The future of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”)

Report | Doc. 12069 | 26 October 2009

Committee

(Former) Committee on Economic Affairs and Development

Rapporteur :

Mr Kimmo SASI, Finland, EPP/CD

Origin

Reference to committee: Reference No. 3451 of 23 June 2008. 2009 - November Standing Committee

Thesaurus

Summary

The European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”) created in 1989 was the outcome of a process that started in 1984. The main idea was that the fortunes of the North and the South are strongly interlinked and that Europe together with other developed nations had a crucial role to play in addressing the social and economic problems confronting humanity.

That is why the North-South Centre was given the dual task of raising public awareness of global interdependence issues and of promoting policies of solidarity in accordance with the objectives and fundamental values of the Council of Europe.

The Centre’s relevance is as important today as it was upon its creation. How can we address the challenges posed by lack of economic and social development, migration flows, hunger and poverty, lack of education and poor health, human rights violations, war and conflict, if we are not aware of their interlinked nature at the world level?

After 20 years of existence, the North-South Centre is taking on a role that is potentially more important than ever. It has developed into an important place of dialogue between cultures and a bridge between Europe and its neighbouring regions. It would therefore be totally logical for the Council of Europe member states to together decide to support its work by joining the partial agreement on the North-South Centre.

Contents

ADraft recommendation

Appendix – Proposals for a new resolution on the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity – “North-South Centre”

BExplanatory memorandum by Mr Sasi, rapporteur

1History of the North-South Centre

2An innovative and visionary idea

3Contrasting results

4Consolidation as the basis for a new impetus

5Activities of the North-South Centre

6Education and youth

7Intercultural dialogue

8Human rights and democracy

9Conclusions

Appendix – Simulated budget of the European Centre for global interdependence and solidarity

A Draft recommendation

1. The Parliamentary Assembly recalls that on its recommendation, the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”) was set up by the Committee of Ministers in 1989, with the dual task of raising public awareness of global interdependence issues and of promoting policies of solidarity in accordance with the fundamental values of the Council of Europe. The North-South Centre was established in Lisbon in 1990.

2. The innovative and visionary character of the North-South Centre was based on the idea that the fate of Europe is intimately bound up with that of the South and that the nations and peoples of the world depend on each other in a complex web of economic, social, cultural and ecological relations, demanding wide-ranging international co-operation and mutual understanding.

3. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the fundamental challenges of world stability lie increasingly in the South and since the tragic events of 11 September 2001 the North-South Centre’s mission of fostering dialogue between the North and the South, in a spirit of respect for human rights and democracy, has become ever more important.

4. The Assembly recalls the originality of the North-South Centre’s management framework, bringing together governments, parliamentarians, local and regional authorities and civil society in a unique decision-making structure.

5. The Assembly notes that the Council of Europe’s last Summit of Heads of State and Government (Warsaw, 2005) recognised the importance of the North-South Centre in promoting intercultural dialogue with the neighbouring regions of Europe and that the Committee of Ministers White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue (May 2008) underlined its significance in adding an important dimension to the international efforts aimed at the promotion of intercultural learning, understanding and political dialogue within and between the different continents.

6. The Assembly welcomes the new strategy of the North-South Centre, approved by its decision-making bodies in spring 2008, setting out a new roadmap for its future role and activities in line with the Council of Europe’s political priorities and concentrating its work on three main lines of action: education and youth, intercultural dialogue and human rights and democracy, thus increasing its effectiveness.

7. The Assembly welcomes also the fact that the North-South Centre has established new co-operation agreements with the European Commission and a number of international bodies, notably the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

8. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 1506 (2006), on the Council of Europe’s external relations, its Resolution 1598 (2008) and its Recommendation 1825 (2008) on the strengthening of co-operation with the Maghreb countries, which underline the role of the North-South Centre in promoting the values of the Council of Europe outside its borders and invite the Maghreb countries to strengthen their relations and co-operation with the centre, as well as its Resolution 1680 (2009) on the establishment of a “Partner for democracy” status with the Parliamentary Assembly, which encourages “the competent authorities of the country to become party to the relevant Council of Europe conventions and partial agreements which are open for signature and ratification …”.

9. In this connection, the Assembly welcomes the accession of Morocco, as the first non-European country to become a member of the North-South Centre on 1 July 2009, and it encourages the other Maghreb countries to follow this example. It welcomes also the recent accession of Montenegro and Serbia as well as Italy’s return to the institution.

10. Nevertheless, the Assembly regrets that hitherto only 19 Council of Europe member states have become members of the North-South Centre, together with the Holy See and Morocco.

11. Given the fact that the North-South Centre has developed into an important forum for dialogue between cultures and a bridge between Europe and its neighbouring regions, it would only be fitting that all the Council of Europe member states should join and share its financing more equitably.

12. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the North-South Centre, the Assembly expresses the strong wish that the Centre should be considerably strengthened and enlarged so as to improve its capacity to assume the role assigned to it by the Warsaw Summit and implement its new strategy.

13. Accordingly, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

13.1 invite all Council of Europe member states, which have not yet done so, to join the North-South Centre without delay;

13.2 consider transforming the North-South Centre’s present status as an enlarged partial agreement into an enlarged agreement, thus bringing in all member states and guaranteeing in this way stability and secure funding, while keeping the door open for non member states of the Council of Europe to join;

13.3 amend, for this purpose and in order to adapt this text to new realities, Statutory Resolution (93) 51 along the lines set out in the Appendix to this Recommendation and following a comprehensive consultative process which should involve notably the Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the Conference of International non-Governmental Organisations of the Council of Europe and the European Union institutions concerned.

