Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process

Upon a recommendation of the Council of Europe’s Forum for the Future of Democracy, the Conference of INGOs launched the drafting of a Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-making Process. The principal objective of the Code of Good Practice is to define a set of European principles and guidelines for NGO participation in decision-making processes that are to be implemented at local and national level in Council of Europe member States. Several regional NGO consultation conferences were held throughout Europe in 2008.

After approval of the draft Code of Good Practice at its meeting in April 2009, the Conference informed the Committee of Ministers about it and consulted the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities who welcomed the Code of Good Practice.

The Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process was adopted by the Conference of INGOs on 1 October 2009 and was launched officially at the meeting of the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Kyiv on 21 October.  The Committee of Ministers gave its support to the Code of Good Practice by adopting a Declaration at the 1068th meeting of the Ministers Deputies.  The Committee of Ministers recognises the importance of the Code of Good Practice as a reference document for the Council of Europe, and as a basis for the empowerment of citizens to be involved in conducting public affairs in European countries.

The key documents are set out below:

Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process
Promotion and implementation strategy for the Code of Good Practice
Contribution by the Parliamentary Assembly on the Draft Code of Good Practice
Opinion of the Congress and Local and Regional Authorities
Declaration of the Committee of Ministers
Programme of the International Conference on Civil Participation in Europe being held in Ljubljana on 12 and 13 November 2009

Video clips
Presentation of the Code of Good Practice at the meeting of the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Kyiv: mms://coenews.coe.int/vod/091023_civil_participation.wmv

Interview with the President of the INGO Conference on citizen participation:
mms://coenews.coe.int/vod/091210_w01_w.wmv