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Estonian Civil Society

Estonian Civil Society. Alari Rammo Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations alari@ngo.ee. Estonian Civil Society. Three types of NGOs nonprofit associations foundations civic partnership associations (not registered) Altogether more than 2 7 000 registered organisations

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Estonian Civil Society

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  1. Estonian Civil Society Alari Rammo Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations alari@ngo.ee

  2. Estonian Civil Society • Three types of NGOs • nonprofit associations • foundations • civic partnership associations (not registered) • Altogether more than 27 000 registered organisations • About half of them are housing and other cooperation associations • Many informal groups and networks • Many created by public sector (hospitals, theatres, Enterprise Estonia etc)

  3. Legislation • Non-profit Associations Act • Establishing and managing NGO is relatively easy • Foundations Act • More control and transparency • Income Tax Act • List of non-profit associations and foundations benefiting from income tax incentives (ca 1600 organizations)

  4. Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) • Mutually complementing roles of public authorities and civic initiative – equal partnership • Principles of their cooperation – independence of NGOs • mechanisms and priorities for cooperation in shaping and implementing public policies and building up civil society in Estonia – joint commitee • Approved by Riigikogu at 2002 after 3-4 years of compilation, debating etc.

  5. Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) • Similar to Canadian Accord; English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish Compacts; also Croatia, New Zealand • Available in English www.ngo.ee/1030 • Activity plans (current: Civic Initiative Development Plan 2007-2010 in Estonian only) • NENO is the main implementer of these activities from NGO side

  6. Joint committee • For implementing EKAK, government’s activity plan 2004-2006, 2007-2010 • Formed at 2003: over 30 representatives from NGOs and ministries, reformed 2007, smaller, higher level • Reporting on its work to the government every year • Every second year a public discussion on the issue of civil society development has to be held in the Parliament • Served by Ministry of Interior

  7. Long-term goals of EKAK • Major rise in civic education and citizen action, and strengthening of involvement democracy. • Introduction of the co-operation based on partnership principles between the public sector and nonprofit sector, promotion and wide implementation of good co-operation practices and creation of co-operation network. • Guaranteeing of a functioning support system for civic initiative.

  8. Short term goals of EKAK • Mapping of the conditions necessary for the nonprofit sector and its sustainability, development of the classification system for citizens' associations and systematization of the statistics. • Mapping, improvement and strengthening of the co-operation and support structures. • Large-scale promotion of the Code of Ethics of the nonprofit sector. • Revision of the legal acts related to citizens' associations and, if necessary, drafting of the amendments. • Elaboration of the mechanisms for involving the representatives of citizens' associations in the development and implementation of the policies of different areas and legislation in general.

  9. Short term goals of EKAK • Mapping, systematization and improvement of the system for financing citizens' associations from public budgets and informing the general public thereof. • Improvement of the information channels and feedback mechanisms between the public sector and the society. • Development of the order for concluding and implementing co-operation agreements between the public sector and the nonprofit sector. • Elaboration of the general standards for offering public services and the principles and quality standards for transferring public services to the nonprofit sector. • Examination and updating of the civil education curricula and training materials, organizing of the in-service training for teachers of civic education. • Starting of the state-financed broadcasts and programs in mass media concerning the joint activities;

  10. Code of Ethics • Democratic governance and management • Civic courage and care • Sustainable and responsible utilization of assets and resources • Accountability and reporting • Openness and transparency • Independence and avoiding the conflict of interests • Keeping to one’s word and respect to the ownership of ideas • Tolerance • Available in English & Russian www.ngo.ee/7457

  11. Other basic documents • Good practice of involvement (2005, State Chancellory) • ENG: www.ngo.ee/11583 • Good practice of delegating public services’ delivery to NGOs (2006, NENO) • Good practice of funding (to be concluded 2008, NENO) • Good practice of voluntarism

  12. Main challenges • Better management of EKAK • Department for the ministry; bureau with NGOs • Raising NGO’s abilities • Management, legitimacy, accountability, involving it’s stakeholders, organizational capacity etc • Civic education • Long-term plan for the ministry of education • Voluntarism • Voluntary Action Development Plan (2007) • Public funding • National Civil Society Fund (started 2008)

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