Appendix – Opinion of the European Committee
on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1820 (2007)
1. Following
the adoption by the Parliamentary Assembly of
Recommendation 1820 (2007) on co-operation between the Assembly and the Conference
of INGOs, the Committee of Ministers decided to communicate it to
the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ), for information
and possible comments by 15 March 2008.
2. The Bureau of the CDCJ took note of the recommendation of
the Parliamentary Assembly and decided to comment on areas that
are of particular interest to the CDCJ.
3. The Bureau of the CDCJ welcomes the invitation made by the
Parliamentary Assembly to the Committee of Ministers to “encourage
those member states, which have not yet done so, to ratify the European
Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International
Non-Governmental Organisations (ETS No. 124), opened for signature
in 1986” (hereinafter Convention No. 124) (paragraph 2.1 of the
recommendation).
4. The Bureau of the CDCJ underlines that Recommendation Rec(2007)14
of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the legal status
of non-governmental organisations in Europe – which is referred
to in paragraph 2.2 of the recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly
– was adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 10 October 2007 at
the 1006th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies.
5. The Bureau of the CDCJ furthermore notes that the preamble
of Recommendation Rec(2007)14 has regard to Convention No. 124 and
to the desirability of enlarging the number of its contracting parties.
6. The Bureau of the CDCJ recalls that, like the other steering
committees, the CDCJ has an important role to play in evaluating
the status of the existing Council of Europe legal instruments in
its areas of competence and, where necessary, their implementation
in member states, as well as disseminating good practices.
7. Therefore, in accordance with its tasks of implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of standards, as defined in its terms
of reference and in its Action Plan for 2008-2010, the CDCJ will,
should financial and human resources permit, raise awareness of
Convention No. 124 and Recommendation Rec(2007)14, and promote legal
reforms aimed at increasing NGO participation in Council of Europe
member states, thus contributing to fulfilling the Warsaw Action
Plan, Chapter I, item 3, paragraph 5.
