EU elections

Report:

Report Round Table II

Presentations:

EU elections 2004 (BOND)

Output

Conducted by Anders Dahlbeck of BOND – British Overseas NGOs for Development

Group discussion: Participants’ expectations

·-Learn more about EP and elections

·-Expectations of platforms in relation with the EU elections

-To be convinced to campaign during EU elections

-To get overview of main topics that could be targeted during the campaign

- How to engage with voters and candidates concerning development cooperation

· -How to engage in the light of changing priorities

-Practical knowledge on how to address the candidates and get the message through

-How to persuade candidates to go to DEVE

-How to influence the government and the development policy (e.g. AidWatch)

-Get new information for daily work

-To share the experience of the Czech platform with the Presidency of the EU

-Combination of practical and theoretical things

-Learn from others’ experience

Aim of the day

Building up a plan for the 2009 EP elections (comparing with elections in 2004), campaigning, discussions and sharing

Group discussion: associations with EU and development aid

• A mess: complicated structure, unclear outcomes
• Big power, potential
• EU and member states together largest donor
• Bureaucracy / slow decision making process
• Lack of coordination
• Not effective enough
• Spending a lot of money on other issues such as the CAP
• ACP
• Fairly centralised (in Europe as well as in developing countries): what with grass roots level?

à Potentially powerful actor, but difficult animal

• Role of EP? Basic role to approve budget (so, potentially important); monitoring role; however, MEPs are not policy experts

Day 1: Session 1 - The European Parliament

Introducing the EU development structures

• Founded 1993, but born out of the EEC which was established in 1958
• Around 500 million citizens, just over 7% of global population
• Around 30% of global GDP
• 16 states have a common currency, the euro
• Budget = €120.7 billion (2007)
• Agriculture = over 40% of budget (compared to 6% for administration)

Facts and Figures

• The EU is the biggest development and humanitarian aid donor in the world and the main trading partner of developing countries
• The EU gives more than €45 billion a year in aid to developing countries, or more than half of global international official development assistance (ODA).
• Each year, the European Commission gives more than €7.5 billion in aid.
• The EU pledged to increase its aid from 0.39% of GNI in 2006 to an interim collective target of 0.56% of GNI by 2010, in order to achieve the 0.7% target set by the UN by 2015.
• By 2010, around 66% of global aid will be European.

DG DEV

·         The Directorate General Development and relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States is a Directorate-General of the European Commission.

·         DG DEV formulates the European Union's development policy for all developing countries and coordinates the EU's relations with the Sub-Saharan African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and regions

·         Its mission is to help reduce and ultimately eradicate poverty in developing countries through the promotion of sustainable development, democracy, peace and security.

·         EU development action is based on the European Consensus on Development, which was signed on 20 December 2005 by EU Member States, the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission.

·         Louis Michel is the current European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

European Parliament (EP)

·         Elected by EU citizens every 5 years

·         785/736 Members organized in political groups

·         Co-legislator with Council

·         Budgetary powers

·         Scrutiny of the Executive

·         Joint Parliamentary Committees

·         Inter-Parliamentary Delegations

·         Forum & Channel for Communication

EP Committees

• The Committees of the European Parliament are designed to aid the European Commission in initiating legislation.
• Standing Committees are made up of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Each Committee has a Chairman and three Vice-Chairmen, along with numerous Committee Members. Each Committee also has substitute Members.
• Reports are usually compiled by a rapporteur, who is appointed by the chairman of the Committee, selected from amongst the Members or permanent substitutes.

EP Committees - Legislative reports

• In the process of proposing and drafting legislation, the European Commission will consult the various Standing Committees during the Co-decision procedure, and these committees will advise the Commission by producing reports, proposing amendments to the draft legislation, and providing, if necessary, a drafted legislative resolution.
• In the event of at least one-tenth of the Members objecting to any particular amendment, the amendment will be put to a vote at the Committee’s next meeting.
• Committees are also able to produce non-legislative reports. The appointed rapporteur is responsible for preparing the report, and presenting it to Parliament on the Committee’s behalf. These reports must include a motion for a resolution, an explanatory statement, and must also outline financial implications.

