European Peacebuilding Liaison Office

The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) is an independent civil-society platform representing European non-governmental organisations, NGO networks and think tanks focused on peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict. Based in Brussels, it works primarily at the intersection of peacebuilding practice, conflict analysis and European Union policy. Rather than operating as a commercial consumer brand, EPLO functions as an advocacy, coordination and policy-influence organisation whose principal audiences are EU institutions, Member State representatives, Members of the European Parliament, researchers and civil-society practitioners. EPLO’s stated mission is to encourage European policymakers to adopt more active and effective approaches to securing peace and supporting nonviolent forms of conflict resolution in all regions of the world. Its work seeks to place conflict prevention, peacebuilding and human security more prominently within EU external action. The organisation channels independent analysis and practical experience from civil society into European policy processes through policy briefings, joint advocacy, public events, working groups and direct dialogue with decision-makers. Its policy objectives include strengthening the role of conflict prevention and peacebuilding in EU foreign and external-affairs structures; securing greater and more appropriate resources for peacebuilding; integrating peacebuilding into EU development policy and programming; promoting gender-sensitive approaches that make EU policy more inclusive and effective; and improving the EU’s responses to particular conflicts and peace processes. EPLO’s thematic work has covered EU institutions and policies, peacebuilding finance, development, gender, peace and security, trade and conflict, European Investment Bank activity, support for peace processes, the Middle East and North Africa, EU-Africa relations, and EU accession and peacebuilding. A central EPLO activity has been the Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN), a dialogue mechanism co-financed by the European Union and EPLO and managed by EPLO in cooperation with the European Commission and the European External Action Service. Launched in 2010, the CSDN was designed to improve the capacity of both civil society and EU actors to anticipate, analyse, prevent and respond to violent conflict and crises. Its dialogue meetings bring together civil-society representatives and EU policymakers in Brussels, EU Member States and conflict-affected countries where the EU is active. EPLO also supports knowledge exchange through the Academic Friends of EPLO network, which links academics researching peacebuilding, conflict and the EU with practitioners and advocates, and through Brown Bag Lunch events consisting of informal round-table discussions on geographic and thematic issues. Its membership has included individual NGOs, NGO networks and think tanks from across Europe; the referenced profile describes 39 member organisations from 16 European countries, including EU Member States, Kosovo, Norway and Switzerland. The organisation has participated in and coordinated a range of externally funded or collaborative initiatives. These have included research into EU civilian capabilities for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, work on early warning and early action, public dialogues on the EU’s role as a global peace actor, the Initiative for Peacebuilding, the Conflict Prevention Partnership and projects examining the role of civil society in European crisis management. Through these activities, EPLO’s positioning is that of a specialist policy intermediary: it does not present itself as a military or diplomatic actor, but seeks to improve European conflict prevention and peacebuilding policy by connecting evidence, field experience and institutional decision-making.

The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office developed as a Brussels-based platform for European civil-society organisations working on conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Its institutional role is to aggregate and communicate the experience of NGOs, NGO networks and think tanks to European Union decision-makers. The organisation’s work reflects the growing policy importance of preventive diplomacy, civilian crisis response, peace processes, gender-sensitive peacebuilding and the relationship between development and conflict prevention in EU external action. EPLO’s operating model combines representation, analysis and dialogue. It provides a collective policy interface for member organisations while also facilitating direct contact between civil society and EU officials, Member State representatives and Members of the European Parliament. Its stated mission is to influence European policymakers to pursue more active and effective measures for peace and nonviolent conflict resolution internationally. This gives EPLO a role different from that of an implementing humanitarian agency or a diplomatic service: its principal contribution is policy development, advocacy and the transmission of independent expertise. Over time, EPLO organised its policy work around thematic and geographic groups. These areas included EU institutions and policies, funding for peacebuilding, peacebuilding and development, gender, peace and security, the European Investment Bank, trade and conflict, EU support for peace processes, the Middle East and North Africa, EU-Africa relations, and EU accession and peacebuilding. The breadth of these areas reflects an approach that treats peacebuilding as relevant to foreign policy, development programming, economic instruments, institutional design and responses to specific conflicts. One of EPLO’s most significant institutional activities is the Civil Society Dialogue Network. Established in 2010, the network was created as a mechanism for dialogue between civil-society actors and EU policymakers on peace and conflict. It is co-financed by EPLO and the European Union and managed by EPLO in cooperation with the European Commission and the European External Action Service. Meetings have been held in Brussels, EU Member States and conflict-affected countries where the EU has a presence. The network’s purpose is to strengthen the ability of civil society and EU institutions to anticipate, analyse, prevent and respond to violent conflict and crises. A third phase began in April 2017 and was described as continuing through 2020. EPLO has also supported informal and research-oriented networks. Academic Friends of EPLO connects scholars studying peacebuilding, conflict and the EU with practitioners and advocates seeking to influence European policy. Brown Bag Lunch events provide relatively informal opportunities to discuss geographic and thematic questions relevant to EU peacebuilding. These activities complement formal advocacy by creating channels for exchange among researchers, field organisations and policymakers. The organisation has been involved in several collaborative projects. The Conflict Prevention Partnership, conducted from September 2005 to September 2006 with the International Crisis Group, International Alert and the European Policy Centre, produced conflict-related information, analysis and recommendations for EU and national policymakers. EPLO also participated in the Role of Civil Society in European Crisis Management project, including a later phase connected with European presidency priorities. The Initiative for Peacebuilding brought together ten civil-society organisations under the leadership of International Alert to develop and share conflict-prevention and peacebuilding knowledge. From 2013 to 2014, The EU and Peacebuilding: From European Peace Project to Global Actor used public events and round tables to examine the EU’s peacebuilding potential. From June 2013 to June 2016, Strengthening Early Warning and Mobilising Early Action sought to improve early-warning mechanisms and opportunities for civil society to influence responses to conflict. In December 2015, EPLO became involved in EU-CIVCAP, a multidisciplinary Horizon 2020 project on EU civilian capabilities for external conflict prevention and peacebuilding. By the period covered by the reference material, EPLO had 39 member organisations from 16 European countries, including EU Member States, Kosovo, Norway and Switzerland. Sonya Reines-Djivanides had served as executive director since June 2015. EPLO’s continuing identity is that of an independent, Brussels-centred policy platform advocating stronger, better-funded and more gender-responsive European approaches to peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

