Organized civil society and european governance

Objective

Social movement-related organisations and their sympathisers can provide useful new ideas to the policy process. They can represent civil society at various levels of governance, and notably at the EU level where a lack of democratic accountability and of a direct referent in civil society can undermine their effectiveness. However, they encounter obstacles to an effective performance. Lack of sensibility to their advocacy may contribute to their neglect. Lack of resources may limit their effectiveness. We focus on their role in policy responses to recent social controversies in environmental, anti-racist and regional policy, where movement organisations have competed for influence with other interests. Concentrating on two issues per policy field, we seek to examine their accountability and representativeness, their operating mechanisms and the factors that hinder or enable them at various levels of governance.

Programme(s)

• FP5-HUMAN POTENTIAL - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Improving the human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base" (1998-2002)

Topic(s)

• 1.4.1.-4. - Key action Socio-Economic Knowledge Base

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (10)