Non-governmental organizations and the EU—MERCOSUR trade agreement

As part of a repertoire of the European Union’s (EU’s) geopolitical practices, the imaginary of Mediterranean Neighbourhood is a means with which to manage dissonance between the EU’s self-image as a normative power, changing political situations in the region and the Realpolitik of security. We argue that this also involved a ‘politics of in/visibility’ that promotes democratization and social modernization through structured cooperation while engaging selectively with local stakeholders. In directing attention to EU readings of and responses to the ‘Arab Spring’, we indicate how both a simplification of the issues at stake and highly selective political framings of local civil societies have operated in tandem. Drawing on a review of recent literature on civil society activism in the southern Mediterranean, we specifically deal with Eurocentric appropriations of civil society as a force for change and as a central element in the construction of the Mediterranean Neighbourhood. EU support for South Mediterranean civil society appears to be targeted at specific actors with whom the EU deems it can work: apart from national elites these include well-established, professionalized non-governmental organizations, and westernized elements of national civil societies. As a result, recognition of the heterogeneous and multilocal nature of the uprisings, as well as their causes, has only marginally translated into serious European Neighbourhood Policy reform. We suggest that an inclusive focus on civil society would reveal Neighbourhood as a contact zone and dialogic space, rather than a project upon which the EU is (rather unsuccessfully) attempting to superimpose a unifying narrative of EU-led modernization.

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Contribution to the Better Regulation Debate

European Journal of Risk Regulation ◽

10.1017/s1867299x00004748 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 357-358

Author(s):

Claudio M. Radaelli ◽

Lorna S. Schrefler

Keyword(s):

Regulatory Policy ◽

Quality Standards ◽

The Political ◽

The Past ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Regulatory Quality ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

Better Regulation ◽

Fit For Purpose ◽

The Eu

Two inter–related themes provide the architecture of this better regulation package: the political tone of the initiative and the responsibility/blame game. The tone is in part the consequence of the political context surrounding regulatory policy in the EU. Whilst in the past regulatory quality standards interested only a few top civil servants and elected politicians, today there is much more political interest – and contestation, as shown by the new better regulation watchdog created by non-governmental organizations and their response to the package. The very fact that in May 2015 there was media interest in the leaked version of the chapeau communication is a novelty. Why so much attention? Among others, the rhetoric of the past few years on making the EU acquis fit for purpose and less burdensome, coupled with a growing recognition by stakeholders that impact assessment and policy evaluation are “here to stay” have turned better regulation into an additional window of opportunity for those wishing to influence EU policy–making.

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Integration of people with disabilities into the labor market

Social and Labour Relations Theory and Practice ◽

10.21511/slrtp.9(1).2019.08 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 85-96

Author(s):

Yuliia Horemykina ◽

Tetiana Kotenko

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

People With Disabilities ◽

Job Support ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

State Employment ◽

Employment Programs ◽

Main Components ◽

Employer Support ◽

The Eu

This article deals with the integration of people with disabilities into the labor market based on the experience of the EU countries and Ukraine. There are four main components of the policy of integrating people with disabilities into the labor market, namely certain job quotas or jobseeker benefits, services provided by state employment services and non-governmental organizations, employer support, development and implementation of employment programs, including flex jobs organization. The authors highlighted the specifics of the functioning of each of these components. In particular, the expediency of setting the job quotes, the measures of employer support and certain types of activities of state and non-state services in the EU and Ukraine are discussed. Recommendations on the employer support and the implementation of EU experience in the activity of the State Employment Service of Ukraine are given. It has been proposed to develop and implement a national employment program for people with disabilities. The program consists of four stages: the analysis of public sector vacancies for people with disabilities; identifying people with disabilities who wish to occupy these positions, as well as analyzing their real needs and opportunities; adapting workplaces to the needs of people with disabilities and organizing vocational training for them; and on-the-job support.

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European Raw Materials Alliance

Scientific and Analytical Herald of IE RAS ◽

10.15211/vestnikieran620202231 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 22-31

Author(s):

Vladislav Belov ◽

Keyword(s):

Value Chain ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Action Plan ◽

Industrial Companies ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

Industrial Ecosystems ◽

Strategic Autonomy ◽

The Eu

On September 3, 2020, the European Commission presented the Action Plan for Critical Raw Materials. One of the first steps in its implementation was the creation on September 29 of the European Raw Materials Alliance. It will bring together the efforts of industrial companies, research institutes, universities, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and trade unions. Brussels continues to implement the provisions of the EU’s New Industrial Strategy on the support of industrial ecosystems. They are based on management organizations built on network principles of stakeholder interaction throughout the value chain. They are designed to ensure the energy and digital transition of the EU countries to a climate-neutral economy. The author analyzes the place of the European Raw Materials Alliance in the strategic autonomy of the EU, its relationship with the European Battery Alliance. He also considers tasks in the context of the stated Action Plan, management structure, participants and assesses the prospects of the new organization.

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NGOs and Global Trade: Non-State Voices in EU Trade Policymaking

Journal of Contemporary European Research ◽

10.30950/jcer.v14i2.971 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 206-209

Author(s):

Diana Potjomkina

Keyword(s):

Civil Society ◽

Trade Policy ◽

Case Studies ◽

Global Trade ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

The Eu

Erin Hannah offers a timely and thought-provoking analysis of civil society’s participation in the European Union’s trade policy. Relying on two case studies, the book shows that while the EU has created diverse instruments for engaging with civil society, in practice procedural improvements do not necessarily lead to greater influence for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Going beyond a purely technical view on NGOs’ access to policy-makers, we should also consider the ideational factors at play.