Appendix – Proposals for a new resolution on the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity – “North-South Centre”

The Committee of Ministers;

Having regard to the Statute of the Council of Europe adopted on 5 May 1949;

Recalling Resolution (89) 14 establishing a European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity ("North-South Centre"), adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 16 November 1989 at its 85th Session;

Recalling Resolution (93) 51 confirming the continuation of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 October 1993, at the 500th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies ;

Having regard to Statutory Resolution (93) 28 on partial and enlarged agreements, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 14 May 1993, at its 92nd session;

Having regard to Recommendation … on the future of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”), adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on … , reaffirming the added value of the work of the North-South Centre and calling for its enlargement to all Council of Europe member states;

Having regard to the positive opinions expressed by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and by the Conference of International Non-governmental Organisations of the Council of Europeas well as the consultations held with the European Union institutions concerned;

Recognizing the efforts of the North-South Centre to reflect adequately and consistently the Council of Europe’s political priorities as established at the 3rd Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Government in Warsaw (16-17 May 2005) ;

Acknowledging the important work of the North-South Centre in implementing the Council of Europe Strategy for the Development of Intercultural Dialogue adopted in Faro (Portugal) in October 2005 and the recommendations of the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue (2008) ;

Welcoming the growing and positive collaboration between the North-South Centre and regional and international organisations such as the European Union (in the framework of the memorandum of understanding between the Council of Europe and the European Union, signed in May 2007) and the United Nations;

Considering the relevance of the North-South Centre in an ever growing complex international environment and its unique mission of providing a framework for North-South co-operation to increase public awareness of global interdependence issues, promoting policies of solidarity in conformity with the aims and principles of the Council of Europe and strengthening global commitments to universally shared values,

Welcoming the strong and indefectible support from the Government of Portugal since the establishment of the North-South Centre;

Reaffirms the importance and relevance of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity ("North-South Centre"), which shall henceforth function as an enlarged agreement to be managed autonomously as an institution set up by the Council of Europe and subject to the provisions contained in the appended revised statute which enters into force upon adoption of the present Resolution.

Proposals for a revised statute of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity

Article 1 - Aims and Functions

1.1 The aims of the “European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity ("the Centre") are:

• to provide a framework for European co-operation for the purpose of increasing public awareness of global interdependence issues;
• to promote policies of solidarity in conformity with the aims and principles of the Council of Europe and;
• to promote universally shared values by fostering dialogue and co-operation between Europe, its neighbouring regions and the rest of the world.

1.2 The Centre will thus serve to:

a maintain and further enhance a process of quadripartite communication and co-operation between parliamentarians, governments, non-governmental organisations ("NGOs") and local and regional authorities;

b provide a framework, a sounding board and a launching platform for, and give a European dimension to, initiatives by member governments and other actors in the area of multilateral co-operation for sustainable development;

c improve education and information on the fundamental issues of global interdependence and solidarity, and promote liaison between the competent government departments and services of the member countries as regards their public awareness work on interdependence, both directly and in their support of NGOs;

d provide a framework for dialogue and co-operation between the Council of Europe and non European countries or regions, in particular through education, youth co-operation and intercultural dialogue;

e strengthen co-operation and contacts between NGOs from the North and South, active in promoting a better understanding of interdependence and in pursuing solidarity in their various dimensions and issue areas;

f encourage and promote similar contacts at parliamentary and local and regional authorities’ level, building on its quadrilogue network;

g create an interface between Europe and the South to generate new ideas and proposals for constructive relations and to act as a think-tank on interdependence problems;

h develop working relations with the United Nations system, the European Union prior to its accession as provided for under Article 3.4 below and other regional and international institutions and organisations active in relation to global interdependence;

Article 2 - Location of the Centre

The Centre’s premises are located in Lisbon by courtesy of the Government of Portugal.

Article 3 - Membership of the Centre

3.1. All member states of the Council of Europe shall be members of the Centre. [or]

3.1. All member states of the Council of Europe are entitled to become members of the Centre.

3.2 Any other Contracting Party to the European Cultural Convention may join the Centre at any time by notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

3.3. Other states may be invited to accede to the Centre by a decision of the Committee of Ministers taken by the majority provided for in Article 20.d of the Statute of the Council of Europe.

3.4. The European Union is invited to join the Centre.

Article 4 - Organs of the Centre

The organs of the Centre are:

a The Executive Council and the Bureau;

b The Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre.

Article 5 - Executive Council

5.1. The members of the Executive Council shall be designated for a period of three years on the following basis:

a twelve representatives of governments of members of the Enlarged Agreement setting up the Centre, as designated by the Committee of Representatives of Members. These should include appropriate representation from the South;

b four parliamentarians, two of whom designated by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and two of whom designated by the European Parliament;

c four members representing local or regional authorities, two of whom designated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and two of whom designated by the Committee of the Regions of the European Union;

d six members, two of whom designated by the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, and four of whom designated by the Executive Council following proposals by the Bureau, and selected from international non-governmental organisations active in the fields of development, environment and human rights education, intercultural dialogue and youth;

e the Secretary General of the Council of Europe or his/her representative;

f a representative of the European Commission;

g a representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

5.2 The Executive Council shall, within the limits of its financial resources made available for that purpose, decide on the programme of activities of the Centre on the basis of proposals made by the Centre's Executive Director and taking into account programme recommendations made by the Committee of Representative of Members of the Centre.

5.3. The programme and budget of the Centre shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast and a majority of the members of the Executive Council.

5.4. The Executive Council shall meet twice a year in Lisbon or in Strasbourg.

Article 6 - Bureau

6.1. The Executive Council shall elect from among its members a Bureau composed of eight members ensuring that three of them are governmental representatives (including one from the South) and that parliamentarians, NGOs and local and regional authorities are each represented on the Bureau as well as the European Commission and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Among these members, it shall elect a chairperson and three vice-chairpersons representing the different dimensions of the quadrilogue.

6.2 The Bureau shall monitor the preparation and execution of programmes and prepare the meetings of the Executive Council, with the assistance of the Centre's Secretariat.

Article 7 - Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre

7.1. Meetings of the Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre shall be convened in Strasbourg twice a year for the purpose of establishing the financial resources available for the Centre's regular programmes, as well as to determine the contributions to the operational expenditure of the Centre, on the basis of indications from the Executive Council regarding the programmes and envisaged activities.

7.2. During these meetings, the representatives may also pledge voluntary contributions for specific programmes to be carried out by the Centre;

7.3. The representatives shall examine and agree on proposed contributions and grants from other donors to support the Centre and its activities.

Article 8 - Secretariat of the Centre

8.1. The Secretariat of the Centre shall be headed by an Executive Director. The number of staff shall be determined by the Executive Council in the light of the tasks and the agreed programmes of the Centre, and subject to approval by the Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre.

8.2. The secretariat shall in particular:

a prepare programmes for the implementation of the aims and functions listed under Article 1;

b serve as a liaison centre and clearing-house for information on activities concerning global interdependence;

c constitute basic documentation on interdependence issues, in contact with universities and appropriate centres in Portugal and elsewhere;

d maintain working relations with the United Nations system, the European Union and other regional and international institutions and organisations as may be relevant to the programmes of the Centre;

e provide meeting facilities for the organs of the Centre and for activities in pursuance of its aims.

