Discussion Paper for the Structured Dialogue TOWARDS NEW INSTRUMENTS FOR CSOs

a. A focus on ‘development effectiveness’, i.e. on development outcome rather than on output; b. Promoting the role of civil society as an actor in development including in political dialogue, as stated in the article 20 of the Accra Agenda of Action (AAA); c. Recognising the diversity of civil society, creating an enabling environment and right of initiative; d. Prioritising local actors/local partnerships and ‘bottom-up’/needs driven development; e. Securing longer term/predictable funding; f. Guaranteeing Geographic AND Thematic funding for CSOs in Europe and partner countries; g. Recognising the importance of development education, advocacy, campaigns work; h. Ensuring cooperation with local authorities at times of service provision, but this must be looked at more closely at times of actions related to good governance, human rights issues, national agricultural policies or areas restricting the space of local civil society. Therefore CONCORD rejects the ‘Territorial Approach to development’ with the Local Authorities as the sole entry points for local development and suggests a more cooperative role between the two types of actors.