PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 2009

This research paper by the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law discusses the role that European government offices can play in implementing plans for cooperation with civil society.

The research is structured in four main chapters, dealing with (i) policy documents for support of civil society development (theory and examples from countries), (ii) the implementation issues and (iii) offices which support cooperation and implementation of policy documents and (iv) implementation plans as basis for enforcing the commitments in the policy documents and monitoring of the results. The paper relies on experience of European countries, but provides thorough examples of five in particular – Croatia, England, Estonia, France and Hungary to elaborate the issues in more detail.

It was written in support of the implementation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Decree N.1035-р on approval of the Concept of Executive Authorities Promoting the Development of Civil Society.