Article 9 - Financial Arrangements

9.1 Expenditure relating to the implementation of common secretariat expenditure and an allocation to the programme account shall be covered by the regular budget of the Enlarged Agreement establishing the Centre, within the limits agreed by the Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre and governed by the financial rules as foreseen for Enlarged Agreement budgets of the Council of Europe;

9.2 Additional expenditure relating to programmes as well as consultants and temporary staff recruited on the basis of specific needs arising from such programmes shall be covered through a special account provided by voluntary contributions made available by members of the centre, the European Union and/or other donors to fund these programmes.

9.3 The travel and subsistence expenses of persons attending meetings of the Executive Council shall be paid by the Member State or the organisation concerned, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Council on the basis of special purpose allocations specified in the budget of the centre.

9.4 The travel and subsistence expenses of persons attending meetings of the Committee of Representatives of Members of the Centre shall be paid by their respective governments or institutions.

9.5 Additional expenditure arising from the organisation of statutory meetings elsewhere than at the seat of the Council of Europe or the premises of the Centre shall be borne by the host country.

B Explanatory memorandum by Mr Sasi, rapporteur

1 History of the North-South Centre

1. The European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”) was created in 1989 and became operational in 1990. It was established in Lisbon at the invitation of the Portuguese Government. In fact the North-South Centre was the outcome of a process that started in 1984, when the Parliamentary Assembly organised the first ever parliamentary conference on the theme of “North-South: Europe’s role” which took place at the Portuguese Parliament in April 1984. The conference adopted the Lisbon Declaration, expressing the idea that the fortunes of the North and the South are strongly interlinked and that Europe, together with other developed nations, had a crucial role to play in addressing the social and economic problems confronting humanity. The declaration also proposed that the Council of Europe organised a European public campaign on North-South interdependence and solidarity. Following further proposals by the Assembly, the Committee of Ministers agreed to the idea and the campaign took place in the latter part of 1987 and 1988.

2. An impressive number of activities and events were organised in virtually all the Council of Europe member states. The European Commission and major international organisations were associated with it. The Chairman of the Honorary Committee of the campaign was His Majesty the King of Spain. The campaign culminated in the Madrid Conference of parliamentarians and non-governmental organisations on “North-South Interdependence and Solidarity” in June 1988. The conference proposed, among other things, to set up a permanent structure to be responsible for continuing the dialogue between North and South in a spirit of respect for democracy and human rights in order to guarantee fair, balanced and sustainable development for all the world’s inhabitants. The Assembly and the Committee of Ministers took over the idea and thus the North-South Centre was born. It took the form of an enlarged partial agreement of the Council of Europe. It was established in Lisbon at the invitation of the Portuguese Government and it became operational in May 1990.

2 An innovative and visionary idea

3. The creation of the North-South Centre at the time was quite an innovative and visionary idea. The underlying philosophy was that the fate of the countries in the North is intimately bound up with the future of those in the South. Nations depend on each other in a complex web of economic, social, cultural and ecological relations. While this interdependence created the need for a better relationship and co-operation with the South, it was also widely recognised that there was still ample room for progress with regard to human rights, democracy and social justice in that part of the world. That is why the Centre had been given the dual task of raising public awareness of global interdependence issues and of promoting policies of solidarity in accordance with the objectives and fundamental values of the Council of Europe. The other originality resides in the fact that the Centre functions on the basis of a “quadripartite” structure involving parliamentarians, governments, local and regional authorities and non-governmental organisations.

4. All the partners in this four-way process take part in the running of the North-South Centre as members of its decision-making bodies. According to its statutes, the Centre operates under the supervision of two organs, the Committee of Representatives of the Members of the Centre and the Executive Council, each meeting twice annually. The Executive Council elects a Bureau which meets four times a year with the aim of supervising the preparation and implementation of the North-South Centre’s work programme and of preparing the meetings of the Executive Council. From the outset the Centre’s work programme has concentrated (in broad terms) on education for global citizenship, on dialogue and capacity-building for solidarity in an interdependent world and on promoting human rights and democratic values in the South. From a methodological point of view, the Centre has essentially a multiplier function and acts mainly as a catalyst in order to achieve its objectives. The Centre has also developed an important youth dimension.

5. The North-South Centre’s relevance is as important today as it was upon its creation. How could we address the challenges posed by lack of economic and social development, migration flows, hunger and poverty, lack of education and poor health, human rights violations, war and conflict, if we are not aware of their interlinked nature? However, after 20 years of its existence, the Centre is taking on a role that is potentially more important than ever. In addition to its well-established activities aimed at increasing public awareness of interdependence issues and promoting policies of solidarity, it is focusing to a greater extent on promoting intercultural dialogue. The relevance of the Centre was strongly heightened by the trauma left by 11 September 2001 and subsequent terrorist attacks in Europe. This in turn had contributed to a greater awareness of the need for dialogue.

6. Consequently, the Heads of State and Government at the Council of Europe Summit of May 2005 in Warsaw made intercultural dialogue a key priority of the Council of Europe. They committed themselves “to a new dialogue between Europe and its neighbouring regions – the southern Mediterranean, the Middle East and Central Asia –”, and they “recognised the role of the North-South Centre in promoting this dialogue, as well as its role of fostering European awareness of intercultural and development issues”.

3 Contrasting results

7. When the North-South Centre was set up by the Committee of Ministers in November 1989 as an enlarged partial agreement ten member states joined it immediately. [(1) Cyprus, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino and Spain.] Several other Council of Europe member states became members the following years: Finland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, bringing the membership to 15 in 1993 when the Committee of Ministers adopted Resolution (93) 51 confirming the continued operation of the Centre. Regrettably, Turkey withdrew its membership in 1994. Until 2001 the Centre’s membership grew to 20 after the accession of Greece, Slovenia, the Holy See, Ireland, Iceland, and Germany. From the outset the European Commission supported the Centre with a grant equivalent to roughly one third of the budget. However, as from 2004, because of a change of the pertaining regulations the Commission withdrew this grant. Needless to say that this caused great problems for the Centre whose work programme and staffing had to be adjusted substantially to this new situation.

8. The Assembly’s report of July 2003 (Doc. 9879, rapporteur Mr. Claude Frey) found the Centre’s financial situation unsatisfactory, owing in particular to a too small membership and to a too great dependency on voluntary contributions. Since the Centre could never count for certain on the payment of these contributions, the planning of activities was accordingly difficult, no matter how necessary and welcome these contributions were. Mr. Frey’s report called for a number of reforms regarding the objectives, functioning and working methods, while reiterating its backing for the Centre and calling on all Council of Europe member states, which had not yet done so, to join the institution. At about the same time two internal audits revealed a number of shortcomings with regard to its functioning. They also stressed the need for its enlargement. In the period from 2005 to 2007 the amount of voluntary contributions diminished considerably which led to a strong reduction in activities. The Centre was further weakened by the sudden departure of Italy in 2006 and even further by the departure of France in 2007, two major contributors to its budget. For all these reasons, the period 2003 to 2007 may be considered as a “crisis” period of the North-South Centre.

