Azernews.Az

The European Union is setting up a Civil Society Facility to provide funding for non-state actors in its Neighbourhood Partners, with €22 million between 2011 and 2013, targeted at reinforcing the role of civil society across the region, ENPI Info Center reported.

The Communication on 'A new response to a changing Neighbourhood' - the culmination of a comprehensive review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), outlines a new approach towards the EU's neighbours to the East and South, based on mutual accountability and a shared commitment to respecting universal values, international human rights standards, democracy and the rule of law.

Acknowledging civil society's role to contribute to policy-making and hold governments to account, the Communication commits to supporting a greater role for them through a partnership with societies, helping non-state actors develop their advocacy capacity the ability to monitor reform and their role in implementing, monitoring and evaluating EU programs.

It also paves the way for more intensive engagement with all those stakeholders who are already involved in the implementation of the Eastern Partnership. Most importantly, it proposes the establishment of a Civil Society Facility to provide funding for non-state actors.

The Facility was also referenced in the Communication on 'A Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the Southern Mediterranean', outlining the EU's response to recent events of the Arab Spring.

The Neighbourhood Civil Society Facility is made up of three components, to be funded over 2011-2013.