Firstly, I have gone through all questions related to this problem, including Table spanning two columns creates hole in text, and they have not provided me the solution I desire.
I have tried solutions including multicolumn, using different parameters for table, etc, none of which have worked for me.
I'm posting this question here out of desperation.
I would greatly obliged if you had a look at the mwd that I have displayed below and give me a possible solution to my problem. I have changed my actual file and replaced the words in the table with 'Dummy' to maintain the table structure.
The .sty file 'eacl2017' that is used is located at http://eacl2017.org/index.php/calls/call-for-papers under 'SUBMISSION FORMAT'
\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{eacl2017}
\usepackage{times}
\usepackage{url}
\usepackage{latexsym}
\usepackage{verbatim}
\usepackage{enumerate}
\usepackage{multicol, lipsum}
\newcommand\BibTeX{B{\sc ib}\TeX}
\title{Dummy}
\date{}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\begin{abstract}
\lipsum[1-1]
\end{abstract}
\section{Dummy}
\lipsum[2-4]
\begin{table}[hbp]
\small
\begin{flushleft}
\caption{\label{table-4} \textit{Dummy for Dummy DummyDummy into Dummy DummyDummyDummy}}
\begin{tabular}{|p{4cm}|p{12cm}|}
\hline
DummyDummyDummy (DummyDummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy) & DummyDummyDummy \
\hline
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\setcounter{enumi}{0}
\item DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy (From Dummy)
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
&
DummyDummyDummy \
\hline
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\setcounter{enumi}{1}
\item DummyDummyDummy Dummy DummyDummyDummy (From Dummy)
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
&
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[I]
\itemsep0em
\item
If DummyDummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummyDummy, Dummy as Dummy. If not, DummyDummy
\vspace{-2mm}
\begin{enumerate}[i]
\itemsep0em
\item Dummy DummyDummy \textit{DummyDummyDummy}\textsuperscript{5} and Dummy Dummy Dummy \textit{Dummy} Dummy
\item DummyDummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy \textit{Dummy}, or \textit{Dummy}.
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-2mm}
\item
DummyDummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummy
\leftskip =0.2in
DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummy
\leftskip =0.2in
DummyDummyDummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummy
Dummy DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy\textsuperscript{3} or Dummy DummyDummyDummy\textsuperscript{2}
DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy
\leftskip=0in
\item
If DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy, DummyDummy.
\leftskip=0.2in
Dummy --- The Dummy doesn`t DummyDummyDummyDummyDummy \textit{Dummy},
such that Dummy Dummy is \textit{Dummy}, DummyDummyDummyDummyDummyDummy
and DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy DummyDummy \textit{Dummy}.
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\
\hline
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\setcounter{enumi}{2}
\item DummyDummy DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummy
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
&
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[I]
\itemsep0em
\item DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummyDummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummyDummy
\item If DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy, DummyDummyDummyDummy. Else DummyDummy
\vspace{-2mm}
\begin{enumerate}[i]
\itemsep0em
\item The Dummy is in \textit{DummyDummyDummyDummy}\textsuperscript{5} and DummyDummy
\item The Dummy has Dummy Dummy DummyDummyDummy Dummy
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-2mm}
\item If DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy
\vspace{-2mm}
\begin{enumerate}[i]
\itemsep0em
\item The Dummy Dummy DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy,
\item The DummyDummy Dummy Dummy DummyDummy,
\item An DummyDummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummy\textsuperscript{3}
or Dummy\textsuperscript{2} Dummy between Dummy
\item The DummyDummyDummy DummyDummy
\item DummyDummy
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-2mm}
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\
\hline
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\setcounter{enumi}{3}
\item DummyDummy\textsuperscript{1} DummyDummy DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummyDummy DummyDummyDummy
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}
&
\vspace{-3.5mm}
\begin{enumerate}[I]
\itemsep-0.5em
\item If DummyDummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy Dummy. Else Dummy
\begin{enumerate}[i]
\itemsep0em
\item The Dummy Dummy \textit{DummyDummy}\textsuperscript{5} and Dummy
\textit{Dummy} or Dummy Dummy Dummy DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummy Dummy Dummy (for an Dummy Dummy Dummy\textsuperscript{1} Dummy DummyDummy)
\item There are DummyDummy DummyDummy \textit{Dummy} or \textit{Dummy}, Dummy DummyDummy
\end{enumerate}
\item If the Dummy DummyDummy DummyDummy DummyDummy Dummy DummyDummyDummy
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{-3.5mm}\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{flushleft}
\end{table}
\lipsum[3-5]
\end{document}
The problem is that the table ends up right in the middle of the page, not allowing more text to come either above or below it as in this picture-
The previous and succeeding paras are pushed onto the above and below pages, wasting a LOT of space, something I desperately need.
Can anyone provide me with a solution to the problem such that the table is at the top of the page, and I can have text (in two-columns) below it, utilising the space as it should?

eacl2017package available online so that your code can be tested? – Mico Nov 18 '16 at 20:33(\end occurred when \iffalse on line 331 was incomplete). Indeed, a '\fi` is missing but I was unable to determine the exact place. The author of the style file should be notified. – Eric Domenjoud Nov 18 '16 at 21:04