Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on The role of civil society in EU pre-accession aid programmes in the Republic of Albania
Date: 2008-07-09
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: Albania, ESC opinion, accession to the European Union, civil society, economic situation, political situation, social dialogue

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The role of civil society in EU
pre-accession aid programmes in the Republic of Albania’

(2009/C 27/28)

On 16 February 2007 the European Economic and Social Committee, acting under Rule 29(2) of its Rules
of Procedure, decided to draw up an own-initiative opinion on

The role of civil society in EU pre-accession aid programmes in the Republic of Albania.

The Section for External Relations, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the
subject, adopted its opinion on 12 June 2008. The rapporteur was Ms Florio.

At its 446th plenary session, held on 9 and 10 July 2008 (meeting of 9 July), the European Economic and
Social Committee adopted the following opinion with 122 votes in favour and one abstention.

1. Introduction

the whole Western Balkans

It is of vital importance for Europe, both now and in the
1.1
future,
region be stable,
that
peaceful, developed and integrated. The need for the EU to step
up its policy towards the region's countries has therefore
become increasingly apparent in recent years.

Given its geographic position facing the Mediterranean
1.2
and its importance in the sometimes fragile equilibrium of the
region, Albania merits particular attention from the EU institu-
tions. For over ten years, the Euro-Mediterranean partnership
has been the central framework for relations between the EU
and its southern Mediterranean partners, with the aim of
achieving long-term stability in the region. Albania joined the
partnership in early November 2007.

1.3
EU action in Albania involves a series of measures to
promote the economic, democratic and social development of
its institutions. Local authorities and civil society are at the
centre of programmes aimed at encouraging public involvement
in the journey towards EU integration.

1.4
Through this own-initiative opinion, the EESC aims to
highlight the role of civil society and the need to monitor both
the progress made and the obstacles that remain as regards
strengthening Albania's democratic institutions and integrating
it more closely with EU policies.

A delegation of EESC members,

representing the
1.5
Committee's three groups, visited Tirana on a mission to
Albania from 31 March to 1 April 2008. This provided an
opportunity to meet many people representing Albanian civil
society organisations; the dialogue was particularly constructive
and has helped shape this opinion.

particularly the case in a country like Albania which, strength-
ened by its important geo-political position, has made signifi-
cant progress in recent years in building up democratic institu-
tions and engaging with European and other Western organisa-
tions (such as NATO).

2.2
To achieve inclusive and democratic social progress, the
people need to have an input into the policies adopted by
government, and these must be monitored.

2.3
The EESC therefore points out that the European
Commission delegation to Albania should devote more
attention and resources to the activities of civil society as a
whole, which should be among its priorities. Civil society
activities should be stepped up in the country's rural and
less-developed areas.

Given that a number of international players are present
2.4
in Albania, supporting the work of its civil society through
various projects, and in view of certain difficulties and specific
features inherent to the country's social fabric, the way in which
the EU conducts its relations is very important. In particular,
access to funding should be conditioned by certain requirements
favouring organisations with established, clearly defined objec-
tives, and which are genuinely representative of the people.

2. Conclusions and recommendations

2.1
Civil society in all its forms has a vital role to play in the
democratic and civil development of all countries (1). This is

(1) The European Commission highlights the importance and problems of
civil society in the Western Balkans in its communication on Enlarge-
ment strategy and main challenges 2007-2008, COM(2007) 663 final.

2.5
In any evolving society, tripartite social dialogue has a
key role to play. The EESC welcomes the progress made since
1996 with the establishment of the National Labour Council; to
date, however, there have been problems with the way this body
operates. There is a need for more transparency, participation
and involvement of participants, who should also be representa-
tive and accountable. The council should meet regularly and its
agenda should extend to all of the most important issues arising
from the country's economic development policies. Its discus-
sions should have a real impact on the work of government.

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2.6
Also, with a view to increasing the role of the Albanian
people in the democratic process, civil dialogue should be
stepped up. To this end, the EU can play an important role in
providing vocational training across the whole of civil society,
focusing on organisations that are visibly active in Albanian
society.

Bearing in mind that the situation is evolving rapidly, the
2.7
EESC undertakes
to continue monitoring and supporting
Albanian civil society organisations, and reiterates the impor-
tance of the country for the stability of the entire region.

2.8
In line with the conclusions of the 2nd Western Balkans
Civil Society Forum (held in Ljubljana on 4 and 5 June 2008),
the establishment of a joint consultative committee for Albania
could give voice to the needs of civil society, and help build
strong relations between its organisations and the EU institu-
tions. Furthermore, the EESC, through its work in the Balkans,
could help increase cooperation between the region's civil
society organisations, ensuring that Albania is fully involved.

European civil society organisations have a key role to
2.9
play in involving and informing Albanian organisations with
regard to EU policies and programmes.

3. Instruments of EU action in Albania

3.1
The EU's overall policy framework for Western Balkan
countries is the Stabilisation and Association Process, in which
Albania participates.

