Basic documentation

Finally! Three years after the European Volunteer Center (CEV) started the idea, the European Commission adopted on 3rd June 2009 the official proposal for the European Year of Volunteering (2011).

The 2009 European Elections have brought the issues of citizenship and participatory democracy high on the agenda of various European Institutions and to the centre of various European debates and events organized in Brussels or elsewhere.

The European Parliament is the first European Institution which takes concrete steps towards establishing clear rules and norms for structured civil dialogue between EU Institutions and civil society.

Over 100 people applauded enthusiastically the 10 success stories awarded in the first edition of the "Public Participation Awards Gala", organized by the Resource Centre for Public Participation - CeRe. The success stories that proved public participation is not a deserted hope, but can become reality if the key ingredients - initiative and determination - are there.

The Belgian platform for "a voluntary service", launched on the 27th of December, campaigns for the creation of a voluntary service accessible to young people between 16 and 25 years. The reason is to give them the opportunity to spend 6 to 9 months as volunteers within an NGO or a school, a hospital or a retirement house.