Newsletter 1/ July 2021




version française

New dates for the autumn session of the Conference of INGOs: 4-6 October 2021

Due to the Covid-restrictions in the Council of Europe, the General Assembly of the Conference of INGOs will take place one week later than originally planned. The PACE will hold a hybrid session and given the very strict restrictions on the maximum number of persons allowed in the meeting rooms, all meeting rooms and online infrastructure are fully booked by PACE. The Conference will therefore hold its session from 4 - 6 October. Monday 4 October will be set aside for a meeting of the Standing Committee and internal business. The General Assembly will take place on 5 and 6 October. We plan for a dialogue with the Secretary General and an exchange of views with members of the Committee on Ministers on the dialogue of the CM with Civil Society and on shrinking civil space in Europe.

The session will have to be in a hybrid format and only a very limited number of people will be able to participate physically. We are working on this format and will send you more information a.s.a.p.

The General Assembly in October will decide on the 3-Year Strategy for the Conference. You have already been invited to participate in an online survey. A first draft will be sent out in early August and two online meetings will be held to debate the draft with you on 17 August and 31 August at 18:00 CEST. We hope that many of you will participate to contribute to these next steps in our new communication strategy.

The new look of the Conference of INGOs web site

CINGO website more user friendly and fun to search

Further to the adoption of the new Rules of Procedure and the restructuring of the

Conference of INGOs, including the setting up of new committees, the website has evolved to reflect the new structure. It has new functions and visuals to make it more user-friendly and fun to explore. We hope you will like the new look of the Conference of INGOs website.

Explore the website ›

First interim report of the Standing Committee and the President of the Conference of INGOs

9 June 2021

The Standing Committee held its online

constitutional meeting immediately after the elections on 29 April. Since then, it meets regularly online on the first Thursday of the month.

On 2 June the Sanding Committee disseminated its first interim report to all the members of the Conference by e-mail. Those who have not had a chance to read it are invited to click on the “Read the first interim report” button.

Read the first interim report ›

Informal online platform for dialogue with the members of the Conference of INGOs

The Standing Committee has decided to

set up an informal online platform for dialogue to encourage member organisations to get in contact with the Standing Committee, to exchange information and to give them an opportunity to give their input to the work of the Conference. For the Standing Committee this online platform for dialogue is also an opportunity to find out about the needs and demands of the members of the Conference, as well as to collect ideas for collaboration on concrete matters and projects.
The first dialogue took place on 30 June, in two consecutive sessions held in English and French. The Standing Committee hopes that this informal online dialogue will become a continuous communication with the members of the Conference in-between the formal sessions.

The newly formed Committees of the Conference

A number of Committee meetings have already taken place. Members of the Standing Committee participated in these

meetings to give input, co-ordinate efforts and ensure that all the work done is duly recognised.

The Standing Committee has also appointed liaison persons to all the new Committees, who will be in contact with them and ensure a strong and positive link between the Committees, the Standing Committee and the work of the Conference.

Check out the web page of the Committees ›

Evaluation of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations 2021

The Council of Europe Directorate of Internal Oversight undertook an internal evaluation of the Conference of INGOs. As this was done in the shadow of the health crisis and when the Conference was itself undergoing a reform process, it was not an easy exercise – but the final report makes a very interesting read and is quite encouraging in many ways. It does not stop at simply evaluating the existing situation but also recommends avenues for new developments.

The draft was already presented to the members of the Conference at the April session, but it has only recently been published because it should also include the Management Response to the recommendations and the Action Plan adopted by the Committee of Ministers. There is a great potential for the development of the Conference and the Standing Committee will do its best to be involved and make our own voice be heard in the process.