: (34) 96 387 64 50, fax: (34) 96 387 64 17/19, e-mail: eurorai@sindicom.gva.es
Aims:
EURORAI is a co-operation project among regional external public finance audit institutions. Its purpose is to facilitate exchange of experiences, and to allow progress in the common field of financial control in the respective regional and local public sectors, which guarantees a better use of public funds.
EURORAI has the following objectives:
- to foster and promote co-operation among audit institutions;
- to promote exchanges of knowledge and experience in public finance auditing;
- to keep its members informed about the legislation, organisation and operation of the various public sector audit bodies;
- to promote studies regarding the audit of public finances;
- to foster exchange programmes and training courses for the officials of the institutions which are members of EURORAI;
- to establish a proper definition of the terminology used in each country in order to facilitate the harmonisation of public finance auditing methods.
Structures:
Organs:
Congress: assembles all members of the association every three years and establishes the policy lines which aim to achieve the objectives of the association.
Management Committee: consists of seven members, out of which three are full members (president, vice-president and secretary general), and meets at least once every year to carry out all the tasks entrusted to it by the Congress.
General Secretariat: carries out the decisions adopted by the Congress and the Management Committee.
Activities:
The organisation has several publications, which consist of informative leaflets, collected papers, quarterly bulletins and comparative studies on the legal framework, procedures and practices of regional and local public finance audit institutions in Europe.
It also organises seminars addressed to all members and interested third parties, technical meetings and workshops.
Representation:
EURORAI has member organisations in the following countries: Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Personalities:
President: Bernard LEVALLOIS.
Funding:
EURORAI is financed through: members’ subscriptions; grants; donations and other funds provided by national or international entities or individuals.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The aim of the organisation is to guarantee a better use of public funds, to enable making progress in the field of financial control in regional and local public sectors, which is in line with the objectives of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
Considering the competence of EURORAI and the useful contribution it has already made to the Council of Europe, the Secretary General is in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe
(FAFCE)
Application for consultative status:
5 May 2000
Founded:
1990
Headquarters:
28, place Saint Georges, F – 75009 PARIS, tel.: +33 1 48 78 81 61, fax: +33 1 48 78 07 35,
e-mail: fed.afc.europe@wanadoo.fr.
Aims:
The FAFCE’s objectives are to promote, protect and defend families, their members and the specific values associated with them, on a European scale.
Its three main aims are:
- to represent the interests of families and Catholic family movements throughout Europe and co-ordinate its members’ initiatives at European and international level;
- to encourage co-operation between its members and support their activities at national level;
- to support efforts to set up and develop new Catholic family organisations.
Structures:
Bodies:
Presidential Council: the supreme body, comprising the presidents, secretaries general or directors of member organisations, and the Federation’s ecclesiastical adviser. Meets at least once a year.
Members:
Active members: any Catholic family organisation operating at national or regional level, or any family organisation which advocates the same values;
Associate members: any individual or organisation upholding the Federation’s aims.
Activities:
Publishing a quarterly periodical “Echo des familles” with a circulation of 7 000; issuing resolutions and press releases on fundamental issues concerning families; arranging working meetings between members, and international colloquies on general family issues; holding in-depth discussions on topical subjects of European significance.
Representation:
The FAFCE is represented in 19 of the Council of Europe’s 41 member states (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom) and in the United States of America.
Personalities:
President: Jean-François CHAUMONT.
Secretary General: Georges NOTHHELFER.
Funding:
The Federation does not charge subscriptions; members meet their own participation expenses.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The FAFCE is a well-organised pressure group, with important dissemination capabilities. It has had regular contacts with the General Secretariat, is very active in the social field and could contribute to the work of the Organisation in the human rights and social justice fields.
As such, the Secretary General recommends consultative status be granted to this organisation.
Foundation for the Economy and
Sustainable Development of the Regions of Europe
(FEDRE)
Application for consultative status:
January 2000
Founded:
1996
Headquarters:
12, rue de l’Arquebuse, CH - 1204 GENEVE, tel.: (41) 22 807 17 15, fax: (41) 22 807 17 18, e-mail: fedre@bluewin.ch, www.fedre.org.
Aims:
- to give urban and rural regions, towns, economic organisations and firms the chance to raise their own profile and to establish direct relations, fostering sustainable and regional development;
- to support the economy and sustainable development in all the regions of western, central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin;
- to strengthen the regional dimension of political and economic activities in Europe;
- to encourage co-operation between European regions, particularly between Eastern and Western Europe, but also with regions south of the Mediterranean;
- to support endogenous development at local and regional level.
