The North–South Centre, officially the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, is a Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe, the oldest political organisation of European states.
History It was the outcome of a process started in 1984, when the Portuguese Parliament hosted a conference held by the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly on "North–South: Europe's role." The Lisbon Declaration, adopted at the end of the conference, broached the idea of a European public campaign on North–South interdependence and solidarity. The campaign was launched in 1988 with the support of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. It ended with a European conference of parliamentarians and non-governmental organizations (Madrid, 1–3 June 1988), which launched the Madrid Appeal. The Madrid Appeal laid the foundations for a dynamic dialogue between North and South in a spirit of respect for democracy, and human dignity in order to allow all the world's inhabitants to enjoy fair, balanced and sustainable development. The Portuguese government then proposed setting up a European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, a proposal supported by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in a recommendation adopted in January 1989. The North–South Centre, was established in Lisbon in May 1990 with the purpose of promoting dialogue between North and South, fostering solidarity and raising awareness of global interdependence. The Centre fulfils a dual political role of representing "the voice of the South" within the Council of Europe and of promoting and transmitting the values of democracy and human rights that are central to the Council of Europe's mission in neighboring regions. The Centre strives to promote gender empowerment, youth participation and democratic consolidation through intercultural dialogue in cooperation with civil society, local authorities, governments and parliaments.North-South Centre official website
Key dates
29 May 2013: Adoption of the Report on the new Mission of the Centre in the framework of the Council of Europe neighborhood policy. 5 May 2011: Adoption of a new Statutory Resolution for the NSC which entered into force on 1 June 2011. 2010: Accession of Azerbaijan and Cape Verde, the second non-European country to become a member; Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the North–South Centre. 2009: Accession of Morocco, first non-European country to become a member – the NSC has 21 member States and 1st African University on Youth and Development (Praia). 2007: 1st Africa-Europe Youth Summit. 2001: Accession of Germany – the NSC has 20 member States. 2000: Launching of the University on Youth and Development (Mollina). 1995: Launching of the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe (Lisbon). 1994: 1st meeting of the Lisbon Forum “Human Rights in North-South dialogue” Launching of the “Transmed Program” (Rome). 21 October 1993: Existence of the North–South Centre confirmed by Resolution (93)51 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe – the NSC has 15 member States. 1990: Set up of the North–South Centre in Lisbon. 16 November 1989: Adoption of the Resolution (89)14 adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe endorsing the creation of the North–South Centre following a proposition by the government of Portugal, with 10 founding countries. 1–3 June 1988: European public campaign on North-South interdependence and solidarity organized by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Community. It ended with a European conference of parliamentarians and non-governmental organizations (Madrid), which issued the Madrid Appeal. 9–11 April 1984: Conference organized in Lisbon held by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the theme, “North-South: Europe’s role” and adoption of the “Lisbon Declaration”.
On 5 May 2011, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a new statutory resolution for the North–South Centre. This step had positively concluded a process launched in November 2009 by the Parliamentary Assembly, in connection with the 20th Anniversary of the Centre. Through this decision, the member States - and all of the stakeholders of the North–South Centre - have confirmed its relevance and importance, at a time when the Arab countries are facing historical changes. The main lines of the Centre's new statute, which entered into force on 1 June 2011, are the following:- the Centre has kept its present legal nature and continues to function as an enlarged partial agreement of the Council of Europe.- an invitation is made to all member States of the Council of Europe as well as to the European Union to join the Centre as soon as possible.- the Centre acts as an interface between the Council of Europe and countries in neighboring regions which are interested in cooperating with the Organization, by offering them a platform for structured cooperation at different levels (governments, parliamentarians, local and regional authorities, civil society).- the two former statutory organs of the Centre merged into a new "Executive Committee", which is the single decision-making body of the North–South Centre through this important structural change, the "quadrilogue" functioning of the Centre has been preserved, while full participation of all member states in the decision-making process is ensured.- the relationship with the European Union has been reinforced, through the introduction of the EU Committee of Regions as a new stakeholder of the North–South Centre.- the priority areas of the Centre are confirmed (education, youth, intercultural dialogue), with an increased focus on the promotion of Council of Europe principles and values beyond the European continent.