9. As any crisis, the one experienced by the Centre gave also rise to new opportunities and challenges that had to be met. Thanks to unrelenting efforts by all those who were convinced of the indispensable nature of the Centre as a credible and unique institution at the European level to foster public awareness of global interdependence issues and the need for solidarity, the Centre took a fresh start by adopting a new strategy in defining its political and strategic priorities.

10. I would like to pay tribute in this context to the outgoing Chairman of the Executive Council, Claude Frey (at the end of March 2009), and the new management put in place at the end of 2007, as well as all those who continued supporting it, even in difficult times. Thanks to all of them and to the continuing support by the remaining member states, the Centre took a new turn for the better. New guidelines for future action were proposed in a strategy document on its future drawn up by the new Executive Director and debated and approved by the Executive Council and subsequently the Committee of Representatives of the member states in spring 2008. This document – which was based on a series of in-depth consultations with the member states and other stakeholders – set out an ambitious but realistic roadmap for the Centre’s future role and activities between 2008 and 2010. Thus, the Centre received a new vitality and new bound credibility.

4 Consolidation as the basis for a new impetus

11. Under the new strategy the North-South Centre’s priorities reflect the Council of Europe’s political priorities, as well as the specific priorities of its member states and other stakeholders. The political and strategic priorities are defined, inter alia, by the attachment to peace and equal dignity of peoples and cultures, and by the assertion of the universal, indivisible and interdependent nature of human rights. As for the Centre’s action, the strategy underlines the importance of sharing experiences, expertise and good practices in the areas of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Furthermore it stresses the imperative of intercultural dialogue, and the necessity of preserving and enhancing cultural diversity in a context of globalisation.

12. The Centre is giving priority for its activities to the Euro-Mediterranean region and to dialogue and co-operation between Europe and Africa. Through its North-South Centre, the Council of Europe thus contributes to two major political processes initiated and implemented by the European Union, the joint Europe-Africa Strategy and the Mediterranean Union, from which, without the Centre, the Council of Europe would be totally absent. Last but not least, working for the future, the Centre concentrates on education and involves young people. In this connection, I must underline the importance of the Three Year Joint Management Agreement on Global Education and Youth Co-operation, providing also for joint financing, signed between the European Commission and the Centre in November 2008.

13. These priorities are not only the priorities of our own societies but also reflect the idea that the Council of Europe’s concerns for human rights and democracy do not stop at Europe’s borders. The North-South Centre assumes its role as the Council of Europe’s “window to the world”. By adopting these priorities, the Centre’s work is better focused and increases its effectiveness. In practical terms, these priorities have led the Centre to adopt a work programme and schedule of activities that can be divided into three main lines of action: education and youth, intercultural dialogue and human rights and democracy, to which its permanent features such as the Lisbon Forum on Human Rights and the North-South Prize award ceremonies strongly contribute.

14. Throughout 2008 and 2009, the North-South Centre strengthened also its role as the Council of Europe’s major tool for dialogue with neighbouring countries, as defined by the Warsaw Summit Action Plan. This was done by the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe’s White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue in May 2008 and the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Europe and the Alliance of Civilizations in September 2008 and the Centre’s participation and co-ordinating role in the new initiative “Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges” launched by the Alliance in Istanbul in April 2009.

15. Another important development was the conclusion of a co-operation agreement between the Centre and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in December 2008, following the example of the one concluded between the Centre and the Parliamentary Assembly in January 2005. These agreements, as well as other existing and new forms of co-operation with international organisations or institutions of direct relevance to the Centre, have increased the usefulness, coherence and efficiency of its action. [(2) The Centre has already strengthened its co-operation with the Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, the Anna Lindh Foundation, the Islamic Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO) the Arab Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (ALECSO) and other organisations or institutions in the Mediterranean region and in Africa.]

16. Further positive developments were marked by the accession of Montenegro on 1 March 2008, followed by that of Serbia on 1 March 2009 and by the already referred to reintegration of Italy with effect from 15 March 2009. [(3) In such circumstances, it is regrettable that Malta decided to cease its membership, and I hope that this decision will be changed very soon.] A furthergratifying development has been the accession of Morocco on 1 July 2009 (as the first non-European country to join the Centre, which is likely to open new enlargement prospects). The Centre has at present 21 member states (nevertheless its highest number ever), two of them being non-member states of the Council of Europe.

5 Activities of the North-South Centre

17. In this chapter I shall report on the main activities of the North-South Centre by giving some examples and details. However it should be realised that it would be impossible to present a complete overview of the Centre’s work in the context of this report. For those interested, I refer to the annual work programmes and other reports of the Centre. Suffice it here to observe that the work programme is ambitious and comprehensive. Given the small budget of the institution, the work is substantial and bears witness to the Centre’s efficiency.

18. The North-South Centre’s work programme is based on the new strategy set out by its statutory bodies in spring 2008. Under this strategy, the Centre will develop activities that are in line with the Council of Europe’s political priorities in general, as well as with specific priorities of its member states or other stakeholders. In this connection, I must especially mention again the 2005 Council of Europe Warsaw Summit, as well as the Faro Declaration on the Council of Europe Strategy for Developing Intercultural Dialogue adopted in October 2005, and the United Nations General Assembly Resolutions in 2006 and 2008, which all expressly referred to the role of the North-South Centre as a key Council of Europe instrument for dialogue and co-operation with the neighbouring regions of Europe.

19. The firm political determination of the Warsaw Summit, to refocus the Organisation on its fundamental mission of promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law, had an obvious repercussion on the Centre’s main mission. The North-South Centre will reflect therefore more clearly and consistently the political priorities of the Council of Europe. This gives the Centre at the same time a particular political significance compared to other institutions in that it can draw on the unique experience of the Council of Europe in guiding the democratic transition process after the fall of the Berlin wall.