Structures:
Organs:
Foundation Council: the Foundation’s governing body, comprising between three and fifteen members and meeting once a year. One seat is allocated to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe or a person appointed as his or her representative, and another to the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe or a person appointed as his or her representative.
Bureau: comprising between three and five members, is responsible for running the Foundation and ensuring that the tasks delegated to the Council are properly carried out.
Activities:
To achieve its objectives, FEDRE pursues a networking policy, thus establishing a wide range of contacts. The Foundation currently carries out three main activities:
- Euroregions Forums: European forums on subjects relating to decentralised sustainable development as a means of creating jobs and improving the quality of life;
- Euroregions magazine: the bilingual (English/French) magazine Regions aims to assist the exchange of information between regions;
- Euroregions Web: the website covers Greater Europe, including Russia. It contains a comprehensive, multilingual electronic directory of political and economic activities and authorities at local and regional level.
Representation:
The Foundation operates as a network between a large number of local and regional political and economic authorities representing most of the Council of Europe’s member states, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina and a number of Arab countries bordering the Mediterranean.
Personalities:
President: Claude HAEGI
Executive Secretary: François SAINT-OUEN
Funding:
The Foundation is funded by contributions from European local and regional authorities and Assembly members. It may also receive contributions from federal and national governments, private or public organisations, the business community and industry, as well as individual bequests and donations.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
FEDRE was set up as a direct result of the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe in promoting East-West interregional co-operation throughout Europe. Its activities are entirely in keeping with the objectives of the Council of Europe and the Congress.
FEDRE’s activities contribute more specifically towards democratic stability, especially in central and eastern Europe, by encouraging interregional partnerships, technical assistance projects and the pooling of experience. The Foundation can therefore make a contribution to the sections of the intergovernmental programme of activities concerning local and regional democracy, transfrontier and interregional co-operation, social cohesion and quality of life, the environment, urban development and the architectural heritage.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
Frank Internationale Kinderhilfe e.V.
Application for consultative status:
18 May 2000
Founded:
1999
Headquarters:
Sophienstrasse 12, D - 76530 BADEN-BADEN, tel : (49) 721 949206 , fax : (49) 721 949208.
Aims:
Frank Internationale Kinderhilfe e.V. promotes child welfare and a child-centred approach in policy making. This is accomplished by developing child assistance programmes in close co-operation with governments for regions of desperate needs; and
working with an intercultural approach, by using multi-national teams and by running exchange programmes for children in need, as well as professionals working with children.
Structures:
Organs:
Board of Directors: composed of the chairperson, the vice chairperson and the secretary and is elected by the Assembly of Members for a term of four years.
Assembly of Members: it meets once a year to approve the work of the Board of Directors, the annual budget and the annual report.
Activities:
Frank Internationale Kinderhilfe e.V. organises youth and cultural exchange programmes, such as language training, leadership skills, civil responsibility, or cross cultural awareness and understanding.
It also organises seminars on childhood policies and exclusion; project work in employment training of youth at risk; and training of trainers to improve their skill level for social education (positive life skills, prevention of substance abuse) and vocational training.
Other activities consist in training and empowerment programmes for children living in residential care, and helping children with disabilities towards a life away from dependency.
Representation:
The organisation is represented in France, Georgia, Germany, Italy and the Russian Federation. It also enjoys a representation in the United States of America.
Personalities:
Board Director: Dr Nina KOSTINA;
Vice-Board Director: Ronald G. FRAASE.
Funding:
Individual or corporate donations and grants.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
Frank Internationale Kinderhilfe e.V. is a reliable and constructive partner of the Council of Europe in a number of projects, in particular in the Russian Federation. It provides innovative concepts on the Council of Europe’s work with children and practical policy development in child assistance. It also sponsors to a large extent joint projects.
The Secretary General is thus in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
Open Society Institute
Application for consultative status:
3 October 2000
Founded:
1997
Headquarters:
26, rue des Minimes, B – 1000 BRUSSELS, tel/fax: +32 2 505 46 46, e-mail: osi@osi-brussels.be, www.soros.org.
Aims:
The common mission of the Open Society Institute/Soros Foundations Network is to transform closed societies into open ones and to protect and expand the values of existing open societies.
Structures:
Organs:
Board: composed of four persons, who also hold offices in other legal entities of the Soros Foundations Network. Members hold their seats for three years at the most.
