Quaker Council for European Affairs

The Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) is a Brussels-based lobbying body, founded in 1979. According to its website, "Its purpose is to express a Quaker vision in matters of peace, human rights, and economic justice" [ [http://www.quaker.org/qcea/ Official QCEA website] ]

Recognition as a consultative body

QCEA frequently submits evidence and comments to European Union consultations. QCEA is a Member of Civil Society and Democracy in Europe Grouping of NGOs recognised by the Council of Europe [ [http://www.coe.int/t/e/ngo/public/Membership_civil%20society.asp CoE List of NGOs] ] and is entitled to lodge complaints of violations of the European Social Charter with the European Committee of Social Rights [http://www.coe.int/t/e/ngo/public/participatory_status/list_of_ngos/liste_des_oing_2006_internet.asp#P2131_73003 CoE List of Participatory NGOs]

Partnerships and Collaborations

QCEA works closely with the Quaker United Nations Office, [ [http://www.quno.org/ Quaker United Nations Office] , an agency of the Friends World Committee for Consultation] Geneva and runs a biennial conference on peacebuilding with QUNO.

QCEA ia one of 20 Partner organisations in The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office [ [http://www.eplo.org/ EPLO] ]

QCEA is a member of The Social Platform, a network of European Social NGOs. [ [http://www.socialplatform.org/ Social Platform] ]

Programmes

It has four main programme areas:
* Peace
** Peacebuilding and the European Union
** Online [http://www.quaker.org/qcea/peacedirectory/index.html European Peace Directory]
** The EU’s Response to the Threat of Terrorism
** Enhancing European Capacity for [http://www.eplo.org/ Peacebuilding]
** Intergroup of MEPs on Peace Initiatives- provides administrative services
** [http://www.quaker.org/qcea/peacetax/index.html Peace Tax] at the Council of Europe
** Europe and the Non-Proliferation Treaty
** European Security Research
*Human Rights
** Women In Prison
** The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A Review of the Current Situation
** EU Asylum and Immigration Briefing Papers
** Strangers in a Foreign Land
* Economic Justice
** EU Consultation on Energy and a European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy
** Corporate Social Responsibility
** Briefing Papers on the EU and External Trade
* The Future of Europe and the Constitutional Treaty
** Europe’s values and ambitions – an opportunity for action – now!
** Briefing Papers on the Constitutional Treaty and Referendums
** Briefing Papers on the Militarisation of the EU
** Spiritual Values and Citizenship Project

Presentations and Reports

QCEA presentations and reports that are currently available (at 2 2Mo. 2007): [ [http://www.quaker.org/qcea/briefings/index.html Online QCEA briefing papers] ]
* The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A Review of the Current Situation (2005) -Available Online
* Working towards Economic Justice - article in "The Friends Quarterly" Vol.34 No.6
* Papers from the QCEA/QPSW conference in Brussels 2004
* Values matter - Quakers Reflect on Europe :Final report of the Spiritual Values and Citizenship Project (2003)- Available Online
* Offenders As People: Learning from one another’s experience across Europe: Report of a conference held at Woodbrooke, Birmingham from 17-19 September 1999.
* Biotechnology and Ethics New European Laws and Proposals by Anna Franziska Schröder (1997)
* The Common Wealth By Ed Mayo and A Double Strategy for Alternatives to Europe's Economic Structures and Policies By Ulrich Duchrow - Keynote speeches from the QCEA-Woodbrooke conference "Sharing, not Taking", held in March 1996.
* Between Hope and Disaster - Aspects of Neo-Fascism in Europe (1993)
* An Essay Towards the Present and Future Peace of Europe by William Penn.

Achievements

QCEA claims the following achievements
* "There is an anti-discrimination clause in the Amsterdam Treaty. Why?" Because QCEA, along with other non-governmental organisations in Brussels, campaigned for it.
* "The Council of Europe asked the governments of all its member states what provision they made for conscientious objection. Why?" Because QCEA raised the matter in September 1996 and the Committee of Ministers acted on QCEA's initiative. A brochure of good practice in handling conscientious objection was prepared, and distributed to all the member states in 2002.
* "The Greek Government had to reply to the Council of Europe about the way it treats those doing alternative service. Why?" Because QCEA has participatory status at the Council of Europe and has the right to bring collective complaints under the Council of Europe's Social Charter. QCEA used this right to bring a successful complaint against Greece.
* "There is now a European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) in Brussels. Why?" Because QCEA had the idea in 1996, and has succeeded over the past few years in getting EPLO established as a respected network organisation with 17 member NGOs who work together to further a culture of peace in Europe and in the European Institutions' dealings with other countries.
* "There is a campaign to co-operate with the EU to enable it to use its civilian capabilities in crisis management, conflict transformation, and long term peacebuilding. Why?" Because QCEA has worked hard with other NGOs in EPLO to make proposals on how such a development of civilian capabilities can be furthered and has engaged in active dialogue with EU decision makers. QCEA will continue this campaign in order to help to develop realistic and practical alternatives to military intervention.

References