In January 2006 the European Council adopted a
3.2
European Partnership for Albania, which identifies short and
medium term priorities which Albania should address.
In
July 2006, Albania adopted a national action plan to implement
the European Partnership recommendations. The Albanian
government is now revising the 2006 action plan with a view
to implementing the European Partnership in 2008. Albania
signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement
(SAA) on
12 June 2006, which provides a framework for mutual commit-
ments on political, trade and economic issues while encouraging
regional cooperation.

instrument

From 2001 to 2007, the European Commission's main
3.3
financial
for cooperation with Albania was the
CARDS programme (Community Assistance for Reconstruction,
Development and Stabilisation), which provided for five main
areas of intervention:

human, social and political rights, and through initiatives
aimed at strengthening the electoral system;

— justice and home affairs: supporting the reform of the judi-
cial system, public prosecutors and police; also working
towards
integrated management of maritime and land
borders, supporting the work of border police;

— administrative capacity building: programmes aimed at
reforming
and through
and tariff
programmes on procurement and on statistical surveys and
data management;

systems

the

tax

— economic and social development:

developing local
communities;
programme and training to promote education; and

facilitating trade and
supporting the Tempus

— environment and natural resources: measures to back up
legislation on urban and regional environmental planning;
supporting programmes on water and air quality and on
waste disposal.

Initially focused on physical reconstruction, CARDS assistance
shifted to strengthening the State's administrative capacity with
a view to achieving the European Partnership priorities and SAA
implementation requirements. For the period 2001-2006, a
total of EUR 282.1 million was allocated to Albania under
CARDS (2).

3.4
As a result of the Community's reform of external aid,
the CARDS programme has been replaced by the new Instru-
ment for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) as of January 2007. The
major objective of the IPA is to streamline all pre-accession
assistance in a single framework for both candidate and poten-
tial candidate countries. Under the IPA, the Multi-Annual Indica-
tive Planning Document (MIPD) 2007-2009 for Albania was
adopted in May 2007 and Albania will receive a total amount of
EUR 212.9 million.

3.5
An EU-Albania agreement on visa facilitation was signed
in September 2007 and is likely to enter into force in the first
half of 2008, once all the conditions have been met. This
should make travelling to the EU easier for Albanian citizens.

(CEFTA)

and the

Albania's participation in the Central European Free
3.6
for
Trade Agreement
South-Eastern Europe, as well as
the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
and the European Investment Bank (EIB) has led to a whole
network of different players helping Albania progress towards
more European standards.

Pact
Stability
the involvement of

— stabilisation of democracy: through micro-projects fostering
the development of civil society and of NGOs promoting

(2) European Commission,

http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/albania/eu_albania_relations_en.htm.

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4. The political and economic situation in Albania

Albania's economic growth recently dipped slightly
4.1
following the energy crisis that hit the country. The key factor
sustaining the Albanian economy remains migrants' remittances,
particularly from Italy and Greece. Agriculture accounts for a
third of GDP and the official unemployment rate is 13.46 %,
while the informal economy remains a significant factor.

Differences remain between the poorer,
the North and the urban areas of

lagging rural
4.2
the South and
areas of
continue to shape the situation in the country. This divergence
is partly explained by recent events, mainly linked to the
conflicts that have occurred in the Balkans and the ensuing poli-
tical, economic and social
(including embargoes) on
fallout
countries in the region involved either directly or indirectly.

4.3
Substantial progress needs to be made in combating the
scourge of corruption, which remains rife across many sectors
of the economy and administration.

4.4 While all the political players agree that efforts should be
made to speed up the EU accession process, in practice there is
no effective cooperation between majority and opposition on
achieving the necessary reforms.

4.5 Within the framework of Albania's interim agreement
under the SAA, there has recently been modest progress on the
judicial system (noted also in the recent Commission communi-
cation on the Western Balkans (3)). However, there is also a
crucial need for action on media legislation and on combating
undeclared work, corruption, organised crime and poverty.
There is often a disconnect between legislative reforms and
implementation, and this needs to be monitored.

A general election will be held in 2009. Ahead of this,
4.6
the Committee would hope to see strengthening of the electoral
system and of the infrastructure necessary for democratic elec-
tions, such as an electoral register of people eligible to vote.

The official

invitation to Albania to join NATO issued
4.7
during the Bucharest summit on 2-4 April
last, needs to be
factored into the overall geo-political picture and the process of
integrating Albania into Western institutions.

5. The role of civil society in the journey towards

EU integration

The EU has launched a participatory strategy, to involve
5.1
local authorities and donors. To this end a
society,
civil
participatory action plan was drawn up, which provides for the
involvement of civil society in drafting the medium-term expen-
diture plan, in which decisions can be taken on the allocation of
resources to the various areas of activity.

(3) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and
the Council, Western Balkans: Enhancing the European perspective,
COM(2008) 127 final.

5.2
Civil society consultation groups have also been set up in
four key areas: agriculture, education, health and social affairs,
and employment; a national advisory group and a technical
secretariat within the Ministry of Finance have also been estab-
lished. Projects aimed at strengthening local government institu-
tions are also of key importance in facilitating their involvement
in the process.