Mission Building on the experience, knowledge and network of contacts established over the years, the Centre is an important asset of the Council of Europe and its role has been refocused to contribute to implementation of the Council of Europe's neighbourhood policy. The Centre's multilateral activities contribute to processes of democratic consolidation in member states and in neighboring regions, mainly through education to democratic citizenship and intercultural dialogue. The focus of many of these activities is on strengthening civil society, in particular with regard to youth and women.
The Centre works in close cooperation with the European Union in the framework of a Joint Management Agreement concluded between the NSC and the European Commission to raise awareness of global interdependence and solidarity through global/development education and youth cooperation in Europe and beyond. A key objective of the activities carried out under this agreement is to strengthen the role of youth and facilitate the development of policies and structures for youth participation, particularly in Europe and Africa.
Structure The European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, more commonly known as the North–South Centre, was established in November 1989 as an "Enlarged Partial Agreement" so that other states not members of the Council of Europe can also join. There are currently 17 member States, two of whom are not members of the Council of Europe. Management of the North–South Centre is overseen by an Executive Committee that is composed of members representing each of the components of the "quadrilogue." The "quadrilogue" is a unique North–South Centre concept coined to explain a partnership which brings together representatives of governments, national parliaments, local and regional authorities and civil society to ensure good governance of the Centre representative of all the relevant stakeholders.
The Executive Committee The Executive Committee is the decision-making statutory organ of the Centre. On 5 May, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a new statutory resolution for the North–South Centre. One of the main lines of the Centre's new statute, which entered into force on 1 June 2011, concerns its statutory bodies. In fact, the two former statutory organs of the Centre merged into a new "Executive Committee". The Executive Committee is the decision-making body of the Centre. The different components of the quadrilogue are represented as follows: • A government representative for each member state of the Centre • Four parliamentarians, 2 each from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament • Four members representing organized civil society active in priority activity areas for the Centre and ready to engage in concrete cooperation • A representative of the European Commission • A representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in an advisory
The Executive Committee meets twice a year, in principle in Lisbon and in Strasbourg. The current president of the Executive Council is Jean-Marie Heydt.
The Bureau To facilitate efficient management, the Executive Committee shall elect a Bureau from among its members, ensuring representation of each of the 4 components of the quadrilogue. The Bureau monitors the preparation and execution of programs and report to the Executive Committee. It also prepares the meetings of the Executive Committee, with the assistance of the Centre's Secretariat. The Bureau shall also carry out any other task entrusted to it by the Executive Committee. The bureau meets twice a year, in principle in Lisbon and in Strasbourg.
Member states Member states
Algeria: June 22, 2017 Andorra: April 15, 2013 Azerbaijan: August 1, 2010 Bosnia and Herzegovina: January 12, 2017 Bulgaria: January 1, 2016 Cape Verde: March 1, 2010 Croatia: February 18, 2015 Cyprus: November 16, 1989 Greece: July 4, 1995 Holy See: June 4, 1998 Liechtenstein: January 1, 1991 Luxembourg: November 16, 1989 Malta: November 16, 1989 Montenegro: March 1, 2008 Morocco: July 1, 2009 Portugal: November 16, 1989 Romania: September 7, 2016 Serbia: March 1, 2009 Spain: November 16, 1989 Tunisia: December 16, 2016
Associate Member
Lebanon: April 4, 2024
Former member states
Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Slovenia Sweden Switzerland
Non-member States
Armenia Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Estonia Georgia Hungary Jordan Lebanon Latvia Lithuania Moldova Monaco Poland Romania Russia Slovakia Switzerland Tunisia Turkey United Kingdom
Programs
Youth Co-operation The Objective of the Youth Co-operation Program of the Centre in terms of youth is to provide training and capacity building for young people and youth organizations as well as to facilitate their participation in decision and policy making, in the framework of quadrilogue initiatives. This work should be developed in close co-operation with youth organizations, the Youth Department of the Council of Europe, the EU-CoE youth partnership and other relevant institutions working in the youth field.The Youth Co-operation Program is composed by 3 main dimensions:1. A Euro-Arab and Mediterranean Dimension2. The Network of Universities on Youth and Global Citizenship3. The Africa-Europe Youth Co-operation activities in the framework of the “Joint Management Agreement” (JMA), signed with the European Commission in November 2008 and renewed until 2015.
Women The Program "Women" aims to strengthen the role of women as developing actors in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, and to enhance women's empowerment at all levels of governance in order to contribute to the ongoing democratic processes in this geographic area, with particular attention to Morocco and Tunisia. The program is based on the following dimensions: - Women's participation in politics