Position on the thematic programme CSO-LA for 2014-2020

The European Commission presented its strategy for the implementation of the funding programme Civil Society Organisations – Local Authorities (CSO – LA) for the 2014-2020 period. This programme replaces the Non-State Actors – Local Authorities programme, which has allowed, since 2007, the funding of projects implemented by European local and regional authorities in cooperation with their partners in developing countries.

The new programme is articulated around three components, with three distinct financial envelopes:

– i. reinforcement of the contribution of CSOs and LAs to the development and governance processes;

– ii. reinforcement of networks at regional, European and world level;

– iii. development education.

Here are some key messages put forward in the position paper.

In the framework of the first component, PLATFORMA called upon the Commission to reinforce LRAs’ capacities to take their responsibilities as service providers, and to work with CSOs in the same direction, in contexts that do not allow LRAs to act efficiently.

PLATFORMA invited the Commission to make an explicit reference to decentralised cooperation as an instrument for capacity building and exchange of experience and to support actions taken by European LRAs in support of their counterparts in developing countries.

Finally, PLATFORMA welcomed the Commission’s initiative of promoting a territorial approach to development.

As far as the second component is concerned, PLATFORMA identified two priority fields for action: increasing the networks’ representativeness and their advocacy capacities.

Finally, PLATFORMA welcomed the enlargement of development education and raising awareness activities to countries of intermediate revenue and called for support for networking actions in this field.

This strategy follows from the general Commission proposals for EU external aid for the 2014-2020 period, from the commitments taken in the Communication “An Agenda for Change” and during the Structured Dialogue. At the date of publication of the present article, the version we are discussing is only preliminary; it still needs to be subject to an inter-service consultation.