Contact Us
Voluntary Sector North West
St. Thomas Centre
Manchester
M12 6FZ
Tel: 0161 276 9300
Fax: 0161 276 9301
Email: info@vsnw.org.uk
Progress towards creating a European Civil Society House
20 May 2010
ECAS have published a briefing note on moves to establish a physical and virtual European Civil Society House.
The purpose of the European Civil Society House is to promote the rights of European citizens and to support better engagement of European civil society associations, including the voluntary and community sector, and European citizens, in the work of the European Parliament.
"the house should be a service, operating according to a principle of universal access under strict standards, but not a representative or umbrella body" p.7
Conclusion
The report states: A sound basis exists for setting up a European Civil Society House, since the European Parliament has created a budget line for this purpose. Thanks to grants from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust , ECAS has been able to do exploratory activity with several meetings and a survey in 2009-2010. The results of the survey are encouraging. 91% of people that participated like the idea, and the different activities foreseen under the 3Cs – civil society, citizens’ rights and citizen participation – score rather equally. What stands out is the support for the virtual house accessible from anywhere in the Union and the idea of a user friendly resource centre for civil society and the Institutions alike. The results of the survey and some of the individual comments go in a similar direction to that of some MEPs during the budgetary procedure in 2009 who warned against the house being too centralised in Brussels. Originally in the amendment from the Greens, 350,000 euro was foreseen on this budget line. Because of the progress already made, this account could now be used to undertake not only the scoping studies foreseen in the original amendment, but also go further and create the virtual house.
With this type of venture, there is an element of unpredictability. For example, suitable premises might be found near the EU Institutions next month or not until next year. It is too early to present a precise business plan. It is more a question of the budget needed to explore the process further on the basis of the activities listed below. The ECAS Board of Directors is seeking the help of a highly qualified steering group to oversee these tasks.
Next Steps:
- Continuing the survey work, in particular exploring the model for the virtual house and establishing national contacts to lead on the survey work
- Progressing further with the virtual house. In summer 2010, ECAS is expecting to work with an advisory group and an internet strategy company to create a prototype for the virtual house which will be shown at a meeting with MEPs in Strasbourg on 7 September 2010.The virtual house has real potential, particularly to counteract the project being seen as too Brussels centred, but is not the easy, cheap option.
- Searching for the physical house and locating it on the door-step of the European Parliament
- Creating the Consortium. If the European Parliament decides to add funds to the budget line, these resources can be used for further exploratory work to advance the project, but not for the purchase of the building. There is therefore a strong element of public-private partnership inherent in this scheme. At the same time, a consortium of users has to be developed at different geographical levels:
- National contact points, which could form a basis for developing the services of the virtual and physical house in their own country and in their own language
- Those frequently interacting with the EU Institutions but not permanently based in Brussels who could use the services of the house and share a desk or office space
- A group of like-minded organisations in the areas of civil liberties and democracy to help design and then occupy the house
- Timescale. A project of this kind has to bring together different interests round a common objective and therefore has an element of unpredictability which can influence the timing. Generally, such projects take longer than foreseen. A new budget line or pilot project can only last for 3 years after which it either has to cease or be placed on a legal basis by a Commission proposal adopted by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers. This is an appropriate approach and timescale for such a project. The promoters of Mundo B have indicated that in their experience there is generally a first year of exploration and finding the right building, a second year to modernise and adapt the building and third to make the finishing touches and to conclude all the agreements and lease contracts.
Further links: ECAS' briefing on the European Civil Society House
Featured Event
Open Public Services - Passage of a bill workshop
This VSNW/Parliamentary Outreach Service event will explore the stages that the bill would go through, their relative importance and ways to engage and influence
Featured News
Two days left to enter our case study competition - prizes up for grabs!
We are inviting local groups and local or regional infrastructure organisations from across the North West to submit ideas for Listen Value Invest 2012 case studies about their work and how they are adjusting to the new environment
Transforming Local Infrastructure Fund results announced
The beneficiaries of the £30 million fund to help transform and modernise local charity support services have been announced by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society.
Relaunch of Voluntary Sector Cuts Website
The Voluntary Sector Cuts website has now been relaunched with additional functionality to enable VCS organisations to records cuts to funding and their effects
Events & Trainings
VSNW’s list of events & training opportunities for VCS groups in the North West
