TRIALOG Project

TRIALOG is a Europe-wide project, funded by the European Union (EU), to raise awareness of development issues in the enlarged EU. Its main objective is strengthening European development cooperation through full integration of non-governmental development organisations (NGDOs) from new EU member states (NMS) and accession countries (AC) into the European Confederation for Relief and Development (CONCORD) [CONCORD Working Groups Newsletter, 2007.

http://www.concordeurope.org/Files/media/internetdocumentsENG/4_Publications/2_Working_Groups_Newsletter/2007_Working_Groups_Newsletter/WG-8-2007_EN.doc] , and other European networks. [TRIALOG: Embracing the next EU enlargement, page 30. HORIZONT3000 Annual Report, 2005. http://www.horizont3000.org/Annual_Report_05_HORIZONT3000.pdf]

With the enlargement of the European Union in 2004 and 2007, 12 new member states (NMS) contribute strategically and financially to the EU development co-operation policy. ["1.5 YEARS AFTER ENLARGEMENT. Lessons learnt and challenges for the next round.", conference documentation by the Austrian EU-Platform, 2005.http://www.reichearmewelt.at/english/start.asp?showmenu=yes&fr=&b=1234&ID=9395] The priorities, policies and methodologies of the NMS and AC complement the present EU approach. [CONCORD Statement: "EU-Enlargement related challenges for development policies in the European Union", 2004. http://www.concordeurope.org/Files/media/internetdocumentsENG/4_Publications/3_CONCORDs_positions_and_studies/Positions%2020032006/Statement_on_the_Enlargement_of_the_European_Union_February_2004.doc] An integration into European structures and policies is proceeding. [The Consequences of Enlargement for Development Policy, Study prepared by Development Strategies, 2003.

http://ec.europa.eu/development/body/organisation/docs/study_conseq_enlarg_vol1.pdf] The TRIALOG project aims to contribute to a stronger European system of international development cooperation through the inclusion and active participation of civil society organisations. [Silny, Jiri: "Development Cooperation in New EU Member States. An Insight Analysis", page 4. TRIALOG Bulletin, 2007. http://www.trialog.or.at/images/doku/trialog_bulletin_2007.pdf]

Initiated in March 2000 for a duration of 3 years, a second phase was started in September 2003, and now the TRIALOG project is in its third phase (2006-2009).

Objectives

· Linking NGDOs – by facilitating the inclusion of NGDO Platforms from new member states and accession countries into CONCORD [CONCORD] , the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development; linking NGDOs in new member states/accession countries and their Platforms with relevant EU NGDO networks and key partners in developing countries; and providing opportunities for increased networking, information exchange, mutual learning, partnership and joint projects between NGDOs from the EU, new member states/accession countries and developing countries.

· Building capacities- by strengthening the capacities of NGDOs from new member states and accession countries in order to participate in debates on EU and national development policies and building the institutional capacity of NGDOs in new member states/accession countries by supporting the creation and the strengthening of Platforms and informal NGDO co-ordination bodies.

· Raising Awareness- by increasing awareness and understanding of development issues and the role of NGDOs in EU development policies in the new member states/accession countries .

Activities

There are six key activities that TRIALOG deals with: Capacity Building (through trainings on development topics and NGO working tools, support for EC applications, study visits, internships and volunteer sending to development projects), Platforms (by supporting the creation and strengthening of national NGDO platforms and integration into CONCORD), Networking (liaisoning with key actors, through opportunities for mutual learning, finding partners for joint projects, and support for attending conferences), Policy (by strengthening capacities for participation in debates on national and EU level, facilitating the EPAN), Advocacy (support for NMS for joining international campaigns and advocacy actions, making the voice of NMS/AC heard) and Information (through online NGO Database, TRIALOG Information Service (TIS), publications and website).

TRIALOG is a project in association with CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development, carried out by a consortium of NGDOs : HORIZONT 3000, Licht für die Welt / Light for the World (Austria), AGEH (Germany), Brot für die Welt (Germany), Polish Humanitarian Organisation (Poland), eRko (Slovakia), Ecumenical Academy Prague (Czech Republic), CONCORD, Kopin (Malta).

Project is financed by: European Commission (83,6%), consortium partners and private European sources (12,4%) and Austrian Development Cooperation (4,0%). [TRIALOG Structure and Partners, http://www.trialog.or.at/start.asp?ID=93&B=58] The Head Office is in Vienna, and the Liaison Office is in Brussels.

References

External links

* [http://www.trialog.or.at TRIALOG]
* [http://trialog-information-service.blogspot.com TRIALOG Information Service]
* [http://www.concordeurope.org CONCORD]
* [http://www.deeep.org DEEEP]
* [http://www.horizont3000.at HORIZONT 3000]
* [http://www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid EuropeAid]
* [http://www.ada.gv.at/view.php3?r_id=3042&LNG=en&version= Austrian Development Cooperation]