Executive Committee: elected from among the members of the Board, it consists of a chair, a treasurer and a secretary.
Activities:
The various entities of the Soros Foundations Network fund and operate an array of activities dealing with the arts and culture broadly defined; the strengthening of civil society; economic development and reform; education at all levels and in diverse subject areas; human rights, with special attention to the rights of marginalised groups; legal reform and public administration; media and information, including publishing and support for libraries; and public health.
Representation:
The Soros Foundations Network is composed of 31 national foundations in central and eastern Europe, South Africa, Haiti and Guatemala.
Personalities:
President and Chair of the Board: Aryeh NEIER.
Secretary (Executive Director OSI Budapest): Katalin KONCZ.
Treasurer (Executive Director OSI Brussels): Mabel WISSE SMIT.
Member of the Board (Deputy Director OSI Budapest): Slobodan NAKARADA.
Funding:
Donations, funds derived from charitable entities, subsidies.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The nature and scope of the activities of the Open Society Institute reflect the same fundamental objectives of the Council of Europe.
In some countries of central and eastern Europe, the Council of Europe has already established excellent co-operation with the local OSIs. In certain cases it has led to "joint action" with very goods results and visibility, in particular in the media field, in work on Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights, in local government activities, and youth co-operation. Consultative status would further encourage such co-operation and enhance joint action in all of these areas.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
The Howard League for Penal Reform
Application for consultative status:
11 May 1999
Founded:
1967
Headquarters:
708 Holloway Road, GB - LONDON, N19 3NL, tel: (44) 171 281 7722, fax: (44) 171 281 5506, e-mail: howard.league@ukonline.co.uk, http://web.ukonline.co.uk/howard.league.
Aims:
- to promote the sciences of penology and criminology, social health, the welfare and constructive treatment of pre-delinquents and offenders;
- to lead the development of penal policy, based on impartial and informed research;
- to educate the public and professionals in the United Kingdom and internationally about good practice in the penal system;
- to demonstrate practical sanctions and develop restorative measures as well as the rehabilitation of offenders;
- to promote the prevention and limitation of criminal and anti-social activities.
Structures:
Organs:
General Meeting: held once a year and presided by the Chair of the Council.
Council: responsible for the management of the organisation.
Executive Committee: meets at regular intervals to ensure policies are formulated.
Activities:
The organisation publishes a number of research papers and reports on subjects such as young people and girls in prisons, life sentence prisoners, child offenders in the United Kingdom and internationally, or development of community service, and thus keeps closely in touch with prison life. Other activities are of an educational nature, training and campaigning. It also delivers demonstration programmes in schools and involves children in its activities, teaching them how to deal with pressure relating to crime and violence, and to find ways to avoid conflict.
Representation:
The Howard League for Penal Reform has individual members in 15 European countries (Austria; Denmark; France; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; Russian Federation; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom; Ukraine) and throughout the world, 7 national affiliated organisations, which represents about 3000 members worldwide, and about 15,000 supporters.
Personalities:
President: Sir John MORTIMER QC
Vice-Presidents: Sir Louis BLOM-COOPER QC, Lady BLAND, Prof Terence MORRIS JP
Chair: Prof Andrew RUTHERFORD
Director: Frances CROOK
Funding:
Voluntary donations.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The Howard League is particularly representative in the fields of its competence at European level, and its work across a range of criminal justice issues is widely considered to be well-researched and authoritative. It has been co-operating actively with the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The organisation is a reliable source of up-to-date information and its thematic work has been used as a point of reference by the CPT when developing its own standards. It also publicises the Council’s work in some 15 Council of Europe member States.
The Secretary General is therefore in favour of granting consultative status to the Howard League for Penal Reform.
Union for the Cultural and Professional Future in Europe
(UCAPE)
Application for consultative status:
27 September 1996
Founded:
1993
Headquarters:
Maison des Associations, c/o FAIB, B – 1050 BRUSSELS, e-mail: ucape@be.tf, http://www.ucape.be.tf.
Aims:
The UCAPE aims to offer encouragement to as many educational and training institutions as possible that are keen to instil a deep-rooted, rewarding European awareness in their pupils and students. The organisation’s goals are:
- to support European educational establishments in their many forms, whether state-run or private, denominational or secular, and the provision of initial and/or further training by technical experts;
- to assess and enhance the European dimension in teaching and training programmes involving different European countries, in association with firms;
- to develop an educational approach to European culture for all ages and all examination syllabuses, with the emphasis on European citizenship;
- to organise and/or step up exchanges and all forms of communication between students, teachers, researchers and firms in all disciplines and technical fields;
- to devise high-quality cultural and vocational training programmes and introduce examination certificates that are recognised throughout Europe;
- to specify criteria and qualification standards certifying different levels of training.