20. The strategic document on the future of the North-South Centre (document NSC/EC (2008) 3 of 12 March 2008) presented a clear and coherent vision of the specific assets of the Centre as well as its priorities for the future: Education and Youth, the Intercultural Dialogue, Human Rights and Democracy. The orientations defined in this document (and accompanying concept papers) allowed the Centre to develop its potential as a privileged instrument of the Council of Europe in the Euro-Mediterranean and Euro-African regions, building on the current strategic initiatives of the Council of Europe, as laid down in the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, but also in the context of the European Union and of the United Nations.

21. At the same time, in order to increase its effectiveness and to benefit of new synergies, the Centre has concluded the co-operation agreements already mentioned with the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as well as the joint management agreement with the European Commission designed to promote global education in the new European Union member states and Euro-African youth co-operation. This project will be pursued for a period of three years (2009-2011) with a total amount of approximately €1 300 000, of which the European Commission is providing €900 000 and the Centre €400 000.

22. Another positive development was the addition of a new Euro-African dimension to the existing European Commission/Council of Europe youth partnership. In this context, the North-South Centre was entrusted with the implementation of this dimension as from 2009 on the basis of a 200.000 Euros envelope. This will materialize in three training courses for the year 2009, one aimed at youth leaders, a long-term training course for youth trainers and a training course for African Diaspora youth leaders and youth groups. Furthermore, under the “Union for the Mediterranean” process, it became a founding member of the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI), created in 2008 and it is contributing to the “Mediterranean Cultural Assembly” process, launched in November 2008 by the French European Union Presidency.

23. The Centre also strengthened its relations with the European Union Committee of Regions and the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development, Concord. Last but not least, the Centre established mutually beneficial co-operation with various major actors in the field of global education, and restored productive relations with the Global Education Network Europe (GENE), which historically is an emanation of the Centre.

6 Education and youth

24. The North-South Centre has set up an impressive programme of activities in the fields of education and youth. The general objective of the Centre’s work in this field is to raise awareness of issues of global interdependence and solidarity through education and youth activities. An important aspect is the promotion of relations and human contacts between Europe, the southern Mediterranean and Africa.

25. More specifically, the Centre’s objective is to support the development and enhancement of strategies and capacity-building for global education, targeting institutions and practitioners in the field of global education in the formal and non-formal sectors. The work of the North-South Centre is based on the conviction that global education is a holistic education that opens people’s eyes to the realities of the world, and awakens them to bring about a world of greater justice, equity, and human rights for all. With this in view, global education encompasses development education, human rights education, education for sustainability, education for peace and conflict prevention and intercultural education, all of which represent the global dimensions of education for democratic citizenship. The Centre’s work falls within the scope of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) aimed at contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

26. In the past the Centre’s work has mainly been guided by the Maastricht Global Education Declaration of 2002 – a European strategy framework for improving and increasing global education – which defines a number of priorities, such as defining and understanding global education in an inclusive fashion, supporting national action plans and structures for global education, developing networking strategies at all levels and supporting “peer review programmes”. This declaration has provided the basis for a consultative process that should lead to the adoption of a recommendation supporting global education in the member states of the Council of Europe by the Committee of Ministers in 2010. The formal decision to launch this process was taken within the Steering Committee on Education (CDED) of the Council of Europe in March 2008.

27. Apart from such fundamental work as defining and understanding global education, another set of activities aims at strengthening global education in the new European Union member states, a programme started in 2004 with the financial support of the Netherlands. With the support of the European Commission, the Centre is implementing a new programme (2009-2011) targeted at the member states that have recently joined the European Union, using the earlier programme as a model to develop and strengthen global education in Central and Eastern Europe. Other actions by the Centre to promote global education in Europe are the organisation of the annual Global Education Week and the World Aware Education Award ceremony. Through this award, the Centre’s objective is to promote a vision that every young person in Europe should have access to education for global citizenship and human rights.

28. As regards co-operation in the field of youth, the objective of the Centre’s youth training and capacity-building programme is to empower and recognize young people’s potential for development and change and to promote and increase their role in global and inter-regional development. This includes awareness-raising, global education and intercultural learning and dialogue. The Centre has direct working relationships with representatives of youth structures in Europe and other parts of the world – with governmental and non-governmental organisations working with youth in a North-South context – and facilitates the exchange of experiences and the development of a common approach between different players. The Africa-Europe Youth Summit, organised by the Centre in 2007, was a crucial moment to strengthen the ties between young people in Africa and Europe.

29. Over the years, various training programmes have been on offer by the Centre for North-South and Euro-Mediterranean youth co-operation, as well as Africa-Europe and Euro-Asian training courses. These activities have led to the already referred forms of partnership with the European Commission: (i) the Partnership Agreement on Euro-Mediterranean youth co-operation in the field of training between the European Commission and the Council of Europe, which celebrated its ten years of existence in 2008, and the addition of a new Euro-African dimension to this partnership in 2009 managed by the North-South Centre, and (ii) the Joint Management Agreement with the European Commission in the field of global education and youth work in the context of Europe-Africa co-operation.

30. The University on Youth and Development takes place every year and brings together representatives from youth organisations and movements from all over the world in the Euro-Latin-American Youth Centre in Mollina, Spain. The University’s theme is annually proposed and selected in the framework of the Millennium Development Goals. The University is co-ordinated by the Centre and jointly organised with the Spanish government, the European Youth Forum, the Spanish Youth Council and the Latin-American Youth Forum. On average the University brings together around 300 young participants from all over the world.

7 Intercultural dialogue

31. As I already set out earlier, the North-South Centre’s work to promote intercultural dialogue is based on the political priorities defined by the Council of Europe’s Third Summit and its strategy for the development of intercultural dialogue adopted in Faro (Portugal) in October 2005, which led to the adoption of a White Paper on intercultural dialogue. The design and implementation of the Centre’s activities in this field are directly inspired by this paper. The Centre has set up an Intercultural Dialogue Programme as a privileged framework for debates, exchanges and consolidation of the dialogue between the two sides of the Mediterranean, in the Maghreb and Mashrek in particular, and between Europe and African countries engaged in democratic transition.

32. For this purpose, the Centre has engaged itself in co-operation activities with other international organisations such as the Arab League, the African Union, the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations, and the Anna Lindh Foundation. Under its “Transmed” programme, the Centre has initiated a series of activities among which I may single out those concerning equality between women and men in developing countries, the question of migration and co-development, migration and intercultural dialogue, and the role of media in the fight against stereotypes and as a tool in intercultural dialogue. Building on past experience, the North-South Centre brings expertise and contacts to the tripartite process launched in Rhodes in June 2008 in the form of an Assembly/Knesset/Palestinian Council interparliamentary forum.

