A Seminar on the European Neighborhood Policy Human Rights and the Egyptian-European Relations

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) will be holding a seminar on the “European Neighborhood Policy: Human Rights and the Egyptian-European Union (EU) Relations” in Cairo, January 26-27, 2006. The seminar aims at sharing viewpoints and experiences on opportunities, challenges, and weak points relating to the European Neighborhood Policy and democratic transition and human rights in Egypt. It also aims at encouraging Egyptian human rights NGOs to monitor the negotiations process and future implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan and present their viewpoints in this framework.
Participants in the seminar shall include representatives of Egyptian, Arab and European human rights NGOs from Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, and Ukraine in addition to representatives of the European Union. Participants shall present by the end of the seminar a detailed report to the EU and the Egyptian government to include the civil society&#146s recommendations on the Egyptian-EU Action Plan&#146s priorities and the place of human rights and democracy therein.
Discussions shall focus on the following themes:

– General framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the European Neighborhood policy;
– Evaluation of the implementation of the Association Agreement between Egypt and the EU and the participation of civil society;
– Case studies of the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan with Arab countries (Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia) and with an Eastern Europe countries (Ukraine) to share best practices and provide Egypt with required experience;
– Expectations and priorities: the European-Egyptian European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan;
– How to secure consultation of civil society in the negotiations and its participation in following up and monitoring the implementation of the bilateral Action Plan in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy.

Contacts:

CIHRS: Moataz El fegiery 00202 7951112 or +2 0123429991

EMHRN: Emilie Dromzee/Sandrine Grenier (00 32 /(0)513 37 97 or 00 32 / (0)486 28 06 95)