The adoption of the new ‘Framework for relations between NGOs and the Government of Spain’ presents both opportunities and challenges for the Spanish cooperation. To contribute to the successful integration of the framework, the Spanish network of NGO’s, the Coordinadora, commissioned ECOPER to conduct a study to identify good practices in relations between governments and development NGOs. Following the completion of the study this month, ECOPER’s Chief Consultant, Aitor Pérez, presented the findings to the Coordinadora and its partner organisations during an online session on 27 January. The session, which was attended by 28 participants, also provided an opportunity for questions and discussion on the topics raised by the research.
The research results were arrived at following an analysis of political, legal and technical aspects of government-development NGO relations in eight EU countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden. From these, five (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden) were selected as examples of good practice due to the strategic basis of their relationship with civil society organisations, and the use of practices in the framework of their relations with civil society organisations which are identified as positive by the OECD, the UN and the EU. In the course of the study, interviews were conducted with representatives from the national coordinating bodies for NGOs and officials from development NGOs in the eight countries of reference, namely ACODEV, Cercle de Coopération, Coordination SUD, CNCD-11.11.11., FINGO, Oxfam Denmark, PARTOS and CONCORD Sweden.