Expressions of interest (EoI) for membership of the UK Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement
Updated 24 November 2021
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Expressions of interest (EoI) for membership of the UK Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement
The Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA/the Agreement) provides for the involvement of civil society through the creation of a Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and Civil Society Forum (CSF) in advising on the implementation of the Agreement.
It is envisaged that the UK DAG will generally meet twice a year and will rotate between all four nations of the United Kingdom. Considering the large scope of the DAG, this will be supplemented by the ongoing engagement of Departments in between plenary sessions and by the Brexit Business Taskforce.
The Government sees the DAG as an important consultative body which will enable it to hear from those most affected by the operation of the Agreement. Its recommendations will be taken seriously to ensure concerns are properly registered in advance of meetings of the Specialised Committees and other bodies created by the Agreement. The DAG member organisations will discuss progress made in implementing the Agreement and submit their views or recommendations to the Government. They may also discuss implementation issues with the EU DAG in the preparations of the Civil Society Forum.
The CSF meeting will bring together civil society representatives of both Parties to facilitate an active dialogue between participants.
At the Forum, member organisations will submit their views or recommendations on Part 2 of the agreement, which includes trade, transport, energy, fisheries and social security coordination.
Membership Requirements
Eligibility
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement states that the Domestic Advisory Group will gather representatives of the civil society of the United Kingdom, namely ‘non-governmental organisations, business and employers’ organisations, as well as trade unions, active in economic, sustainable development, social, human rights, environmental and other matters.’ The Civil Society Forum will gather representatives of the civil society of both Parties.
The membership will be held by an organisation as a whole and different individuals can represent the organisation at different meetings. As a result, we do not seek expressions of interests from individuals.
Candidate organisations for membership of the Domestic Advisory Group must have specific professional expertise or competence with regard to the areas covered by the TCA. The membership list will be kept under review and additional members will be considered in the future.
For the Civil Society Forum, candidate organisations must have specialised knowledge or expertise related to Part 2 of the agreement, which includes trade, transport, energy, fisheries and social security coordination. This campaign will determine the UK membership of the Civil Society Forum. However, that list will be kept under review and additional participants will be considered in the future.
To be considered for appointment under this campaign, the organisation must:
- Be a civil society or business organisation and not an individual business;
- Be not for profit;
- Represent the interest of UK businesses or citizens;
- Have specific professional competence or expertise relating to the TCA.
It is important that candidate organisations have a good understanding of how the TCA impacts people across the UK and that involvement in the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum is representative of the challenges faced by the UK businesses and citizens. When selecting the member organisations for both fora, geographical and regional representation will be considered.
Both the DAG and CSF will have virtual participation options. This will allow organisations to be able to engage without the need to invest significant resources. The Government is currently unable to commit to financial support but should this policy exclude some, especially smaller, organisations from being able to participate, then this will be reviewed.
Diversity
HMG embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation. We therefore encourage applications from the widest range of qualified groups.
Data Protection
We are inviting applications from organisations rather than individuals. We will however process personal data in operating the DGA and Civil SocietyForum (e.g. to contact organisational representatives or organise meetings). Such personal data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice.
Selection Process
Candidate organisations must submit a cover letter (1,000 words maximum) to tcadomesticadvisory@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
In the cover letter, organisations should set out their reasons for applying for the Domestic Advisory Group or Civil Society Forum, or both, their suitability for membership and how they meet the requirements set out in Eligibility.
The expression of interest has been re-opened and the deadline for receipt of applications extended until 11.59pm on 29 November 2021.
Candidate organisations will be informed if they have been selected for inclusion in either the Domestic Advisory Group or Civil Society Forum or both.
Applications, and any queries about this process, should be sent to tcadomesticadvisory@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Next steps
Following the EoI campaign, we will determine membership while ensuring that involvement in these groups is as balanced as it can be, including considering geographical and regional representation.
We will publish the outcome of the expression of interest campaign as soon as possible and in any event ahead of the first meeting of the Domestic Advisory Group.