à As an NGO(-platform) it is important to get involved on non-legislative reports, especially of DEVE and INTA, via contacts with the rapporteur!

DEVE

• The Committee on Development (Commission du développement, DEVE) is a standing committee of the European Parliament responsible for promoting, implementing and monitoring the development and cooperation policy of the European Union, notably talks with developing countries; aid to developing countries; and promotion of democratic values, good governance and human rights in developing countries.
• The committee has thirty-four members and the same number of substitute members. As of 2007 the committee is headed by Josep Borrell (PSE, Spain).

INTA

·         Committee on International Trade

·         Responsible for matters relating to the establishment and implementation of the Union's common commercial policy and its external economic relations, in particular:

- financial, economic and trade relations with third countries and regional organisations

- relations with the WTO, including its parliamentary dimension

• The committee liaises with the relevant interparliamentary and ad hoc delegations for the economic and trade aspects of relations with third countries.

Day 1: Session 2 - The EU Elections 2004

Overview

• June 1979: First direct elections (turnout 63%)
• 1984: EC 10 holds elections (turnout 61%)
• 1989: EC 10 holds elections (turnout 58.5%)
• 1994: EU 12 holds elections (turnout 56.8%)
• 1999: EU 15 holds elections (turnout 49.8%)
• 2004: EU 25 holds elections (turnout 45.6%)

Group discussion

Decreasing turnout: why? Lower turnout in NMS and increasing euroscepticism in OMS (people identify less and less with EU)

Is it easier for NGOs to influence MEPs with lower turnout? Lower turnout à at EU-level: competition among politicians is smaller + less impact of lobbying + less people to convince + less scrutiny to national level à OPPORTUNITIES! (“Nobody cares? Great, we make them care!”)

EU Elections 2004

• More than 150 million persons voted in 25 different countries
• 45.6% turnout (including Belgium 90.8%, Italy 73,1%, Greece 63,4%, Ireland 59.7%)
• 14,600 candidates in Europe
• EPP 34%, PES 24%, ELDR (ALDE) 9%, EUL/NGL 6.5%, Greens 6.3%
• The proportion of female MEPs elected in 2004 was 30.2%

Group discussion: 30% considered high by V4 countries

Overview of V4 countries turnout and outcomes in 2004

• Czech Republic

28.32% turnout

Civic Democratic Party 30% (9 seats), Communist Party 20% (6 seats), SNK European Democrats 11% (3 seats), Social Democrats 9% (2 seats), Independents 8% (2 seats)

• Poland

20.87 % turnout

Civic Platform 24% (15 seats), League of Polish Families 15% (10 seats), Law and Justice 13% (7 seats), Self-Defence of the Polish Republic 10.8% (6 seats), Alliance of the Democratic Left and Labour Union 9% (5 seats) etc

• Slovakia

16.9 % turnout, lowest in Europe

Democratic and Christian Union 17.1% (3 seats), People’s Party 17.0% (3 seats), Direction – Social Democrats 16.9% (3 seats), Christian Democratic Union 16.2% (3 seats), Party of the Hungarian Coalition 13.2% (2 seats)

• Hungary

38.5% turnout

Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union 47.4% (12 seats), Socialist Party 34.3% (9 seats), Liberal Party (Alliance of Free Democrats)  7.7 % (2 seats), Hungarian Democratic Forum 5.3 % (1 seat)

Remark: Parties which are in power nationally do not necessarily win EP elections (“biased” by low turnout!)

