Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-04-21-Speech-1-214"
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"en.20080421.19.1-214"2
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"Mr President, first of all I want to thank everybody for their kind comments and their support in the drafting of this report. I would just like to make one or two final comments.
The promotion, support and facilitation of volunteering and voluntary action, accompanied by the growth in social capital, will prove to be an invaluable tool in achieving those objectives.
I appreciate the Commissioner’s reference to in-kind contributions by voluntary groups and, while I recognise that in-kind contributions are applicable in some EU-funded projects, I believe we need to ensure that this becomes the status quo.
I also look forward to Commissioner Figeľ’s communication on youth volunteering and Commissioner Hübner’s commitment to investigating and, I hope, promoting intergenerational volunteering.
I am again calling on the Commission to ensure that the partnership principle is adhered to in all negotiations and consultations in the drafting of EU programmes at national level. This is crucial, because it is a real recognition by the EU that volunteers, NGOs etc. are part of the process, not just some add-on, not just there for the optics, but an integral part of the process.
With regard to the one amendment proposed on possible VAT exemptions, it is a good compromise and I am very happy to support it.
I also want to take this opportunity to call for 2011 to be designated the European Year of Volunteering and ask for the support of Parliament in signing the written declaration which has been proposed by Members from the five largest political groups.
In this call, I am supported by the Committee of the Regions, the Economic and Social Forum, the Portuguese presidency conclusions and very many voluntary groups across the EU.
If the Commission were to designate 2011 the European Year of Volunteers, this would allow the EU institutions, in collaboration with voluntary organisations, to work towards common objectives, as I said earlier, to add value at European level.
Finally in this context, we should encourage the development of civil society and of participative democracy, thereby giving real meaning to the aim of bringing Europe closer to its citizens."@en1
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