On June 4^th, the Azerbaijan National Committee for European Integration (ANCEI) and Azerbaijan National Platform of EaP Civil Society Forum (CSF) have held a joint press conference.

Ilgar Hasanli, the coordinator of ANCEI, started the conference with opening remarks and underlined the importance of efficient delivering of the programs and projects realized by the organization. Avaz Hasanov, the Director of Society for Humanitarian Research and Coordinator of EaP Civil Society Forum (CSF) for Azerbaijan, gave information about the CSF to be held on 17-18 November, 2010 and application procedures.

According to him, “active participation in EaP should become an important activity for civil society representatives. There should be initiatives by civil society to encourage government to take serious steps in Euro-integration processes. Particularly considering the inclusion of civil society in this program by the European Union as an institution for active participation of Azerbaijan in EaP, the efforts will be intensified in this direction”. The second meeting of CSF will be held in Berlin this year. The coordinator called on the Civil Society representatives of Azerbaijan to apply to the forum. In the meantime he stated that according to the selection procedure only 40 % of the 21 forum members selected in 2009 will be renewed and each organization will be able to be selected to the forum only 3 times.

Vahid Gazi, current chairman of the ANCEI reported the activities to be carried out in upcoming months at the press conference. Vahid Gazi stated ANCEI will soon hold round tables and conferences on different topics and this will contribute to the increase of the committee’s influence in the society. The head of the committee highlighted the conference on transition to euro fuel standards, the accession process of Azerbaijan to World Trade Organization and other interesting events among them and mentioned that “the committee is willing to cooperate with the government and EU in numerous areas.”

For the reference, the first meeting of EU EaP CSF was held in Brussels on 16-17 November, 2009. 21 organizations from Azerbaijan were accredited for participation in the forum.

It should be mentioned that the Azerbaijan ANCEI was established in 2006 and its duties are: achieving mobilization of civil society in integration processes of Azerbaijan into EU and active participation of civil society in decision-making, implementation and monitoring concerning European Integration.