The New Challenge of the European Union Innovations in the development of civil society in CEE and EU policy initiatives

Personal experience  →chief-editor of a social policy journal (Opportunity)  →Head of the non-profit „Esély” Foundation in Budapest  →In the spirit of equal opportunity: social innovations in Hungary („House of Chances”)  →„National Civil Fund”: highly increased the sources given to civil organisations.  Difficult to maintain the position and development of civil organisations mainly in the New and Candidate Member States.  Civil organisations highly need the support of both the nations and the EU to strengthen.

 Hungary has always been in the forefront of developing an enabling legal environment for civil society:  We have adopted the first comprehensive "non-profit law" or law on public benefit organizations in the region in 1997;  We have introduced the "1%" law, which allows taxpayers to designate 1% of their paid taxes to qualifying NGOs;  We adopted the law on the National Civil Fund that matches each year the designations made by taxpayers.  As a minister, I also proposed to the Parliament the adoption of a new law on volunteers to encourage citizen participation in the work of NGOs.  As a result, civil society is quite vigorous in this country, and many innovations have taken place.

The European Parliament: voice of the people  Past: The EU as an intergovernmental structure  Present: The role of the EP has changed. The EP shares with the Council the power to legislate. As a directly elected body: democracy is guaranteed.  Democratic supervision over all EU institutions.  Shared authority over the EU budget: Influence EU spending.  + Democratic and civil elements were introduced.  Positive trend: democratisation of societies.  Future: The citizens’ initiative right was a big leap towards a citizens’ Europe- if we manage to keep it alive.

 As an MEP, I also push for supporting the civil society, mainly in the following Committees:  Committee on Legal Affairs (Vice- Chairwoman)  Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (Member)  Sub-Committee on Human Rights (Member)

The Challenge of Enlargement  Inequality: The EU population increased by 20%. The addition to European GDP is only 5%, resulting in a drop of output per head of 12,5% in the EU-25.  New Member States: strong regional disparities.  Average employment rate has dropped by almost 1.5% points.  The long-term unemployment rate for the EU-25 is 4% compared with 3.3% for the EU-15.  Some of the environmental targets will also be more difficult to achieve.

 Besides, enlargement caused economic dynamism in the EU-25. (Evidence: output and productivity growth in eastern Europe)  Meeting the Lisbon goals to promote growth and employment in all parts of the EU is vital for its future internal cohesion

Candidate Member States  Development has to be promoted in the future Member States: Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and later Turkey.  The EU offers them real support in both the economic and social area.  Engaging and involving citizens in the developing process is essential.  Public support can be reached by giving people elements for debate, and involving the non profit sector in competitions.  Role of the non-profit organisations: to put pressure on governments, and to practise control as the voice of the people.

Sub-Committee on Human Rights  Present project: concerns with the Balkans  Financial instrument: The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)  Financial support to civil society and non- governmental organisations for activity in third countries aimed at promoting and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms, supporting the processes of democratisation.

Thematic focus through Campaigns  4 Campaigns: promoting justice, dignity, democratic process, equality and tolerance, and fostering a culture of human rights  The overall objective: strengthening civil society organisations in advocacy of the rights of vulnerable groups and the furtherance of related international instruments  Campaigns conducted at the level of selected regions and countries.

Programming for budgetary years 2005 and 2006  Aim: to maximise the effectiveness, impact and visibility of EIDHR-sponsored operations.  All countries selected will be targeted by two of the four campaigns.  Greater emphasis will be placed on strengthening democratisation processes and the regions covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy.  Significantly enhanced participation of Eastern and Southern NGOs and civil society-based organisations is needed

One of the target regions: Western Balkans and Candidate Countries  The Thessaloniki EU Western Balkans summit of 21 June 2003: priority to supporting these countries.  The EU has been deploying a wide range of instruments and working closely with the other key players and international organisations in the region  The current Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) programme amounts to € 4.65 billion and allocates significant resources to strengthening institutions.

Eligible countries under each campaign Fostering a Culture of Human Rights micro macro Advancing Equality, Tolerance and peace micro macro 1.Albania●● 2.Bosnia and Herzegovina ●●●● 3.FYROM●● 4.Serbia and Montenegro ●● 5.Turkey●●●

 Countries covered under the EIDHR programming is expected to generate a greater number of relevant project proposals.  EIDHR macro projects: minimum support volume of € for EU based applicants to implement the project, and € for civil society-based applicant organisations  Micro projects: support volume between € and € , exclusively for local civil society- based applicants; these may, however work in association with EU-based NGOs.