PASOS members' joint projects 2006

Evaluation of Progress on Commitments to Local Government Reform in South East Europe

Lead partner: PASOS Secretariat
PASOS partners: Institute for Contemporary Studies, Albania, Center for Economic Development, Bulgaria, Center for Research and Policy Making, Macedonia, Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) “Viitorul“, Moldova, Institute for Public Policy, Romania
Other partners: Center for Policy Studies, Bosnia-and-Herzegovina, Institute for Public
Finance, Croatia, Union of Municipalities, Montenegro, Public Administration and Local Government Center, Serbia
Publication: Effective Democratic Governance at Local and Regional Level - Proceedings of the Second South-Eastern Europe Regional Ministerial Conference

The project, conducted under the auspices of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and the Council of Europe, set out to analyse and evaluate progress made in implementing local
government reform programmes in South-East Europe. Local research teams critically assessed the commitments made by national authorities in the areas of fiscal decentralisation and local government reform. The research results were presented to the Stability Pact and the Council of Europe at a conference of the region‘s ministers responsible for local government, held in Skopje, Macedonia, in November 2006. The reports serve as tools to encourage the ministers to continue and accelerate the reform process, and to adhere to and, in some cases, modify the National Work Programmes adopted at the earlier ministerial meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2004.

The project was funded by the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) of the
Open Society Institute.

Support to Promotion of Reciprocal Understanding of Relations and Dialogue between the European Union and the Western Balkans
Lead partner: European Institute, Bulgaria
PASOS partner: Institute for Contemporary Studies, Albania

Research was undertaken into two areas: (a) Albanian points of view on the European perspectives of the Balkans; (b) Visa policies in Albania. Subsequently, on 15 December 2006, roundtable discussions were held on the research findings at a conference, “European Perspective of the Western Balkans”, held in Tirana, Albania. The project was supported by the European Commission.

Save Public Assets
Lead partner: Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS, Latvia
PASOS partners: EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, Czech Republic, Institute of Public
Affairs, Poland
Other partners: Transparency International Lithuania, researcher in Hungary
Contact: Lolita Cigane, lolita@providus.lv

The project, conducted from June 2006 until March 2007, examined the propensity of various aspects of policymaking in the new EU member-states to present opportunities for corruption in the allocation of EU structural funds. The researchers examined the project selection criteria, issues around the publicising of information about recipients of the funds, and the rights of applicants to appeal and raise complaints. To tackle the funds‘ susceptibility to corruption, the project developed a systematic assessment of the initial phase of structural funds allocation in the new member-states. Partners identified corruption risks, conducted six-month monitoring, prepared recommendations, and carried out advocacy campaigns. Country case studies were compiled and incorporated into a final report that will serve as a manual for NGOs in other states interested in undertaking similar efforts. PROVIDUS also organised discussions about the next EU funds programming period (2007-2013).

The project outputs include guidelines for an anti-corruption strategy in structural funds management on the national level, and EU-wide policy recommendations for reducing the risk of corruption. This project was co-financed by the European Commission.

Strategic Overview of Armed Violence Data Collection and Analysis Mechanisms (South Eastern Europe)
Lead partner: Jefferson Institute, Serbia
PASOS partner: iDEMO Institute for Democracy, Croatia
Contact: Aaron Presnall, apresnall@jeffersoninst.org

There is a growing recognition that armed violence should not be addressed solely through conventional law enforcement approaches. Violence prevention can be specifically addressed through targeted development assistance, human-centred security sector initiatives (such as community-based policing), local peace-building and conflict management, access to basic entitlements, and a range of other interventions. Despite relatively developed governmental structures in South Eastern Europe, due to the lack of data collection and analysis mechanisms, successive research projects have revealed there to be very few reliable and comparable indications of the level of armed violence within the region’s countries and territories. This report offers an insight into current data-gathering practices, and analyses the practicalities of improving the availability of operationally useful information, with reference to international best practices in this field.

The project was funded by UNDP-SEESAC (United Nations Development Programme - South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons).

Analysing and Debating the Future of EU Enlargement - Enlargement Roadshows in the Czech Republic, Latvia and

Poland
Lead partner: EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, Czech Republic
PASOS partners: Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS, Latvia, Center for Research and Policy Making, Macedonia, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland, International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine
Other partner: Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), Turkey
Publications: Bulgaria, Romania, and Who Next? Perspectives of Further EU
Enlargement as seen from the New Member States and EU Hopefuls, EUROPEUM Institute
for European Policy; The Future of EU Enlargement: On Track or Derailed? Debates in New
Member States, Candidates and Neighbours, Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS
Contact: David Král, dkral@europeum.org

This project set out between March 2006 and February 2007 to raise the profile of policy debate on the implications and challenges of further EU enlargement in three new member-states of the EU – the Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia. It stimulated debate by organising roundtables and conferences in these countries, raised the profile of the issue in the major national media, and raised the awareness of the issue among key policymakers in the respective states. The roadshow in each new member-state focused on examining the enlargement policy towards one particular candidate or potential candidate country in the following pairs: Czech Republic-Ukraine, Poland-Macedonia (and Western Balkans generally), and Latvia-Turkey.

The project was funded by the European Integration Subprogramme of the Open Society Institute‘s East-East Partnership Beyond Borders Programme, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Prague.

