The European Cross-Border Associations Directive proposal: why does it matter for national social services?

Join our webinar on 27 March to learn the importance of the proposal for national social services and how they can make their voice heard.

Wednesday, 27th March 14h00-15h00 CET

To register please send an email to Ilaria Avagnina, EASPD Communications Assistant.

For the first time ever, the European Union is developing specific legislation for non-profit associations. It is also done in the context of legislating around European cross-border initiatives that can be taken by associations.
This is relevant for social services for several reasons:

Many social services have the legal format of associations;
social services have legal and administrative constraints when operating across-borders;
people’s needs for social services do not have borders;
this initiative could open up further EU level initiatives on other not-for-profit legal forms such as mutual benefit societies and foundations.

The European Commission has adopted a proposal for a Directive on European Cross-Border Associations (ECBA Directive) that aims to facilitate cross-border activities of non-profit associations in the EU. While the European Parliament and governments are currently reviewing the Directive proposal, national not-for-profit social services and non-profit associations can also have a say with the on-going public consultation of the Commission.
The European Council of Associations of General Interest (CEDAG), the European Association of services providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) and Social Services Europe (SSE) are jointly organising a webinar to explain why this Directive proposal is important for national social services, and how they can act to make their voice heard. To do so, this webinar will be participative and interactive by giving priority to exchanges with participants.

Agenda

14h00	Introduction Konstantina Leventi, Head of Policy, EASPD
14h05	Presentation of the ECBA Directive Mathieu de Poorter, President, CEDAG
14h20	Open floor for discussion and Q&A
14h50	Conclusive remarks Mathias Maucher, Policy & Project Coordinator, SSE

Further Information:

Press release from the European Commission
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on European cross-border associations
Public consultation of the European Commission on the Directive proposal (deadline for contributions: 8 April 2024)
Contributions of Social Services Europe and of a coalition of civil society and non-profit organisations

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