33. In January 2008, the Assembly adopted Resolution 1598 and Recommendation 1825 on strengthening co-operation with the Maghreb countries. In these texts, the three Maghreb countries, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are encouraged to join the North-South Centre. Consequently, the then Chairman of the Centre, Mr. Claude Frey, paid visits to these countries which have led to concrete results. In April 2008, the “Encounters of Tangier” were co-organised by the Centre and the French association “Espace alternatif”. This meeting focused on issues of migration and intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean space and resulted in a recommendation to establish a platform on Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue, composed, inter alia, of representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

34. The Centre was also involved in organising two other major events: “the Euro-Arab days for mutual understanding” in Tunis, and the “Conference on constitutional interpretation” in Alger both in October 2008. The former event was organised together with the Council of Europe and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and the latter with the Algerian Constitutional Council and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (“the Venice Commission”).

35. Against this background, the accession of Morocco on 1 July 2009 is a first and promising result. This is likely to open the way to other accessions from countries by the southern shore of the Mediterranean, in line with the Assembly’s own efforts (Resolution 1680 (2009), on the establishment of a “Partner for Democracy” status with the Parliamentary Assembly).

8 Human rights and democracy

36. The holding of the annual Lisbon Forum on Human Rights is a longstanding activity of the North-South Centre. The Forum – which has been held since 1994 – is a platform for dialogue and sharing experiences, expertise and good practices between Europe and the other continents, especially the Middle East, Africa and the countries on the south side of the Mediterranean. It focuses on issues at the core of the mandate of the Council of Europe: human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

37. The Forum has been enriched since 2006 by partnerships with the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The Lisbon Forum, held in October 2008, was devoted to the principle of the universality of human rights and its implementation at interregional and regional level, in relation with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On the basis of this forum a new work programme was adopted for the coming years, focusing on certain issues that attract particular debate and or raise specific difficulties, differences or divergences. Thus the 2009 Lisbon Forum will focus on “Creating a culture of human rights through education”.

38. In the field of human rights and good governance, the co-operation between the North-South Centre and the Venice Commission seems to me particularly important and promising. The two institutions have already fruitfully co-operated in organising, together with the African Institute of South Africa, a Forum on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution in March 2008. The North-South Centre also contributed to the first World Conference on Constitutional Justice, hosted by the Constitutional Court of South Africa in Cape Town in January 2009.

39. The North-South Prize award ceremony is one of the highlights of the North-South Centre. The Prize has been awarded annually since 1995 to two persons, one from the North and one from the South, for their outstanding and exceptional merits in the field of human rights in a North-South context. The Prize ceremony takes place in the Portuguese Parliament with the participation of the President of the Republic of Portugal, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and other high-ranking personalities. The 2008 North-South Prize went to Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan and to the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, former President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio. The list of past awardees includes well-known personalities, but also persons, less well known to the public at large, who had achieved outstanding results in advancing the cause of the poor. The North-South Prize ceremony is a most important aspect of the Centre’s role in advancing human rights and deserves much better attention in all the Council of Europe member states and beyond. This event gives also a high visibility to the Council of Europe as a whole.

9 Conclusions

40. The above overview of the objectives, activities and achievements of the North-South Centre demonstrate clearly its unique vocation in creating a better world in line with the fundamental values of the Council of Europe. This is a great challenge that the Centre has taken up. At the same time it must also be admitted that the Centre has not always received the support it deserves. For a variety of reasons it has passed a difficult period followed by a revival. The implementation of the new strategy, adopted by the Centre early 2008, offers a fresh and promising perspective for its future development. I rarely saw an organisation that achieved so much with so little means. It is high time that the Council of Council of Europe member states show greater solidarity in financing the Centre whose budget in all circumstances remains extremely modest compared with other international organisations of comparable dimensions.

41. It is essential that the Centre’s action reflect the concerns and interests of its member states and other stakeholders. The Warsaw Summit defined the Centre as a major tool for dialogue. On its side, the Assembly has encouraged on several occasions the North-South Centre to promote the values of the Council outside its borders. A logical step would be that all Council of Europe member states would therefore join the Centre so as to enable it to carry out its mandate. Only 19 of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe have joined the Centre to date. It is high time that those among them, which have not yet done so, will join without delay. I also hope that other non-member states of the Council of Europe will follow the example of Morocco, in line with the Assembly’s Resolution 1598 (2008) on strengthening co-operation with the Maghreb countries and Resolution 1680 (2009) on the establishment of a “partner for democracy” status with the Parliamentary Assembly.

42. The implementation by the Centre of the new strategy, the conclusion of new partnerships with other international organisations and institutions and the enlargement with new member states in a relatively short span of time augur well for the Centre’s future. However, the utmost vigilance is required in order to be able to continue this positive trend and adequate financial means should be made available to the Centre so that it can carry out its mandate. It will also be necessary to adapt the existing statutory resolution in order to take into account these new needs and developments. A number of the present provisions do no longer correspond to the real situation. The main idea would be to propose that the Committee of Ministers should transform the North-South Centre from a partial to an enlarged agreement. This would not only guarantee stability and secure funding to the Centre but also preserve its functional and budgetary autonomy while keeping the door open to non-Council of Europe member states.

43. This would seem to me a logical step given the importance the Council of Europe member states declared to attach to the North-South Centre on many occasions. This was again the case in the Faro Declaration on the Council of Europe Strategy for Developing Intercultural Dialogue of 2005, which recalled that the Warsaw Summit had recognised the role of the Centre in promoting intercultural dialogue “together with its mission of fostering European awareness of intercultural and development issues”, and invited “states that do not yet take part in the Centre’s activities to consider doing so”. The White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue was explicit in saying that: “The Council of Europe recognises the contribution of the “North-South Centre” and its essential role. It brings together not only governments but also parliamentarians, local and regional authorities and civil society. Its programme priorities are global education, youth, human rights, democratic governance and intercultural dialogue. The Centre adds an important dimension to the international efforts aimed at the promotion of intercultural learning, understanding and political dialogue within and between the different continents”, and “The “North-South Centre” has developed into an important place of dialogue between cultures and a bridge between Europe and its neighbouring regions”. It would therefore only be logical for the Council of Europe member states to jointly decide to support the Centre’s work by joining the institution

44. Against this background, the main changes proposed to the draft statutory resolution are as follows:

44.1 the name of the Centre (“European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity”) should be left unchanged, as well as its more commonly-known abbreviation “North-South Centre”;