• 2017

  Third CSDN phase began

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  The third phase of the Civil Society Dialogue Network began in April 2017.

• 2015

  New executive director appointed

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  Sonya Reines-Djivanides became executive director in June 2015.

• 2015

  EU-CIVCAP launched

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  EPLO participated in the Horizon 2020-funded EU-CIVCAP research project on EU civilian capabilities for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

• 2013

  EU and Peacebuilding project began

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  EPLO began a programme of public dialogues and round tables examining the EU’s development as a global peacebuilding actor.

• 2013

  Early-warning and early-action project began

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  The Strengthening Early Warning and Mobilising Early Action project began work on conflict analysis, early-warning mechanisms and civil-society influence over responses to fragile situations.

• 2010

  Civil Society Dialogue Network launched

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  The Civil Society Dialogue Network was established to connect civil-society organisations with EU policymakers on peace and conflict issues.

• 2005

  Conflict Prevention Partnership began

  [1]European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org

  EPLO joined the Conflict Prevention Partnership with the International Crisis Group, International Alert and the European Policy Centre to provide conflict analysis and recommendations to European policymakers.

An independent European civil-society policy platform focused on peacebuilding, conflict prevention and improving the effectiveness of EU external action.

• Policy dialogue platform · 2010

  Civil Society Dialogue Network

  A structured dialogue mechanism connecting civil-society organisations with EU policymakers, including officials from EU institutions, Member State representatives and other relevant actors. Meetings address conflict prevention, peacebuilding, crisis response and related regional or thematic issues. The network is co-financed by EPLO and the European Union and managed with the European Commission and European External Action Service.

• Policy coordination

  EPLO working groups

  The working-group structure organises EPLO’s policy activity around subjects such as EU institutions, peacebuilding finance, development, gender and peacebuilding, trade and conflict, peace processes, and regional relationships involving the Middle East, Africa and EU enlargement. These groups support shared analysis and coordinated advocacy by member organisations.

• Academic-practitioner network

  Academic Friends of EPLO

  An informal network linking academics who study peacebuilding, conflict and the EU with practitioners and policy advocates. Its purpose is to improve connections between research and efforts to make EU peacebuilding policy more effective.

• Public policy event

  EPLO Brown Bag Lunch events

  Informal round-table discussions, generally lasting between one and one and a half hours, covering geographic and thematic questions relevant to EU support for peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Participation is generally free and requires registration.

• 2015EU-CIVCAP

  European Union

  A multidisciplinary Horizon 2020 research project assessing EU civilian capabilities for external conflict prevention and peacebuilding and identifying ways to address capability gaps.

  Source
• 2013The EU and Peacebuilding: From European Peace Project to Global Actor

  European Union Member States

  A programme of public events and round tables examining opportunities and challenges for the EU to strengthen its peacebuilding role and considering the contribution of Member State policies.

  Outcome. The project ended in June 2014.

  Source
• 2013Strengthening Early Warning and Mobilising Early Action

  European Union · Fragile and conflict-affected countries

  A three-year effort to strengthen early-warning mechanisms, develop field-based conflict analysis and increase opportunities for civil society to shape responses to emerging conflicts.

  Outcome. The project ran from June 2013 to June 2016.

  Source
• 2010Civil Society Dialogue Network

  European Union · Conflict-affected countries with an EU presence

  EPLO created a continuing dialogue mechanism to bring civil-society perspectives into EU discussions of conflict, crisis and peacebuilding.

  Outcome. The programme continued through multiple phases, with a third phase beginning in 2017.

  Source

• 2015

  Participation in EU-CIVCAPStrategy

  Background

  The project addressed questions about the EU’s civilian capacity to prevent conflict and support sustainable peace outside its borders.

  Action taken

  EPLO joined the comparative and multidisciplinary Horizon 2020 research project on EU civilian capabilities.

  Aftermath

  The project provided a research framework for assessing and improving civilian tools available to European external action.

  Source

• 2010

  Establishment of the Civil Society Dialogue NetworkStrategy

  Background

  EPLO sought a more systematic channel through which peacebuilding organisations could contribute analysis and perspectives to EU conflict and crisis policymaking.

  Action taken

  It launched the Civil Society Dialogue Network in cooperation with the European Commission and the European External Action Service, with financial support from the EU and EPLO.

  Aftermath

  The mechanism developed through successive phases and held dialogue meetings in Brussels, EU Member States and conflict-affected countries with an EU presence.

  Source

1. 1European Peacebuilding Liaison Officeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2European Peacebuilding Liaison Office official websiteeplo.org