The program to enhance the legal and regulatory environment of civil society undertook two major tasks in 2008.
Local interest – local values
During spring a regional training series in 7 locations was organised for municipal officers responsible for civil society relations on the assignment of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. The goal of these events was to help improve the work and efficiency of these civil servants and thus strengthen municipal-NGO relations.
During the workshops, NGO experts presented various partnership methods and techniques; best practices and model examples were discussed. Participants also received a handbook and a CD with the above title as supporting materials, which were further spread to other municipalities and NGOs as well.
HEPF has already have experience with the issues of NGO-municipal partnership, the basic principles of which being outlined in the Civil Vision – nonprofit legal reform concept., published in 2005 Beyond theory, the Real Civil Partnership Prize aims at revealing and promoting good practical examples of co-operation (see under Events).
New foundation regulation
During summer, the Hungarian Parliament (after a rather lengthy preparation process) started discussing the draft of the new Civil Code which includes the regulation of foundations. On this occasion HEPF and the European Center for Nonprofit Law prepared a study about the needs and ways to change the provisions of Hungarian foundation law in order to simplify everyday operation, to enhance further development and the transparency of foundations. This document also contained concrete amendment suggestions in two main areas: changes in the present legal leadership structure of foundations and the introduction of endowed foundations into Hungarian law.
These were submitted to the Ministry of Justice, which accepted the proposals. In October, together with other notable foundations – including the Autonomia Foundation, Civil Society Development Foundation, the Smile Foundation, the Nonprofit Information and Training Centre, the Volunteer Center Foundation and Transparency International – HEPF initiated and sent a joint statement about this issue to the relevant Parliamentary committees, which also received positive feedback. The new Code, incorporating amendments reflecting the NGO proposals, will hopefully be passed in the spring of 2009.