Linking Latvia to Turkey
Lead partner: Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS, Latvia
Other partner: Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), Turkey

Through the PASOS Policy Centres Development Fund, supported by LGI, PASOS was able to fund the costs of meetings in Riga and Istanbul between the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS, Latvia, and the Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), Turkey, as part of the project “Analysing and Debating the Future of EU Enlargement – Enlargement Roadshow in the Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia”.

EDAM and PROVIDUS examined possibilities for future co-operation in the field of EU accession, drawing on the experience of Latvia as a new EU member-state in the Turkish accession negotiations and accompanying public debate in Turkey.

European Prospects of Ukraine and Turkey

Lead partner: Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
PASOS partners: Centre for Policy Studies at the Central European University, Hungary, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, Czech Republic, Peace Institute, Slovenia
Publications:Accession Prospects for Turkey and Ukraine. Debates in New Member States; Turkey and Ukraine: Wanted or Not? Central European Reflections of Their EU Membership Perspectives
Contact: Justyna Frelak, justyna.frelak@isp.org.pl

The project, undertaken from April 2005 - April 2006, analysed and compared the debates in four new EU member-states on the EU accession prospects of Ukraine and Turkey. After the preparation of initial analyses and a series of roundtables, conferences were held in Warsaw and Brussels. The project was funded by LGI.

Improving the Procedure of Immigration Policy Implementation in Ukraine. The EU Experience in Executing Readmission Agreements
Lead partner: Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
PASOS partner: International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine
Publications:Recommendations on the Implementation of the Negotiated Agreement on Readmission
(white and green book) Based on the Polish Experience

The aim of this project was to improve migration management in Ukraine via dissemination of knowledge and experience regarding readmission agreements. The project, from September 2005 - September 2006, involved a series of seminars in Poland and Ukraine, an international conference, a training seminar/study visit for Ukrainian officials in Poland, and visits to deportation centres. The project was funded by the British Embassy in Kiev, LGI, and the
Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland.

Model for Public Oversight of Healthcare Spending
Lead partner: International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine
PASOS partners: International Centre for European Culture Euro Balkan Institute, Macedonia, Public Policy Research Center, Kazakhstan
Publication:Budget Oversight Model
Contact: Oksana Remiga, oremiga@icps.kiev.ua

This project set out to enhance public awareness and participation at the local level by developing effective mechanisms of public oversight of healthcare spending for use in South-Eastern Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Outputs included a practical, subnational budget oversight model that includes: (a) requirements of legislative and institutional framework, (b) requirements for information dissemination, and (c) examples of independent analysis of budget spending on healthcare. The project was funded by LGI.

Study Programme for Young Russian Public Policy Analysts
Lead partner: Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
PASOS partner: Strategia - St. Petersburg Center for Humanities and Political Studies, Russia

This project aimed to enhance the analytical skills of future Russian opinion-leaders, and to disseminate knowledge about the changes in Poland after 1989. The project involved a series of training seminars and study visits in Poland from February to October 2006. The project was funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.

Study Programme for Moldovan Public Policy Analysts
Lead partner: Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
PASOS partner: Institute for Public Policy, Moldova

This project involved the organisation from September to December 2006 of a series of seminars and study visits to Poland for Moldovan public policy analysts, followed up by a seminar in Moldova. It aimed to enhance the analytical skills of future Moldovan opinion-leaders and disseminate knowledge about the changes in Poland after 1989. This project was funded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sharing Experience of NGOs and Journalists as Important Stakeholders in the EU Accession Process
Lead partner: EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, Czech Republic
PASOS partner: Center for Research and Policy Making, Macedonia
Contact: Vladimír Bartovic, vbartovic@europeum.org

This pilot project was designed to transfer to the countries of the Western Balkans know-how generated during the EU accession process of the Czech Republic. In the first stage, the project focused on two different target groups of civil society: representatives of NGOs (think-tanks), and journalists. This first stage was conducted with Macedonia from June-December 2006. Plans are underway to launch the project in other countries in the Western Balkans, initially with those most advanced in the process of accession to the EU.

The project was funded by the European Integration Subprogramme of the Open Society Institute‘s East-East Partnership Beyond Borders Programme.

Friendly EU Border
Lead partner: Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland
PASOS partners: Association for International Affairs (AMO), Czech Republic, Institute for Public Policy, Moldova
Other partners: Centre for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine, Ukraine, Centre for Social Innovations, Belarus, Collegium Civitas, Poland, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland, Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, Russia
Publication:Visa Policies of the European Union Member States - Monitoring Report
Contact: Grzegorz Gromadzki, ggromadzki@batory.org.pl

This module evaluated the visa policies and the consular practices of eight EU countries - Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Lithuania and Poland - in four countries of Eastern Europe: Belarus, Ukraine, Russia and Moldova. The monitoring comprised in-depth interviews with 1,300 people requesting visas at 31 consulates in Chisinau, Kiev, Minsk and Moscow, conducted in November-December 2005. Analysis of the interviews and information on EU visa policies were presented in the resulting publication, along with a policy paper including recommendations by experts, lawyers and human-rights activists on the most desirable, friendly and consistent model of EU visa policy.

The project was funded by the Open Society Institute‘s East-East Partnership Beyond Borders Programme.