Established in 2003, ECNL is an affiliate of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), which promotes an enabling environment for civil society, philanthropy and public participation worldwide.

Legal form

Foundation

Objectives

ECNL’s mission is to promote an enabling legal and fiscal environment for civil society in Europe and beyond. ECNL has demonstrated deep commitment to empower civil society organizations (CSOs) and ensure their sustainability. ECNL experts have provided support that has directly and positively influenced more than 50 laws affecting CSOs around Europe and Euroasia.

ECNL’s vision encompasses pluralistic democracies in the region in which the legal environment enables people and their organizations to exercise their rights and shape their society through voluntary action.

Main Activities

ECNL’s core activities and services:

– Undertaking reforms of legal frameworks affecting registration, governance and everyday operation of CSOs;
– Monitoring enabling environment for civil society;
– Development of policies and laws for CSO sustainability;
– Development of policies and mechanisms for CSO-Government partnerships capacity building for policy dialogue;
– Development of knowledge base for policy and law reform;
– Transfer of experience from New Member States and within regions;
– Promoting development effectiveness from a European perspective.

Strengths

– Cutting-edge expertise and professionalism that ensures high quality policy solutions.
– Regional perspective which provides innovative approaches to domestic problems.
– Fostering collaboration in order to achieve better and more sustainable results.
– A holistic human rights based approach

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