The involvement of

5.3
local authorities and other bodies
working on the ground is of vital importance for consolidating
democracy and giving the public some control over the actions
of central government. This is particularly the case in a country
like Albania, which is trying to meet
full
EU membership.

the criteria for

The work of Albanian civil society is hindered by limited
5.4
participatory democracy. International organisations and their
development aid programmes play a key role in funding the
activities of civil society organisations: this is the key point to
bear in mind in dealing with a society that is trying to build up
its democratic institutions bit by bit. It is important to point out
that the USA also has a strong presence in Albanian society in
terms of development aid programmes, particularly through its
USAID agency.

5.5
From a political perspective, the support of the EU and
other international bodies in Albania's drive to meet the stan-
dards required for full integration must go hand in hand with
the manifest and free political will of the Albanian people and
their representatives in favour of reforms aimed at improving
the economic and social conditions of the country. The EESC
thus welcomes the Albanian government's decision to allocate
EUR 1 million to civil society in the latest budget. The
Committee hopes that the means of administering and allo-
cating the funds (as yet undecided) will be genuinely transparent
and properly monitored.

In order to develop the role of civil society, the currently
5.6
insubstantial and ineffective dialogue between it and the govern-
ment must be stepped up. Civil society organisations have a
useful role to play in the drafting and monitoring of legislation,
in terms of achieving effective reforms that are built on
consensus.

5.7
There are many NGOs operating in Albania in different
fields, including women's rights; the safeguarding of democracy,
transparency and meritocracy in institutions; research centres;
consumer organisations; etc. They tend to have certain limita-
tions such as being mainly concentrated in Tirana with no wider
presence throughout
the country; sometimes having overly
ambitious objectives to the detriment of effectiveness; and
having an overly professional focus.

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in Albanian civil

During its mission to Albania, EESC members observed
5.8
certain tendencies
society, unfortunately
common to other somewhat similar countries, such as the emer-
gence of organisations with very few members and the excessive
‘professionalisation’ of civil society players, making it just another
entity playing by the same market rules.

6.4
Employers' bodies — although fragmented and still
somewhat reluctant to cooperate — all complain about the lack
of transparency, participation and involvement in the legislative
process, especially regarding measures that most affect economic
activity. They feel that all parties to the tripartite dialogue need
to comply with the rules and ensure proper representation.

5.9
Agriculture, which still accounts for a large part of
Albania's GDP and workforce, is still paying the price for the
privatisations of the 1990s (carried out under the plan proposed
by the World Bank). These created a large number of micro
agri-businesses whose structure is not conducive to joining
forces in the common interest. Farmers' organisations thus
confirmed to us that they supported a reform process aimed at
modernising the economic and production systems of Albanian
agriculture.

6. Social dialogue

6.1
Social dialogue and the representativeness of the social
partners have not evolved in Albania in the same way as in
EU countries. The economic, social and political situation of
recent years has not been conducive to the establishment of
consolidated social dialogue.

6.2
There are still very notable barriers to the normalisation
of relations between the government and the social partners
(especially the trade unions). The situation came to a head in
August 2007 when bailiffs, accompanied by police, ordered the
country's two trade union confederations to leave their rented
headquarters. The unions blame the government for the deci-
sion. The EESC thinks that a joint solution needs to be found to
this problem, aimed at mending relations between the unions
and government as soon as possible and ensuring that each
party plays its role more effectively.

Albania's trade unions (4) are seeking greater involve-
6.3
ment, particularly in delicate issues such as framing measures in
response to price increases, efforts to counter corruption and
the informal economy, the reform of the energy/oil sector, and
the impact on employment.

Brussels, 9 July 2008.

The major forum for tripartite dialogue in Albania is the
6.5
National Labour Council, set up in 1996. It aims to reconcile
the interests of the various economic players, ease conflicts and
maintain social harmony (5).

Over the years, the work of the council has enabled the
6.6
social partners to gain legitimacy and to exert a degree of influ-
ence on certain important decisions, particularly in the area of
instability, particularly at the
wage policies. Albania's political
labour
the 1990s, resulted in a frequent change of
end of
minister, and this must be borne in mind when assessing the
National Labour Council.

6.7
Both workers' and employers' organisations are dissatis-
the National Labour Council,
fied with the functioning of
because of a lack of continuity in its work and because its views
are not being sought on crucial political issues such as privatisa-
tion and financial legislation.

6.8
The EESC sees the National Labour Council as an extre-
mely important body for developing social dialogue in Albania.
It ought to be a forum for real debate and mediation in which
issues of national importance are addressed. The representative-
ness of its participants and the scheduling and regularity of its
meetings are of vital importance to the smooth functioning of
the institution.

A law was passed in Albania to establish a labour inspec-
6.9
torate. However, this body is still limited in terms of capacity
and practical reach, and problems persist due to weak legislation
on workplace health and safety and poor enforcement.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitris DIMITRIADIS

(4) There are two main trade unions in Albania: the Union of Independent
Trade Unions of Albania (BSPSH) and the Confederation of Trade
Unions of Albania (KSSH). Both were founded in 1992.

(5) The rules governing the National Labour Council are set out in
Article 200 of the Albanian labour code (Law No 7961 of 12.7.1995
and subsequent amendments).