Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-04-21-Speech-1-201"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2008-04-21"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:The role of volunteering in contributing to economic and social cohesion (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20080421.19.1-201"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2008-04-21-Speech-1-2022
lpv:speaker	lp:Lambert van Nistelrooij2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Delegation to the EU-Chile Joint Parliamentary Committee (2007-05-24--2009-07-13)3 member; Temporary Committee on Climate Change (2007-05-10--2009-02-04)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with Canada (2007-03-15--2009-07-13)3 substitute; ENVI (2007-03-20--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3 member_of_the_bureau; EPP-ED (2007-02-15--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (2007-05-23--2009-07-13)3 substitute; ITRE (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 unknown; Christen Democratisch Appèl (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member; REGI (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, volunteers do a great deal, at both local and regional level. Their efforts give social cohesion a very personal face. There is a difference between towns in certain parts of Europe. In the ‘new’ Member States the level of volunteering is still much lower. A lot of work is being done, and Mrs Harkin’s report emphasises positive ideas for supporting volunteers and encouraging action at all levels. The Group of the European People’s Party and European Democrats takes the view that there is no question of volunteers on the one hand and professionals on the other. The two are not mutually exclusive: neither group can function without the help of the other. Both groups, professionals and volunteers, are part of the social model that Europe exemplifies, of civil society, in which the citizen too has an important voice. That is the famous partnership principle. There is one point I would like to raise following the debate in committee. The new Paragraph 17 deals with whether or not volunteer work should be rewarded with tax incentives. The answer is yes, but the form these take may vary considerably. That is a matter for our individual states to decide when we talk about VAT. My home country of the Netherlands has its own special system: the activities of sports associations are exempt, for example, and other activities such as canteen management are partly exempt, as is third-party sponsorship. So in 2010, when the VAT system comes up for review, it would be good to take this report on board and be able to point to examples of good practice in the Member States which others might usefully emulate. Lastly, to make the point once more, volunteering deserves our broad support in the work of churches, politics and the rest of society."@en1

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