For more news on the European Foundation Statute, see Latest news section
Where do we stand?
The European Commission presented a proposal for a Regulation on a European Foundation Statute on 8 February 2012. This proposal has now been shared with the Council of Ministers representing the governments of the 27 Member States for review and approval and to the European Parliament for its consent. EU consultative bodies will also give their views and recommendations .
The Council started its review of the EC proposal in April 2012 at the level of the company law working group. Further meetings are scheduled under the EU Danish Presidency and the upcoming Cypriot EU Presidency.
The European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee will prepare the core report on the EFS proposal, the rapporteur is Evelyn Regner. The Culture and Education Committee will draft a complementing opinion, the rapporteur is Nadja Hirsh. Once the report and the opinion are adopted by the respective parliamentary committees, a motion for a resolution is placed on the agenda of the EP plenary session for a final vote of all MEPs. The EP had pledged support to European Statutes for foundations, associations and mutual societies with the signatures by a majority of its Members of a Written Declaration in February 2011.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the EU’s official advisory body on social and economic matters, is preparing an opinion on the EFS under the lead of Mall Hellam, scheduled for adoption mid September. The EESC had given a clear and strong backing to the Statute by approving with a large majority of the votes an own –initiative opinion on 28 April 2010. The text urged the European Commission to present a proposal for a Regulation on a European Foundation Statute to support public-benefit activities for its adoption by the Council and the European Parliament.
The Committee of the Regions (CoR), the EU's Assembly of Regional and Local Representatives, will adopt an opinion on the EFS proposed Regulation by February 2013. The rapporteur is Claudette Brunet-Lechenault.
Why is a European Foundation Statute (EFS) needed?
Foundations and their funders are increasingly working across borders. However, a number of legal and administrative barriers are hampering foundations’ current work. The lack of appropriate legal tools means that new European initiatives by foundations are delayed or abandoned.
A European Foundation Statute will offer them an appropriate legal tool to perform and increase their work and operations across Europe.
> See background materials about the European Foundation Statute and proposals on the scope and content of a European Foundation Statute here
How can you contribute to the process?
There are different ways in which you can contribute to the EFC's efforts to increase awareness and support for the creation of a European statute for foundations at European and national level.
What you can do:
- Share with us your experience and views on cross-border work and the EFS!
- Contact your national and European representatives!
You want to contribute: please go to the "Support the Statute" page or contact us at eu@efc.be