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Responsible lobbying: the impact of the institutional context

Journal of Global Responsibility ◽

10.1108/jgr-07-2015-0012 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 148-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Theresa Bauer

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Institutional Context ◽

Content Type ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

The Usa ◽

Corporate Social ◽

The Impact ◽

Relevant Factors ◽

The Eu

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the institutional context on the awareness and practice of responsible lobbying and to compare relevant factors in the USA and the EU. This paper aims at integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) and lobbying research. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework is presented and exemplified by the USA and the EU context. The research is informed by institutional theory that points to external factors creating profoundly different contexts in which firms operate. Findings – The degree of responsible lobbying is likely to vary across nations and regions, particularly due to factors that impact responsible lobbying by shaping the relation between the state and firms, i.e. type of government and lobbying system as well as degree of government intervention, and factors that have indirect effects by shaping the degree to which stakeholders such as employees, consumers and non-governmental organizations push responsible lobbying. Originality/value – The link between lobbying and CSR has been long neglected by scholars and practitioners, but is now gaining more attention. Research on this topic is valuable because it helps to ensure the credibility of CSR and alleviate public criticism of lobbying.

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Nationalism versus multiculturalism: the minority issue in twenty-first-century Bulgaria

Nationalities Papers ◽

10.1080/00905992.2011.633075 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 85-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Eleonora Naxidou

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Ethnic Minorities ◽

Research Field ◽

First Century ◽

The Other ◽

The European Union ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

The Eu ◽

The Way

The paper negotiates ideas, views and beliefs of Bulgarians towards the ethnic minorities of their country published in the Bulgarian press during the period of 2005–2009. Through these aspects it becomes clear that three years after Bulgaria's accession to the European Union and despite various state attempts to integrate minorities – mostly initiated and funded by the EU and various governmental and non-governmental organizations – prejudice and racism have not been overcome, the Other is still differentiated and the way to multiculturalism is very long. The research field is limited to the Turkish and the Roma minorities, which are “visible” in the sense that they are officially recognized.

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Diplomatic Instrumentation, Diplomacy of Non-Governmental Actors and Regional Initiatives of Romania in the Black Sea Region (2006-2018): Experience for Ukraine

Історико-політичні проблеми сучасного світу ◽

10.31861/mhpi2018.37-38.217-227 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 217-227

Author(s):

Viacheslav Tsivatyi

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Modern World ◽

National Interests ◽

Black Sea Region ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

The Republic ◽

Unofficial Diplomacy ◽

The Eu

The article is analyzed and systematized Romanian activity of non-governmental agencies, as a tool for promoting national interests in the Black Sea region; and experience Bucharest promotion of regional initiatives at the level of non-governmental organizations during the period of 2006-2018. The attention to the experience of Ukraine in communicating with non-governmental organizations. It is characterized by the example of Romania features and forms of implementation unofficial diplomacy (diplomacy governmental actors) in contemporary international relations and the role of unofficial diplomacy in resolving international conflicts. The relevance of the study is determined not only by the intensification of the policy of Romania in the Black Sea region with the promotion of the interests of the EU, the U.S.A and NATO, but it is also determined by the Russian factor in the context of recent events in Ukraine, as well as by the presence for a long time a number of problems in the Ukrainian-Romanian relations and by the need of the complex and generalized approach to solution of these problems. Given the objective interest of Romania to maintain stability on its eastern border and to prevent the emergence of new factors that can have an adversely affect on the achievement by Bucharest of its long-term interests on the Republic of Moldova, the Romanian side is likely to use the restraint – positive rhetoric concerning Ukraine avoiding public critical evaluations of certain political events in our country. The conclusions note that Ukraine's policy in relations with Romania should be to maximize the use of existing and, if necessary, create new mechanisms to ensure the national interests of our state, in particular, international instruments / instruments of influence on the policy of Romania that already exist or may arise as a result of Romania's cooperation with third countries and its activities in international organizations. Pay particular attention to the search for common interests and opportunities for Ukraine-Romania cooperation in the framework of the development of Ukraine's relations with the EU, NATO, as well as within the framework of the organizations with which both countries are members. In 2016-2018, the very activity of non-governmental actors (diplomacy of non-governmental actors) and their diplomatic tools in the globalized polycentric modern world should become an important factor in the development of the Romanian-Ukrainian bilateral relations. Keywords: foreignpolicy, diplomacy, diplomacy model, national interests, institutionalization, diplomacy of non-governmentalactors, Romania, Ukraine

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Non-governmental organizations as key partners in mental health in Europe

Die Psychiatrie ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1670733 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (01) ◽

pp. 27-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. E. Baumann

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Policy Development ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Action Plan ◽

Mental Health Policy ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

Health Action ◽

Health Action Plan

SummaryThe shift towards a rights-based approach to health which has taken place over the past decade has strengthened the role of civil society and their organizations in raising and claiming the entitlements of different social groups. It has become obvious that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are central to any successful multi-stakeholder partnership, and they have become more recognized as key actors in health policy and programme development and implementation. There is a broad spectrum of NGOs active in the area of mental health in Europe which aim to empower people with mental health problems and their families, give them a voice in health policy development and implementation and in service design and delivery, to raise awareness and fight stigma and discrimination, and foster implementation of obligations set by internationally agreed mental health policy documents. With the endorsement of the Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 (20) and the European Mental Health Action Plan (19) stakeholders agree to strengthen capacity of service user and family advocacy groups and to secure their participation as partners in activities for mental health promotion, disorder prevention and improving mental health services.

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