The European Commission strategy for accession negotiations with Turkey is based on three pillars. The first pillar is designed to support the reform process in Turkey. The second pillar sets out the framework for accession negotiations. The third pillar concerns the strengthening of political and cultural dialogue through civil society in Turkey and the EU. With the aim of enhancing mutual understanding by bringing people together, this inclusive dialogue also will involve civil society. The European Council endorsed the European Commission recommendation and broadened its scope by stipulating that "parallel to accession negotiations, the Union will engage with every candidate state in an intensive political and cultural dialogue. The long-term objective of the dialogue is to prepare civil society from the EU and candidate countries for future enlargement."
In 2005 the European Commission adopted a Communication that establishes objectives and priorities for further development of a civil society dialogue between the EU and Candidate countries[1]. It aims to bring citizens and different cultures, political and economic systems closer in order to bridge the information gap, achieve better mutual knowledge, thus ensuring a stronger awareness of the opportunities as well as the challenges of future accessions.
In support of this dialogue process the Turkish Secretariat General for EU Affairs (EUSG) has designed a project titled: Promotion of the Civil Society Dialogue between European Union and Turkey. It is co-financed by the EC and provides for implementation of four Grant Schemes amounting to 19,3 MEUR and aiming at intensifying and diversifying the contacts between:
Towns and Municipalities (5 MEUR)
Professional Organizations (3 MEUR)
Universities (9,3 MEUR)
Youth Initiatives for Dialogue (2 MEUR)
A total of 119 projects have been awarded with grants, ranging in value from 30,000 to 465,000 Euros, with the average project duration being 15 months. The organisations implementing the projects are located all over Turkey, and all have partners from either EU Member States or Candidate countries. In addition to the grant projects, the EUSG is also supporting the process through a range of promotional and facilitation activities. The programme will run until November 2009.
To learn more about the grant-assisted projects and about the organisations implementing them, please take a look at the CSD Project Database.
Objectives of CSD
Through promoting Civil Society Dialogue activities the project expects to :
Strengthen contacts and mutual exchange of experience between civil society in the EU and Turkey
Ensure a better knowledge and understanding of Turkey within the EU
Ensure a better knowledge and understanding of the EU within Turkey
How to join the Dialogue ?
To participate in activities being implemented through the ongoing CSD programme you can :
Sign up for the CSD Newsletter
Send us your comments and/or publications related to CSD
Send us your organisation's announcements about CSD-related activities to publish on this web site
Use the "Find a Partner" link in these web pages to help your organisation identify suitable partners in Turkey and across the EU
Use the "Funding Opportunities" link to identify possible resources to assist your organisation in any planned CSD activities