Presentation of the 2009 Report and Recommendation to the Plenary Session of the Conference of INGOs, January 27, 2010

Cyril Ritchie, President, Expert Council on NGO Law

LE CONTEXTE

1. En janvier 2008, la Conférence des organisations internationales non gouvernementales du Conseil de l’Europe a pris une initiative sans précédent avec la création du Conseil d’Experts pour le droit en matière d’ONG. Le Conseil d’Experts fonctionne sous l’autorité de la Conférence. Il donne suite à une déclaration positive sur le rôle de la société civile faite lors du Sommet du Conseil de l’Europe de 2005, ainsi qu’à une recommandation ambitieuse adoptée en 2007 par le Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe qui fixe un cadre pour le statut juridique des ONG en Europe (CM/Rec(2007)14).
2. Le Conseil d’Experts vise à contribuer à la création d’un environnement favorable aux ONG dans toute l’Europe, par l’examen de la législation nationale relative aux ONG et de sa mise en œuvre, et par la promotion du respect des normes du Conseil de l’Europe et de bonnes pratiques européennes en la matière.
3. Le Conseil d’Experts à un mandat initial de trois ans. Il examine le cadre législatif et réglementaire des ONG dans les pays européens, ainsi que les pratiques administratives et judiciaires de ces pays qui affectent le statut et le fonctionnement des ONG. Il travaille essentiellement dans une perspective thématique.
4. Le Conseil d’Experts a commencé ses travaux en 2008 avec une première étude thématique sur LES CONDITIONS DE CREATION DES ONG, sujet qui avait été évoqué dans 34 des articles de la Recommandation du Comité des Ministres. Son premier rapport a été adopté lors de la session plénière de janvier 2009 de la Conférence des OING.
5. En 2009, le Conseil d’Experts a effectué une étude sur le thème de LA GOUVERNANCE INTERNE DES ONG. L’étude porte notamment sur les domaines de l’auto-gouvernance, le contrôle et l’intervention des autorités, la responsabilité et la transparence, la gestion, les processus de décision. Ces points sont mentionnés dans 15 articles de la Recommandation (2007)14. Le rapport provisoire 2009 a été approuvé par la plénière de la Conférence des OING en octobre 2009. Le rapport définitif est devant vous aujourd’hui. Il est sur le site depuis un certain temps (http://www.coe.int/t/ngo/Source/Expert_Council_NGO_Law_report_2009_en.pdf ou fr.pdf). Donc je ne commente pas le texte lui-même, j’en tire quelques considérations politiques et quelques conclusions, et je vous présente à la fin le Projet de Recommandation.

MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS

1. Before going to the substance, let me recall the persons who constitute the Expert Council. As you know, I am the President, appointed by the Conference Plenary. There are four members appointed by the Conference Bureau: Jeremy McBride, Coordinator, an English barrister and a drafter of CM/Rec(2007)14; Dragan Golubovic, Senior Legal Advisor with the European Centre for Non-profit Law (ECNL); Mihaela Preslavska, responsible for governance and accountability standards in a pan- European NGO covering 40 countries; Eric Svanidze, also a drafter of CM/Rec(2007)14, and a member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. As we have done previously, in 2009 we brought on board an ad hoc member for case work. This was Katerina Hadzi-Miceva, also of ECNL. To all of these persons I express deep thanks for their competence, diligence and availability.
2. As we complete our second year, I bring to the Conference of INGOs a significant question on the work of the Expert Council. Are we having an impact? As a major organ of the Conference, this question in fact means: Is the Conference having an impact on NGO legislation and its implementation? My short answer is: Not enough. And is CM/Recommendation (2007)14 having an impact? Again: Not enough.
3. There are two levels at which to seek answers to these questions. The first is at the level of NGOs themselves. In its 24 months of existence, the Expert Council has been increasingly referred to and quoted in meetings and documents. Within the Council of Europe there have been references or requests by the Parliamentary Assembly, the Commissioner for Human rights, the European Committee for Legal Cooperation, the Venice Commission. NGO seminars or Conferences in Bratislava, Penza, Moscow, Vilnius, Kyiv, Almaty, Sinaia, Bruxelles, Geneva and elsewhere have been informed of the Expert Council’s work and have provided feedback or input. Individual NGOs have sought comments or advice. The Expert Council is now known to OSCE-ODIHR. All of this is a contribution to the image and standing of the Conference of INGOs and of the Council of Europe. It is the Conference that makes this possible, with the deep and intensive cooperation and support of the Directorate-general of Democracy and Political Affairs, most notably through the NGO Unit to whose members I express heartfelt appreciation for their unstinting advice and support.
4. Despite this growing awareness in NGO circles, there are certainly entire sectors, indeed entire countries, where the existence and potential of the Expert Council are unknown – and indeed unsuspected! We shall be giving attention to this in our discussions this coming year, and we look for NGO advice.
5. The second level at which to seek answers to the questions posed above concerns governments and public authorities. These include courts, ministries, officials, parliaments, municipalities. There is very much to be done in these sectors, and we shall also give consideration this year to broadening and creating opportunities and prospects.
6. There is perhaps a special reference that should be made to OSCE-ODIHR and particularly its Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) which meets annually. At the September/October 2009 HDIM, multiple recommendations were made that go entirely in the sense of the Expert Council’s texts. Indeed, a full set of our 2009 Recommendations was put forward virtually word for word to the HDIM by the official CoE representative. I welcome this, and see the HDIM as an opportunity in future for the Expert Council itself to put forward and promote its reports and conclusions, as well as extend its outreach.
7. There are evidently financial implications to all of the above, and I recall that we are financially totally dependent on the budgetary decisions of the Council of Europe. But as a major organ of the Conference of INGOs, the Expert Council should be able to function adequately with adequate financing. If not, we will not only disappoint the Conference but also the Council of Europe.

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD

1. The Expert Council is fully conscious that producing as annual thematic study meets only part of the expectations of the Conference. The Mandate calls for us to, inter alia “ Monitor the legal and regulatory framework in European countries….

Provide advice on how to bring national law and practice into line with Council of Europe standards and European good practice.

Propose ways in which Council of Europe standards could be developed…”

We have begun to discuss some possibilities, for example the production, or support for the production, of training materials. We are giving thought to how the Expert Council could proactively assist the Conference when NGO Law issues – country-specific or sector-specific – arise during the regular weeks of meetings.

1. The Conference has always attached the highest importance to CM/Rec(2007)14, which also constitutes a bedrock of good sense, of illumination, and of good intentions for the work of the Expert Council. We will need to see how the Recommendation can become much better known, and much better used, throughout Europe. One sphere of promise is the deeper contact established with the European Committee for Legal Cooperation (CDCJ) which has launched - at the request of the Committee of Ministers – a first evaluation of governmental implementation of the Recommendation. The Expert Council is assisting in this process, given that we have already undertaken monitoring and evaluation of the Recommendation in relation to all stakeholders.
2. In this, its third year of operation the Expert Council will itself be subject to an evaluation, as stipulated in the Mandate adopted by the Conference in January 2008. The terms say specifically that the evaluation is “with a view to determining whether the creation of a permanent structure is necessary”. As the entire year ahead already has a timetable of work, I urge the Conference President and Bureau to initiate the evaluation rapidly.

CONCLUSION

1. I express deep appreciation to the Conference and its President for the confidence and encouragement consistently shown to the Expert Council. Our commitment is deepened by the genuine interest and support shown for the Expert Council by NGOs throughout the European area. We shall continue to work to merit that trust. Thus, in consequence of all the above, I now submit formally to the Conference Plenary the draft Recommendation that is before you.

Cyril Ritchie, President, Expert Council on NGO Law
Cyril Ritchie
CIC Case 20
CH-1211 Genève 20
Tél. +4122 733 67 17
Fax +4122 734 70 82
E-mail : c.ritchie@fiig.org

NB The Recommendation was subsequently adopted unanimously by the Conference Plenary.