26.04.2010.

SPRING SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF INGOS
(HELD FROM APRIL 26 TO 28. 2010)

The April meeting of the Conference of the INGOs was marked by the European Day of Biodiversity, organised by the Conference of INGOs, in co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.  The celebration was crowned by signing of the Declaration "Working together for biodiversity, protection of natural areas and the fight against climate change" by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, the President a.i. of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe.

The Civil Society and Democracy Committee heard a presentation of the action plan and debate about the implementation of the Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-making Process. Main problems were discussed, such as the difficulties for NGOs caused by the legal language, problems with translation and the possibilities of making the Code of Good Practice more available and understandable for citizens.

The Human Rights Committee heard a report on the reform of the European Court of Human Rights. This reform was encountering considerable problems because of the number of applications. That was the reason why the Swiss Chairmanship of the Council of Europe had held the conference. Migration was also one of the topics discussed at the session. It was underlined that the situation was serious and that migrants were suffering many human rights violations. Their economic, social and cultural rights were not respected. The future of migrants is to be examined from three angles: international regulations, national policies on migrant workers and the personal situation of migrants. 
In the framework of the Social Cohesion and Eradication of Poverty Committee, the Chair gave a presentation on the EU 2020 strategy and on the debate about poverty indicators. The challenges related to the establishment of indicators that would address the situation of a limited number of people living in poverty in Europe were a main object of the debate that followed the presentation.

The Culture, Science and Education Committee discussed the reforms launched by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The reforms came as a response to the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and its consequences on the political role of the Council of Europe. Its role remained intact in the field of culture, education, youth and sport. However, The Secretary General wished to strengthen the Council of Europe’s political role and raise its profile by reducing the number of programmes, raising their profile and making efforts to co-ordinate them. No final decisions had yet been taken.

The Transversal Group on Gender Equality was informed about the reports regarding women’s rights in Europe which were currently presented and debated in the Parliamentary Assembly: Associating women in the prevention and the solution of unsolved conflicts in Europe, Women and the economic and financial crisis, Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Group also agreed to publish an “open letter” on the right to abortion for all women in Europe.

The session of the Transversal group Europe and global challenges was marked by the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the North-South Centre and the expected reform of its status.

The North-South Centre and its role within the Council of Europe

The North-South Centre was created in 1989 and currently has 23 members. It functions as an autonomous intergovernmental institution of the Council of Europe and is run on the basis of a "quadrilogue": a combination of four partners from political institutions and civil society - governments, parliaments, local and regional authorities and NGOs. Its main goals are to incite the European co-operation and raise public awareness of global interdependence issues and to suggest policies of solidarity in accordance with the Council of Europe’s aims - respect for democracy, human rights and social cohesion.

Dr Uwe Holtz, member of the Parliamentary Assembly when the North-South Centre was established, described the creation of the Centre, the Group also discussed the accession of Morocco to the North-South Centre, as well as the Committee of Ministers' decision to launch a consultation on the modification of the statutes of the North-South Centre at the initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as the future of the North-South Centre.

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