EASEA campaign on european statutes for associations, foundations and mutual societies

During the European Parliament plenary session on 17th-20th January in Strasbourg, several european civil society organisations joined their forces to promote the campaign on the european statute for associations, foundations and mutual societies. CEDAG together with other organisations of the « European Alliance

for the Statute of the European Association » (EASEA) addressed MEPS inviting them to sign a written declaration on this issue. The declaration was launched on 10 November 2010 by Marc Tarabella (S&D), Regina Bastos (EPP), Renate Weber (ALDE), Pascal Canfin (Greens) and Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE).
A proposal for European statute for associations is not new but was originally launched in 1984. In 1993, the European Commission presented an “amended proposal for a Council regulation (EEC) on the statute for a European association» which was part of a series of measures including the Statutes of European company and European cooperative society.
In 2001 and 2002 the statute for a European company and the statute for a European co-operative was adopted while several legislative proposals in progress, including the statute for a European association, European mutual and European foundation were withdrawn.

An European statute would not necessarily replace the national laws for registration but would mean removing the administrative constraints and giving an official recognition of the role of the European associations within the European civil dialogue.

Beyond their civic functions, many associations and NGOs are also social services providers. An European status will a create a level playing field giving them the possibility to perform their economic activities such as the provision of social services in the social market economy next to traditional companies.
The last available results of the campaign after the plenary session reported a total of 156 MEPS signatures. Despite these encouraging results, the EASEA promoters are determined to put all their efforts in collecting more signatures and help this initiative to become a success.

The written declaration has to be signed by a majority of the members of the European Parliament, only then it can be forwarded to the European Commission. The time limit for securing the signatures is 17 February 2011. During the next plenary in Brussels on 2-3 February 2011, the EASEA members will continue the awareness and lobby campaign trying also to address the presidents of each group’s national delegations.

CEDAG and the other EASEA promoters count on their national members to send messages to their MEPs in their respective languages during the week before the next plenary. A short common message will be used and adapted for this purpose.

For more information please visit the EASEA website and read the declaration in different languages