The use and benefits of a European Cross-Border Associations Directive
Joint SSE-CEDAG-CSE Webinar
Monday, 5 May 2025, 12:30-14:00 CET
Social Services Europe (SSE), European Council of Associations of General Interest (CEDAG), and Civil Society Europe (CSE) jointly organised a webinar to explain the use and benefits of this Directive proposal to national non-profit associations and social services.
As governments are raising important issues that can impact all European associations and social services, the webinar will explain why this Directive proposal is important for them and how they can act to make their voice heard. To do so, the webinar was participative and interactive by giving priority to exchanges with participants.
Agenda
12:30 Introduction
Mathias Maucher, Policy & Project Coordinator, SSE
12:35 Presentation of the ECBA Directive and its potential for associations and social services
Mathieu de Poorter, President, CEDAG
12:50 Issues raised by governments: what is at stake for associations and social services?
Matteo Vespa, Policy and Project Officer, Civil Society Europe
Mathieu de Poorter, President, CEDAG
13:05 Open floor discussion and Q&A
Moderation: Mathias Maucher, Policy & Project Coordinator, SSE
13:45 Conclusive remarks
Mathias Maucher, Policy & Project Coordinator, SSE
Some relevant documents, with the first two being the most important:
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Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on European cross-border associations & Press release from the European Commission
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Our past webinar on the ECBA on 27 March 2024 (a joint endeavour with EASPD and CEDAG).
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Civil Society Europe - European Cross-Border Associations (ECBA) Directive: Introductory Handbook for national non-profit organisations (December 2024)
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SSE Reply to the EC Call for Evidence “Proposal for a Directive on European Cross-Border Associations (COM(2023) 516 final)” (28 February 2024)
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Joint Reply by AIM, CEDAG, CSE, PHILEA, SEE and SSE to the EC Call for Evidence “Proposal for a Directive on European Cross-Border Associations (COM(2023) 516 final)” (4 March 2024)
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SSE (with CEDAG) supported the Workshop “A Single Market for public good” in the context of the EESC Civil Society Days 2024 (6 March 2024)
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SSE Contribution to the EC call for evidence on an EC proposal for a legislative initiative on cross-border activities of associations (28 October 2022)
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SSE Position and Briefing Note - Statute for European Cross-Border Associations and Non-Profit Organisations (10 February 2022)
Timeline of the ECBA Directive
- February 2022 – Parliament initiates an indirect legislative proposal.
- September 2023– The Commission proposes the ECBA directive based on the Articles 50 and 114 TFEU.
- March 2024 – On 13 March 2024, the Parliament adopts its first reading position putting forward a number of modifications.
- April 2024 – Council's Working Party on Company Law begins examining the proposal.
- November 2024– On 13 November 2024 the committee referral (to the Committee on Legal Affairs) has been announced in plenary, meaning that the work on the proposal will continue under the current (10th) term of Parliament. On 18 November 2024 Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, Germany) was re-appointed the rapporteur for the file within the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI).
- January 2025 – On 7 January 2025, the Council Legal Service delivers a legal opinion.
- April 2025 – On 4 April 2025, Member States will discuss the proposal in the Council’s Company Law Working Party meeting.