CONCORD


CONCORD, also referred to as CONCORD Europe, is the European confederation of non-governmental organisations working on sustainable development and international development cooperation.
It was established in its current form in 2003 and is the main NGO interlocutor with the EU institutions on development policy. it was made up of 57 member organisations, which are national NGO platforms and international NGO networks, representing more than 2,600 NGOs.
The stated goal of the Confederation is to enhance the impact of European development NGOs by combining expertise and accountability. Since 2003, CONCORD has reviewed and protested the EU's policies and practices relation to overseas aid and its commitment to the UN Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals, policy coherence for development and funding issues.
CONCORD maintains a secretariat based in Brussels, Belgium.
WWW concordeurope.org

History

The organisation was registered in Belgium in 1980 but established by development NGOs from across Europe in its current form in 2003. CONCORD is an acronym for CONfederation for COoperation of Relief and Development NGOs. This name is no longer used and CONCORD is now describing itself as "European Confederation of NGOs working on sustainable development and international cooperation".

EU Development Policy

The EU and its member states are the world's biggest donors of official development assistance. A major area of work for EU development policy operates within the Cotonou agreement which establishes a relationship between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific states related to development policy.
EU action in the field of development is based on the European Consensus on Development, signed on 20 December 2005, whereby EU Member States, the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission agreed to a common EU vision of development.
EU partnerships and dialogue with developing countries promote respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, peace, democracy, good governance, and gender equality, the rule of law, solidarity and justice through global education. The European Community's contribution is focused on certain areas of intervention, responding to the needs of partner countries.

Publications

CONCORD publishes AidWatch, an annual report on the EU's aid policy. In 2011, the AidWatch report criticised EU members states for increasingly tying overseas development aid to specific domestic and foreign policy goals, inflating aid by 5billion Euros.
CONCORD also publishes a report every 2 years on Policy Coherence for Development, a legal provision under the EU Lisbon Treaty. PCD aims to ensure that the external impacts of other EU policies do not undermine the aims and objectives of EU development cooperation.
In 2010, CONCORD published its Narrative on Development. The report outlines that European Union Development policies should not pursue unilateral European interests. Legally, they are to support sustainable and human development in developing countries.

Partners

At global level, CONCORD is actively involved in the Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness, the Beyond 2015 campaign, The Humanitarian Forum international network of NGOs and BetterAid. Through these collaborations CONCORD engages with similar NGO networks from South America, Asia and Africa. It's also a partner of Arab NGO Network for Development and Mesa

Members

, CONCORD counts 57 member organisations, among which 26 national platforms and 24 other NGO networks:
TypeCountryMember organisation
National PlatformGlobale Verantwortung
National PlatformCONCORD Belgium
National PlatformБългарска Платформа за Международно развитие
National PlatformCROSOL
National PlatformFoRS
National PlatformGlobal Focus
National PlatformAKÜ
National PlatformCoordination sud
National PlatformFingo
National PlatformVENRO
National PlatformHellenic Platform for Development
National PlatformHAND
National PlatformDóchas
National PlatformConcord Italia
National PlatformLAPAS
National PlatformCercle de coopération
National PlatformSKOP
National PlatformPartos
National PlatformGrupa Zagranica
National PlatformPlataforma Portuguesa das Organizações Não-Governamentais para o Desenvolvimento
National PlatformFOND
National PlatformAmbrela
National PlatformSLOGA
National PlatformCoordinadora ONG
National PlatformCONCORD Sweden
National PlatformBritish Overseas NGOs for Development
Network—ACT Alliance EU
Network—Action Aid
Network—ADRA EU
Network—Alliance2015
Network—CARE International
Network—-
Network—Caritas Europa
Network—ChildFund Alliance
Network—CIDSE
Network—EU-CORD
Network—Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction
Network—Habitat for Humanity
Network—Humanity & Inclusion
Network—IPPF European Network
Network—Light for the World
Network—Oxfam International
Network—Plan International
Network—Save the Children International
Network—Solidar
Network—SOS Children's Villages International
Network—Terre des hommes
Network—Women Engage for Common Future
Network—Wetlands International Europe
Network—World Vision International
Network—World Wide Fund for Nature
Associate member—European Association for Local Democracy
Associate member—Center for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology
Associate member—European Association for the Education of Adults
Associate member—European Disability Forum
Associate member—EU Partnership for Democracy
Associate member—International Rescue Committee
Associate member—Norwegian Refugee Council