The European Commission is now inviting all interested parties to submit expressions of interest to participate in the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum or contribute to its successful work. In its Communication of December 2008 the Commission proposed “to support the further development of Civil Society Organisations” (CSOs) and, in particular, “to establish an Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum to promote contacts among CSOs and facilitate their dialogue with public authorities”. To ensure transparency of the process leading to the establishment of the Civil Society Forum, all interested parties were invited to provide their opinion.
The consultation process started on 25 March and was closed on 25 April. Some 40 contributions were received, mainly from civil society organisations based in the Eastern Partner countries but also from several EU-based organisations. On June 29 the Commission invited all interested parties, i.e. grass roots organisations, trade unions, employers' organisations, professional associations, NGOs, think-tanks, non-profit foundations, national and international CSOs/networks and other relevant Civil Society actors, to submit their Expressions of interest to participate in the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.
The submission of the expressions of interest is a necessary step in the selection process to participate in the EaP Civil Society Forum. The participation itself will be decided at later stage following the transparent criteria, as listed in the invitation. The European Commission, together with the EU Presidency and the European Economic and Social Committee, will organise the launch of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in mid-November 2009 in Brussels.