- 1 -
- 1 -
1st meeting, 2October 2012, Brussels
JOINT DECLARATION
The EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) complements the bodiesset upwithin the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and Montenegro.
The JCC will enablecivil society organisations from both sides to monitor Montenegro's progresstowards the European Union, and to adopt recommendations for the attention of the Government ofMontenegroand the EU institutions. The JCC will also play an essential role in initiating debates between members of the general publicand in disseminating information both in the EU and in Montenegro.
The JCC is made up of twelve members, six from each side, representing the EESC and Montenegrin civil society. During its first term, the JCC will be co-chaired byMr Ionuţ Sibian, member of the EESC and Executive Director of theCivil Society Development Foundation of Romania,andMr Budimir Raičković, member of the Social Council of Montenegro and Vice-President of the Montenegrin Union of Employers.
Thefirst meeting of the JCC was attended by H.E. Aleksandar Pejović, State Secretary and Chief negotiator for the negotiations on Montenegro'saccession to the EU, Ms Alexandra Cas-Granje,European Commission Director responsible for relations with the candidate countries to EU accession,Mr Charles Tannock, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur forMontenegro,and Mr Sandy Boyle, President of the EESC's Section for External Relations.
Themembers of the JCC discussed the work ahead in Montenegro's accession negotiations to the EU. Theyadopted the Rules of Procedureand the work programme for the new joint body,appointed permanent observers and discussed the role of civil society in the enlargement process.
1/ The accession negotiations of Montenegro to the European Union
1.1 The members of the JCC welcomethe 2012 Spring report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Montenegro's progress in the implementation of reforms. They are pleased that the Council followed up on the positive tone of this report by opening accession negotiations and holding the first Accession Conference on 29 June 2012.
1.2 The members of the JCC also welcome the new approach agreed on for the accession talks, as regards the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights (Chapter 23) and justice, freedom and security (Chapter 24). They insist that keeping those chapters open throughout the upcoming accession negotiations can only be beneficial to Montenegro, providing a strong incentive for reforms in the areas of the rule of law, the judiciary and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
1.3 They are pleased that the work on chapters 23 and 24 draws on the expertise of civil society organisations. They encourage the Government of Montenegro to continue with the same method and to ensure that the members of the JCC, as well as other civil society experts, are closely involvedin all the upcoming negotiations on the other chapters.
1.4 They also encourage the Government and the Parliament of Montenegro to open up their working groups on EU integration to the active participation of and contributions from civil society, including the social partners. The members of the JCC emphasise that the IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession) in particular should be programmed in consultation with civil society.
2/ Pursuing reforms in Montenegro
2.1With regard to the upcoming general elections to be held in Montenegro on 14 October, the members of the JCC callfor a fair and transparent electoral process, and urge the future government to follow the path of reforms that will ultimately lead the country toEU accession.
2.2 They further encourage the government and civil society stakeholders to strengthen social and civil dialogue, stressing that thiswould be a key element in optimising the ongoing reform process. They stress that the Social Council of Montenegro is instrumental in reinforcing the dialogue between political authorities and the social partners. The members of the JCC call on the Government of Montenegroto work handinhand with the Social Council of Montenegro, through regular consultations, when drafting laws which have an impact on the country's economic and social structures.
2.3 The members of the JCC call on the European Commission to carry out a more detailed assessment of the development of Montenegro's civil society in its yearly progress report, as already mentioned in the EESC opinion on The role of civil society in EU-Montenegro relations. This regular assessment should also include recommendations on how to improvesocial and civil dialogues.
2.4 In order to take the reform process further, the members of the JCC encourage the Government of Montenegro to step up its effortsto address the issue of discrimination towards minorities, and in particularto placeparticular emphasis on protecting the rights of sexual minorities and the persons with disabilities. They also highlight the need to take action to improvemedia freedom in the country. Lastly, the members of the JCC point out that further action is needed to tackle the issue of domestic violence.
______
The next JCC meeting, to be held in Montenegro in 2013, will deal specifically with the issue of education and culture.
______