44.2 to bring the Centre’s aims in line with its new responsibilities emerging from the Warsaw Summit documents, a new aim should be added, which could be worded as follows: “and to promote universally shared human values by fostering dialogue and co-operation between Europe and the Mediterranean region and Africa and the rest of the world.”;

44.3 the process leading to a new Statutory Resolution is also an occasion to strengthen the status of the Centre, both within the Council of Europe and in its relations with the outside world: the Centre could be referred to as an “institution” of the Council of Europe (rather than an “establishment”);

44.4 some provision should be added in article 1.2 on the Centre’s role as an interface between the Council of Europe and non European countries, for example: “to provide a framework for dialogue and co-operation between the Council of Europe and non European countries or regions, in particular through education, youth co-operation and intercultural dialogue”;

44.5 the invitation to the European Community to join the Centre (article 3.3) should be replaced by a similar invitation made to the European Union;

44.6 some changes should be made in the composition of the Executive Council : a larger place should be given to the member states (for example 10 or even 12 seats if all Council of Europe member states would participate), divide the four seats for local and regional authorities between the Council of Europe’s Congress and the European Union’s Committee of the Regions (along the lines of the sharing of the parliamentary seats between the Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament) and delete the participation of personalities from the South (we should secure instead the participation of at least two Southern countries among the 10 to 12 member states);

44.7 the “quadrilogue” nature of the Centre should be preserved and the respective powers of the Executive Council and the Committee of Member states should in my opinion not be changed;

44.8 the reference to the Consultative Assembly of the Centre in article 8 should be deleted, as it has proved to be inoperative and has long since not been convened;

44.9 the new resolution could be shortened so as to increase its clarity (a number of existing paragraphs could find their place in the draft rules of procedure of the Executive Council to be drawn up in parallel with the new statutory resolution). This should be kept in mind in future discussions to be held both within the Committee of Ministers and the North-South Centre’s Executive Council;

44.10 finally, the adoption of a new statutory resolution by the Committee of Ministers should be the culminating point of a comprehensive consultative as proposed in the draft recommendation.

45. The table in the Appendix shows what could be the impact of changing the North-South Centre from an enlarged partial agreement to an enlarged agreement as far as the member states’ contributions are concerned. It is based upon a global envelope of the contributions of member states (€1.2 million) and follows the model of the Venice Commission.

46. The North-South Centre will very soon celebrate its 20th anniversary, between November 2009 (November 1989 was the date of the Centre’s creation by a decision of the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg) and spring 2010 (to mark the fact that it will then be 20 years since the first meeting of the Centre’s Executive Council was held in Lisbon). I very much hope that this event will be as joyful as possible. The best present one could give to the Centre on that occasion would be the adoption of a new statutory resolution providing for its enlargement to all Council of Europe member states that have not yet joined by then.

Appendix – Simulated budget of the European Centre for global interdependence and solidarity

Simulated budget of the European Centre for global interdependence and solidarity – Simulation
MEMBER STATES	Population in millions	Gross interior product (millions of US$)	Rate of contribution according to population	Rate of contribution according to gross interior product	Weighted average of columns D(x1) and E(x5) (1)	Application of minimum rate of contribution (2)	Equalisation of rate of contribution main contributors (3)	Application rate maximum contribution Ultimate contribution (4)	Amount payable in €
ALBANIA	3,140	8 307	0,3756	0,0524	0,1063	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
ANDORRA	0,072	2 645	0,0087	0,0167	0,0153	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
ARMENIA	3,025	4 792	0,3618	0,0302	0,0855	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
AUSTRIA	8,230	307 533	0,9844	1,9398	1,7806	1,7665	1,7665	1,7644	21 172,80
AZERBAIJAN	8,391	13 865	1,0037	0,0875	0,2402	0,2383	0,2383	0,2380	2 856,00
BELGIUM	10,461	375 400	1,2513	2,3679	2,1818	2,1646	2,1646	2,1620	25 944,00
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA	4,336	10 266	0,5187	0,0648	0,1404	0,1393	0,1393	0,1391	1 669,20
BULGARIA	7,748	27 649	0,9268	0,1744	0,2998	0,2974	0,2974	0,2970	3 564,00
CROATIA	4,443	39 020	0,5314	0,2461	0,2937	0,2914	0,2914	0,2910	3 492,00
CYPRUS	0,757	21 255	0,0905	0,1341	0,1268	0,1258	0,1258	0,1256	1 507,20
CZECH REPUBLIC	10,228	124 900	1,2234	0,7878	0,8604	0,8536	0,8536	0,8526	10 231,20
DENMARK	5,417	259 967	0,6480	1,6398	1,4745	1,4628	1,4628	1,4610	17 532,00
ESTONIA	1,349	13 869	0,1614	0,0875	0,0998	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
FINLAND	5,247	196 967	0,6276	1,2424	1,1399	1,1309	1,1309	1,1295	13 554,00
FRANCE	60,809	2 143 700	7,2736	13,5217	12,4804	12,3819	13,0196	11,7777	141 332,40
GEORGIA	4,429	6 452	0,5298	0,0407	0,1222	0,1213	0,1213	0,1212	1 454,40
GERMANY	82,442	2 817 067	9,8613	17,7691	16,4511	16,3214	13,0196	11,7777	141 332,40
GREECE	11,103	253 233	1,3280	1,5973	1,5524	1,5402	1,5402	1,5383	18 459,60
HUNGARY	10,088	108 033	1,2067	0,6814	0,7690	0,7629	0,7629	0,7620	9 144,00
ICELAND	0,298	15 000	0,0356	0,0946	0,0848	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
IRELAND	4,137	201 367	0,4948	1,2702	1,1409	1,1319	1,1319	1,1305	13 566,00
ITALIA	58,041	1 781 700	6,9426	11,2383	10,5224	10,4394	13,0196	11,7777	141 332,40
LATVIA	2,302	16 695	0,2754	0,1053	0,1336	0,1326	0,1326	0,1324	1 588,80
LIECHTENSTEIN	0,034	2 780	0,0041	0,0175	0,0153	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
LITHUANIA	3,419	25 966	0,4090	0,1638	0,2046	0,2030	0,2030	0,2028	2 433,60
LUXEMBOURG	0,455	37 000	0,0545	0,2334	0,2036	0,2020	0,2020	0,2018	2 421,60
MALTA	0,404	8 616	0,0484	0,0543	0,0533	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
MOLDOVA	3,596	2 981	0,4302	0,0188	0,0874	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
MONACO	0,034	1 075	0,0040	0,0068	0,0063	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
MONTENEGRO	0,623	2 274	0,0745	0,0143	0,0244	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
NETHERLANDS	16,314	635 267	1,9514	4,0070	3,6644	3,6355	3,6355	3,6311	43 573,20
NORWAY	4,628	297 467	0,5536	1,8763	1,6559	1,6428	1,6428	1,6408	19 689,60
POLAND	38,158	295 200	4,5642	1,8620	2,3124	2,2942	2,2942	2,2915	27 498,00
PORTUGAL	10,552	185 800	1,2622	1,1720	1,1870	1,1776	1,1776	1,1762	14 114,40
ROMANIA	21,893	99 006	2,6187	0,6245	0,9569	0,9493	0,9493	0,9481	11 377,20
RUSSIAN FEDERATION	143,132	776 833	17,1208	4,9000	6,9368	6,8821	6,8821	11,7777	141 332,40
SAN MARINO	0,029	1 222	0,0035	0,0077	0,0070	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
SERBIA	7,439	26 785	0,8898	0,1689	0,2891	0,2868	0,2868	0,2865	3 438,00
SLOVAK REPUBLIC	5,387	47 867	0,6443	0,3019	0,3590	0,3562	0,3562	0,3558	4 269,60
SLOVENIA	2,001	35 008	0,2393	0,2208	0,2239	0,2221	0,2221	0,2218	2 661,60
SPAIN	43,386	1 132 100	5,1896	7,1409	6,8157	6,7619	6,7619	6,7539	81 046,80
SWEDEN	9,035	366 833	1,0807	2,3139	2,1083	2,0917	2,0917	2,0892	25 070,40
SWITZERLAND	7,438	370 767	0,8897	2,3387	2,0972	2,0806	2,0806	2,0781	24 937,20
“THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA”	2,023	5 836	0,2419	0,0368	0,0710	0,1200	0,1200	0,1200	1 440,00
TURKEY	72,276	356 033	8,6453	2,2457	3,3123	3,2862	3,2862	3,2821	39 385,20
UKRAINE	46,985	85 866	5,6201	0,5416	1,3880	1,3771	1,3771	1,3754	16 504,80
UNITED KINGDOM	60,118	2 252 500	7,1910	14,2080	13,0385	12,9357	13,0196	11,7777	141 332,40
SUB-TOTAL	626,473	13 106 365	74,9356	82,6703	81,3813	81,5280	81,4441	99,0082	1 188 098,40
MOROCCO	30,163	52 986	3,6079	0,3342	0,8798	0,8729	0,8729	0,8718	10 461,60
HOLY SEE								0,1200	1 440,00
TOTAL								100,0000	1 200 000,00

