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IHEYO supports the establishment of a EU statute for a European Association, do you?
Join the European campaign to encourage the EU to take more actions in supporting European Civil Society. The EU can do more! An important step forward would be the establishment of a statute for a European Association. There are several reasons for formally making such statute possible.
This plan for a statute is currently being proposed by several Members of European Parliament (MEP’s). And many organisations across Europe, support this plan and have joined the campaign which is coordinated by European Civic Forum. IHEYO is a member to the Civic Forum.
You can make a difference and support the campaign, as organisation or as individual by:
-signing the declaration,
-asking others to sign (like spreading the signature list for the petition on a public meeting)
-send a letter to your European Member of Parliament.
More about the campaign (like the letters you can use) see: http://www.forumciviqueeuropeen.org/
Declaration
The people of Europe are turning away from the European project. Through abstentions and protest votes, they are indicating their distance from the European Union and its Institutions. A new generation of women and men can not be satisfied with the argument that Europe delivered peace and prosperity. They are looking for a new narrative and a new democratic dialogue to re-engage with the vision of a new and enlarged Europe of the future.
Across the EU’s 25 countries, millions of European citizens are working in hundreds of thousands of NGOs and associations engaged in international development, culture, gender, education, social justice, anti racism, the environment, solidarity or sport, for a better world.
They offer a true education in citizenship and promote social cohesion and commitment. Distinct from and complementary to political and union organisations, associations and NGOs are mediators providing a place for individuals to come together freely and voluntarily, around shared endeavours.
NGOs and associations, as middlemen, are also a vital link between citizens and public authorities. Each a fundamental place of expression, they can all become places likely to restore civic aspirations in European citizens.
Participatory democracy, by being complementary to representative democracy, can create and increase a civic and popular ownership of the European project . The more citizens feel they have had a chance to contribute to the public debate, the more the decisions and proposals made by Member States and the European Union will be heard, understood and integrated.
Therefore, we, European citizens involved in associations and NGO’s from all European union countries ask to the Council, the European Commission and the Parliament to:
- strengthen the democratic infrastructure for an open and institutionalised debate in which associations and NGO’s, carrying European citizens’ word, play a fundamental role,
- establish a statute for a European association similar to the structure that has been created for European enterprises and European cooperatives. Such a European statute will acknowledge the critical role of associations’ and NGOs’ in European civil dialogue because of their civic and social functions,
- support European associations conforming to this statute, to organise meetings, exchanges and trans-national debates. Thus allowing millions of citizens to build a European political culture and therefore to feel more deeply involved in a more democratic construction of Europe, a Europe in which diversity will be an asset and not a problem.
European citizens have grown tired of a debate overly focused on the economy and growth which has come to dominate the European political discourse. Responsibility for the waning of the European idea is shared by many, however it is up to European leaders and decision makers to put in place a strategy for reviving democracy.
The European Union has invested a great deal of money building roads, bridges and other kinds of infrastructure. The time has come to pay the same kind of attention to building the basis for a more participatory European democracy.
We, European citizens involved with civil society organisations, by signing this declaration, show our determination to get involved, through the work of our associations and NGOs, in building a new democratic structure for a Europe which, must be social, cultural, civic, and sustainable, an example in terms of international solidarity and the aspiration to “live together” harmoniously.
Why is a statute for a European Association important?
Political recognition
By its symbolic character, this statute will officially settle down the recognition of the legitimacy and the relevance of associations and NGOs’ word in civil dialogue from European institutions and this in a more participative European democracy.
Towards a European citizenship
The right to join in order to create an association at a European level is a major element towards European citizenship. To allow women and men from Member States to get together in a common organization duly recognized by public authorities is a need in order to build a common political culture.
Administrative simplification
Associations will always be able to officially register their statutes on their own country according to their national legislation but those which wish to register their actions in a transnational dimension would be able to adopt a European legal standard.
Associations and NGOs transparent functioning
Putting aside unjustified and repeated critics, the statute for a European association would establish a common framework facilitating democratic functioning, an equal access to responsibilities as well as an accurate evaluation of public financial support. At the same time, this statute would especially bring the coherence and the durability deserved by the relations between authorities and associations at the European level.
Another way of being an economical actor
Beyond their civic and social functions, many associations and NGOs are important employers in many Member States and have an important place in the field of Social Economy or Third Sector. The statute for a European association would give them, as it has already happened for co-operatives, the legal personality making easier their economic activity in "the social market economy", at the sides of traditional companies.
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