Group discussion: Key issues in EP over past 5 years

• EPAs
• ODA à Development Cooperation Instrument
• EU-Africa
• Climate change
• Migration
• Constitution/Lisbon Treaty
• CAP
• Humanitarian Affairs (in case of crisis)

Group discussion: Experience of platforms working with MEPs

• Slovakia: e-mail contact with some MEPs, one MEP stressed the importance of contacting the assistant(s)
• Slovakia: study travel of Slovak MEP to Kenya, who later had a speech in the EP about bigger engagement of EU in that region (MEP remained more active in EU development, especially in DEVE)
• Hungary: Meeting with Hungarian MEP of DEVE in Brussels; although short and different than expected, MEP was open to cooperate (e.g. platform has been add to mailing list of MEP)
• Poland: Engagement of one of the politicians by writing some contribution to the newsletter which was later sent to other politicians (positive signal namely that there is a politician who cares about development)
• Czech Republic: Czech MEP of DEVE invited platform and members for a study trip to Strasbourg and devoted time to this; participation in plenary; MEP was looking for an assistant and hired someone who was formerly working in a FoRS member organisation
• Question: Do MEPs themselves know how to exercise influence?

Day 1: Session 3 - How to target an MEP

Understanding how an MEP’s office works

• National Office: press, casework, diary
• Brussels Office: committee work (designated Party spokesperson), lobbying, visits, filtering correspondence (by assistant)
• Contacting an MEP : How to ensure your email is noticed
• Following up
• Working with multiple MEPs (important on the long term)

European Approach

• Strong policy knowledge

- Committee membership (to know the agenda)

- Importance of fresh ideas

- Know MEP’s activity

• Wider political assessment

- EP Political Makeup

- Political Grouping

• Timing for events, meetings (look for opportunities)

Tips for effective communication

• Target only regional or Committee relevant MEPs
• Personalise all correspondence - Importance of assistants and group advisers
• Identify problem, objective and action
• Coordinate within NGO network – regional connection
• Timing 

Two way partnership

• On the ground Information (can help MEP to challenge Commission or Council)
• Highlight work of EP and MEPs (press releases)

Day 1: Session 4 - The EU Elections 2009

Electoral system

• Proportional representation: a category of electoral formula aimed at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive
• Maximum threshold in EU elections is 5%
• 27 member states between 4 and 7 June 2009
• 736 MEPs will be elected (although the Lisbon Treaty foresees an increase to 751)
• Around 400 million eligible voters, second largest democratic elections in the world (after India)

Who are MEPs?

• Young politicians
• Disgraced politicians
• ‘Unattractive politicians’
• Politicians needing immunity
• Politicians interested in Europe and the World

Number of MEPs

• Germany = 828,000 citizens per seat
• Poland = 700,000 citizens per seat
• Czech Republic = 425,000 citizens per seat

• Hungary = 416,000 citizens per seat
• Slovakia = 378,000 citizens per seat
• Malta = 80,000 citizens per seat

Context of 2009 Election à challenging

• Global financial crisis
• Slow economic growth
• Rising unemployment
• Anti-European sentiments
• Enlargement debates
• Voter apathy
• National issues/anti-government vote

Role of development in 2009 elections

• Currently limited interest
• We have to link our issues to the issues discussed by others
• How does the financial crisis affect development?
• How does slowing economic growth affect ODA and financial support for domestic civil society
• How can we turn euro-scepticism into a healthy debate about democratic accountability?
• How can we highlight the EU’s role in reversing climate change?

What is happening at pan-European level? CONCORD and GCAP

CONCORD Manifesto: 3 main topics

• Sustainable Development
• More and Better Aid
• Democratic Accountability

Group discussion: CONCORD Manifesto is too complicated (written for expert public) and too elaborate (reason: all different working groups wanted to see their topics included in the document)

Sustainable development

• Climate Justice
• Gender Equality
• Responsible Economic and Trade Policy
• Responsible Food and Agri Policy
• Decent Work
• Financing For Development
• Migration and Development
• Social and Human Development