Notes:

(1) Main contributors are: Germany, Russian Federation, France, Italia, United Kingdom.

(2) Minimum rate of contribution is 0, 12%.

(3) Maximum rate of contribution is 12, 26 %.

***

Reporting committee: Committee on Economic Affairs and Development

Reference to committee: Reference No. 3451 of 23 June 2008

Draft recommendation adopted by the Committee on 28 September 2009

Members of the committee: Mr Márton Braun (Chairperson), Mr Robert Walter (Vice-Chairperson), Mrs Doris Barnett (Vice-Chairperson) (alternate : Mr Kurt Bodewig), Mrs Antigoni Papadopoulos (Vice-Chairperson), Mr Ruhi Açikgöz, Mr Ulrich Adam, Mr Pedro Agramunt Font de Mora, Mr Roberto Antonione, Mr Robert Arrigo, Mr Viorel Riceard Badea, Mrs Veronika Bellmann, Mr Vidar Bjørnstad, Mr Luuk Blom, Mrs Maryvonne Blondin, Mr Fernand Boden, Mr Patrick Breen (alternate: Mr Frank Fahey), Mr Erol Aslan Cebeci, Lord David Chidgey (alternate: Mr James Clappison), Mr Valeriu Cosarciuc, Mr Kirtcho Dimitrov, Mr Relu Fenechiu, Mr Guiorgui Gabashvili, Mr Marco Gatti, Mr Paolo Giaretta, Mr Francis Grignon, Mrs Arlette Grosskost, Mrs Azra Hadžiahmetović, Mrs Karin Hakl (alternate: Mr Karl Donabauer), Mr Stanislaw Huskowski, Mr Igor Ivanovski, Mr Čedomir Jovanovič, Mrs Nataša Jovanović, Mr Antti Kaikkonen, Mr Oskars Kastens, Mr Emmanouil Kefaloyiannis, Mr Serhiy Klyuev, Mr Albrecht Konečný, Mr Bronislaw Korfanty, Mr Anatoliy Korobeynikov, Mr Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu, Mr Bob Laxton, Mr Harald Leibrecht, Ms Anna Lilliehöök, MrArthur Loepfe (alternate: Mr Theo Maissen), Mr Denis MacShane (alternate: Earl of Dundee), Mr Yevhen Marmazov, Mr Jean-Pierre Masseret, Mr Miloš Melčák, Mr José Mendes Bota (alternate: Mr Maximiano Martins), Ms Lilja Mósesdóttir, Mr Alejandro Muñoz Alonso, Mrs OlgaNachtmannová, Mrs Hermine Naghdalyan, Mr Gebhard Negele, Mr Jean-Marc Nollet, Mrs Miroslawa Nykiel, Mrs Ganira Pashayeva, Mrs Marija Pejčinović-Burić, Mr Petar Petrov, Mr Viktor Pleskachevskiy (alternate: Mr Nikolay Tulaev), Mr Jakob Presečnik, Mr Maximilian Reimann, Mr Andrea Rigoni, Mrs Teresa Rodríguez Barahona (alternate: Mr Alejandro Alonso Núñez), Mrs Maria de Belém Roseira, Mr Giuseppe Saro, Mr Hans Christian Schmidt, Mr Predrag Sekulić, Mr Samad Seyidov, Mr Leonid Slutsky, Mr Serhiy Sobolev, Mr Christophe Steiner, Mr Vyacheslav Timchenko, Mr Joan Torres Puig, Mrs Arenca Trashani, Mr Mihai Tudose, Mrs Ester Tuiksoo, Mr Árpád Velez, Mrs Birutė Vėsaitė, Mr Oldřich Vojíř, Mr Konstantinos Vrettos, Mr Harm Evert Waalkens (alternate: Mr Pieter Omtzigt), Mr Paul Wille, Mrs Maryam Yazdanfar.

NB: the names of the members who took part in the meeting are printed in bold

Secretariat of the committee: Mr Newman, Ms Ramanauskaite, Mr de Buyer and Mr Pfaadt