AFTER ENLARGEMANT – ANOTHER FRONTIER? PROGRAM OF INFORMATION AND TRAINING FOR CIVIL SOCIETY IN SERBIA


Project supported by Fund for support to Civil Society in Serbia, an EU funded project managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction and implemented by the Consortium Center for the Development of Non-Profit Sector and Center for Democracy Foundation. It is also supported by East East programme of Open Society Institute and by ECAS’ Information, Training and Scholarship Programme.

Head of project: Aleksandar Resanović

Project manager: Dejan Dojčinović

Project assistant: Marko Ognjanović

The project prepared by Center for Peace and Democracy Development (CPDD, former Center for Antiwar Action) and its associate partner European Action Citizen Service (ECAS) will help the Serbian NGO community in their efforts to raise the most critical concerns in the society through the provision of information, and theoretical and practical training on various aspects of EU policies, acquis communautaire and EU funding possibilities and procedures in such a way that they can effectively advocate issues of their concern, fundraise and develop partnership for a sustainable resource development. Up to 25 selected NGOs throughout Serbia will participate in the three main project activities: information and communication, training seminars and study tour to Brussels.

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the NGO sector, in particular through initiatives supporting capacity building, as well as encouraging resource development and initiatives targeted at legal and financial frameworks, as well as partnership capacity. In particular, this project aims at strengthening professional (organisational and managerial) competencies in partnership development for initiating, planning, developing and implementing actions at local, national, regional or European level, actions aimed at benefiting local communities. A special attention will be drawn to NGO’s projects and activities related to environmental protection.

Our associate partner, ECAS – European Citizen Action Service - was created in 1990 as an international non-profit organization, independent of political parties, commercial interests and the EU Institutions. The association’s mission is to enable NGOs and individuals to make their voice heard within the EU. ECAS’ members cover different areas of activity in the EU and applicant countries: civil liberties, culture, development, health and social welfare. ECAS is based in Brussels, close to the European Institutions, but at the same time the organization has very intensive contacts with NGOs in new as old EU Member States that it has built up and maintained over several years. It can therefore provide a direct link to Brussels but at the same time encourage the use of local expertise when both old and new Member States when appropriate.