Structures:
Organs:
Governing Board: comprising twelve members elected by the General Assembly, it meets two or three times a year and is elected every two years.
Bureau: comprising five elected members, it holds three meetings a year.
Activities:
The UCAPE organises a variety of exchanges, such as meetings between teachers from different disciplines, meetings between young people, work experience for students from different countries and European colloquies.
The organisation has devised the European Diploma of Competence (DEC – Diplôme européen de compétence), a qualification certifying a high level of training with a European dimension, in accordance with the European Union’s directives on the recognition and equivalence of qualifications. It also houses a documentation centre containing numerous studies on subjects of European significance.
Representation:
Members of the UCAPE may be individuals or legal entities (eg schools, teaching institutions, training centres or cultural associations).
The organisation is represented in France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic and Canada.
Personalities:
President: Jacques DANDOIS.
Secretary General: Serge de LABRUSSE.
Funding:
The organisation is funded by members’ subscriptions.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The UCAPE works to promote the European dimension in young people’s education and training, with the aim of improving the social and occupational integration of European citizens.
The Secretary General is in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
World Confederation of Don Bosco Past Pupils Associations
(CONEA)
Application for consultative status:
1997
Founded:
1911
Headquarters:
Via della Pisana 1111, I - 00163 ROME, tel.: (32) 06 656 12 604, fax: (32) 06 656 12 605,
e-mail: halen@sdb.org, exallievi@sdb.org
Aims:
The Confederation’s general aim is to ensure that its associates, individually and collectively, uphold, further and apply the principles of Salesian education in the family, professional and socio-political spheres. The organisation draws on Don Bosco’s preventive system, which it regards as an invaluable legacy.
Structures:
Organs:
Confederal Assembly: convened by the President every six years, it is the Confederation’s supreme body at global level and comprises the Confederal Presidency-in-Office and the presidents of the national federations.
Confederal Presidency: meets once a year. Its 15 members are drawn from Asia, South America and Europe.
Confederal Executive Committee: meets four times a year and comprises the Confederal President, the Secretary General, the Confederal Treasurer, two advisers (one of whom represents younger past pupils), the General Adviser to the Salesian Family, and a confederal delegate.
Activities:
The Confederation is responsible for co-ordinating a large network of national and provincial federations and local groups. Its main function is to assist its members in their personal development. To that end, it strives to create a fairer society by influencing cultural, moral, spiritual and religious movements, and in particular by advocating family values.
The Confederation carries out studies, particularly in the field of education, and organises a variety of conferences and meetings. It also produces a range of publications at local and national level in all its member countries, on matters concerning education, young people, Salesian spirituality and so on.
Representation:
The Confederation is represented in eleven European countries, and also includes a large number of federations from the American continent, Asia and Africa.
Personalities:
President: Antonio PIRES.
Vice-President: Alex DOCKERS.
Secretary General: Tommaso NATALE.
Funding:
Contributions from members and donations from well-wishers.
Opinion of the Secretary General:
The World Confederation of Don Bosco Past Pupils Associations is a serious organisation which is well established worldwide.
The Secretary General is in favour of granting consultative status to this organisation.
1 Paragraph 8 of the appendix to Resolution (93) 38:
"The decision to grant an organisation consultative status shall be taken by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in accordance with the above rules. The Secretary General may also take into consideration the main priorities of the Council of Europe programme of activities and possible proliferation of organisations in a given sector of activity.
However this decision will be submitted for tacit approval to the Committee of Ministers and to the Parliamentary Assembly. To this end the Secretary General shall inform the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly at least once a year of the names of the organisations concerned, together with those items from the relevant files which are necessary for the assessment of each case and his or her reasons for suggesting that they be added to the list. In the absence of any objection founded on the conditions set out in paragraph 9 below, the said organisations will be added three months later to the list of those enjoying consultative status."
2 Paragraph 9 of the appendix to Resolution (93) 38:
"During the three-month period, a member of the Committee of Ministers or three members of the Assembly of different nationalities may request that an examination be made of the file of any applicant organisation. In the former case, the examination shall be made and the decision to add the name to the list shall be taken by the Committee of Ministers. In the latter case, the Committee of Ministers shall defer its decision until it has received a recommendation from the Assembly acting on a report from its competent committee."