22.06.2010.

SUMMER SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF INGOS 
(HELD FROM JUNE 21TH TO 24TH 2010)

The Conference of INGOs held its plenary session exceptionally on the 24th June 2010, instead in April, because of the celebration of the European Day of Biodiversity, organized by the Conference of INGOs, in co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, on 28 April 2010.

The Conference welcomed an NGO group from Belarus, who informed the members of the Conference about the difficulties that NGOs in Belarus encounter. The group also underlined the importance of the support that NGOs in Belarus receive from the Conference of INGOs. The President of the Conference assured them that the Conference would continue providing assistance to the NGOs in Belarus. The Conference also discussed about its contribution to the reform of the Council of Europe. The Chair also announced the decision not to pursue the evaluation Chair’s decision not to pursue this work of INGO Conference as some members within the Bureau and the Standing Committee, judged it was inappropriate. However, those who wish to fill out the questionnaire prepared by a trainee in the Division of NGOs and Civil Society. The Conference was also informed by the Chair that it was asked by the Committee of Ministers to submit, by 15 September 2010, any comments it may have on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1908, which sought to make lobbying more fair and equal, transparent and governed by democratic rules. The Conference also decided by a majority (with 4 votes against and 2 abstentions) in favour of the idea of regulating lobbying and hence of drafting a European code of conduct in this area.

The Human Rights Committee discussed the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus, with the participation of a group of representatives of civil society in Belarus.

The Civil Society and Democracy Committee and the Sustainable Territorial Development Committee held a round table: from Utrecht to Moscow, governance and sustainable territorial development, future challenges. It was the occasion to hear about the work of the Sustainable Territorial Development Committee devoted to governance in the field of sustainable development and to hear the main points of the Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-making Process, adopted by the Conference of INGOs.

The Europe and Global Challenges Transversal Group heard a statement on the new features in Council of Europe/European Union relations since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty. These relations will receive a new dimension after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty because it enabled the European Union (EU) to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which it had previously been unable to do for legal reasons. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, inspired by the ECHR, became legally binding. The Group was also informed about the plan, springing from an initiative by an NGO co-ordinating body (ECAS), to set up a European civil society house in Brussels.

The Gender Equality Transversal Group was informed that had approached the responsible authorities in the German Government urging them to ratify the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings, as well as the European Social Charter.

A round table “The burqa: symbol of oppression or affirmation of identity?” was held on Tuesday, 22 June 2010. It was underlined that burqa did not represent the oppression of women because it was not written in Coran that women should wear it. Banning burqa would not be a wise solution because for it would prevent many women from going into public. It was underlined that the personal choice of every individual should be respected.

For further information, please consult the official website of the Conference of INGOs.

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