1. Dr. Bulent Kanol
Executive Director
The Managment Centre of the Mediterranean
President
Cyprus NGO Network

2. How do we define Civil Society for the
purpose of the topic of discussion?
• All those organizations working towards
public good and are outside of business
and government sectors

3. Categories of Civil Society
Organizations
CIVICUS CSI study in Cyprus (2005) determined that there
are categorical differences between
1. Member based trade unions, occupational and
business association
2. Public benefit “cause/advocacy” organizations
We can add a 3rd category
3. Non-profit support organizations working with missions
that aspire public good

4. Why involve civil society?
• Representing collective public interest
regardless of individual profit motives
and/or partisan political motives.
• Closest organizations to the people and
their aspirations

5. With globalization and free market ideology there are
two relevant trends
1- The States have become less interventionist in
economic activities (ie privatizations, deregulation etc)
2- Multi-nationals/Trans-nationals are increasingly
extending their influence and domination in the markets
including those in developing and less developed
countries

6. What role the civil society organiziations play?
1. Provide services that the state no longer is capable to provide
(Non-profit support organizations)
2. Promote the interest of not only the capital but also professions
and labour (Business associations and Trade/Labour Unions)
3. Advocate and promote for more “corporate social responsibility”
from the private sector and more effective regulations from the
state to achieve “fair trade” and sustainable development. (Public
benefit Cause organizations)

7. How can the EU help to achieve enhanced dialogue
with the civil society?
Support private sector organizations to foster Corporate Social responsibility
by way of enhancing dialogue with CSOs
Actions to Support
• Establishing Civil Society Dialogue platforms
• Implementing socially responsible projects in partnership with CSOs
Instruments
• Tax Incentives
• Grants

8. Involving the “cause” CSOs
• Support their participation to high level policy
discussions about trade by way of providing
easy access and structured dialogue.
• Provide easy funding for short advocacy
campaigns on trade issues

9. Involving the Support organizations
• Support non-profit service providing organizations such
as universities, research institutions, training/consulting
organizations and think tanks to provide inputs for
enhancing the dialogue
Instruments
• Carry out research
• Design Training programmes
• Provide consultancy
For civil, public and private sectors

10. Improving the existing Dialogue
• Install mechanisms in Eu institutions such as the one at
EU DG-Trade to facilitate the dialogue with civil society
• Categorize the Dialogue and relations with Civil Society
Organizations

11. What can the CSOs do to be more effective in
dialogue?
• Improve their accountability and transparency and
hence legitimacy and credibility
• Strengthen their member base and citizen
participation
• Become more sustainable, institutionalized and
strategic
• Improve their solidarity and representation by way of
networks and platforms

12. I thank you for listening to my presentation
• Dr. Bulent Kanol
bkanol@mc-med.eu
• Management Centre
www.mc-med.eu