Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-03-Speech-3-288"
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"en.20030903.12.3-288"2
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"Mr President, Mr Howitt's report opens up some interesting avenues. Public involvement in cooperation with developing countries is at the heart of our concerns. This communication should underpin real cooperation with non-state actors.
Who are these non-state actors though? Who are these privileged partners? Are they partners imposed on us? We believe that participation should involve a wide range of actors, including partners from the South, and it should prevent the poorest countries from being marginalised. This means that a proper mechanism needs to be established to optimise participants' representation. This communication should not allow the Commission and the governments of developing countries to legitimise their actions by treating non-state actors as pawns.
The populations of the countries of the South themselves should be able to democratically appoint their representatives and organise themselves collectively through associations, trade unions and grassroots organisations. It is this process that we need to support by providing the structural aid needed to guarantee that non-state actors have the independence that is vital for dialogue and for the involvement of all strata in society. It is incumbent on European companies to stop banning trade union organisation and rights of association for workers and local people. On the contrary, they should encourage such activities. At present civil society is only recognised in the text of the Cotonou Agreement. It needs to come off the printed page and be put into practice!
When we revise the ALA Regulation, it is essential to include this aspect in our cooperation with the countries of Latin America and Asia, which would also make it possible to make funds available to non-state actors in those countries. Involving non-state actors in their governments' development strategy is essential to guaranteeing pluralism, freedom of expression and democracy, which underpin the European Union's missions throughout the world.
We are therefore pleased to welcome this report by Mr Howitt. It opens up important avenues that we must not fail to explore."@en1
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