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Overview
Since 20 September 2021 self-declared 'non-commercial organisations' are no longer required to provide a lobby budget. See above timeline for this registrant's historical lobby budget.
Lobbying Costs
None declared
Financial year: Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)
3.8 Fte (11)
Lobbyists with EP accreditation
2
High-level Commission meetings
3
Lobbying Costs over the years
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Info
Foundation on European Citizens’ Rights, Involvement and Trust (ECIT Foundation)
EU Transparency Register
494832735094-65 First registered on 11 Jun 2019
Goals / Remit
The ECIT Foundation (Foundation on European Citizens’ Rights, Involvement and Trust) is a Brussels-based public foundation established under Belgian law on 3 June 2015 to work exclusively on topics pertaining to European citizenship. It serves as a ‘think-and-do tank’: producing not just research and policy analysis, but also actively campaigning and organising public events to bring together civil society organisations, academics and policy makers. ECIT’s raison d’être is to become an effective lobby for European citizens’ rights, and to ensure the concept of European citizenship becomes more than the sum of its parts, clear and popular for the next generation. ECIT has pioneered the idea of a statute on European citizenship with success: the proposal is supported by the European Parliament and the Conference on the Future of Europe. For specific projects such the ECI "voters without borders" or the new one planned "Making European citizens" ECIT works with a youth task force.
Main EU files targeted
- Reinforcing democracy and integrity of elections package;
- Recast of Council Directive on the electoral rights of mobile EU citizens in European Parliament elections;
- Recast of Council Directive on the electoral rights of mobile EU citizens in municipal elections
- Recast of Regulation on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations;
- Directive on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States;
- Regulation on strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement;
- Regulation (EU) 2021/953 on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery certificates (EU Digital COVID Certificate) to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic;
- EU Citizenship Report;
- Conference on the Future of Europe;
- Revision of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) instrument;
- Eurobarometer surveys on democracy, elections and electoral rights;
- Europe for Citizens Programme;
- Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV).Address
Head Office
Rue de la Loi 26 1000 Bruxelles Belgium Salon for European Civic Organisations (SECO)
Brussels 1000 - SECO no 4
BELGIUMEU Office
Rue de la Loi 26 1000 Bruxelles Belgium Salon for European Civic Organisations (SECO)
Brussels 1000 - SECO no 4
BELGIUMWebsite
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People
Total lobbyists declared
11
Employment time Lobbyists 100% 3 10% 8 Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)
3.8
Lobbyists with EP accreditation
All Lobbyists with EP accreditation over time
2 accreditations were / are live (in bold) for the selected state of 06 Mar 2023
Name Start date End Date Carla DONOHOE 01 Jun 2023 31 May 2024 Suzana CARP 11 May 2023 10 May 2024 Ms Caterina CAMMILLERI 22 Sep 2023 23 Mar 2024 Ms Carla DONOHOE 01 Jun 2023 26 Apr 2024 Ms Suzana Carp 11 May 2023 26 Apr 2024 Ms Martina RUBINO 17 Nov 2022 17 Nov 2023 Mr Basile PLEECK 18 Jun 2022 28 Oct 2022 Ms Suzana Carp 07 Apr 2022 07 Apr 2023 Ms Roberta MAGRO MALOSSO 19 Feb 2022 01 Sep 2022 Ms Saga SMITH 19 Feb 2022 01 Sep 2022 Ms Catriona MAIR 19 Feb 2022 01 Sep 2022 Ms Marie RONSMANS 18 Feb 2022 18 Feb 2023 Mr Justin GOSHORN 18 Feb 2022 01 Sep 2022 Diana OLIVASTRI 11 Mar 2020 01 Sep 2020 Mr Bastian LE ROMANCER 15 Feb 2020 01 Aug 2020 Ms Lea LE GUÉVEL 15 Feb 2020 01 Aug 2020 Ms Gwenaelle LARAMY LANGONNÉ 15 Feb 2020 01 Aug 2020 Mr Joran BRONS 15 Feb 2020 01 Sep 2020 Ms Anna COMACCHIO 15 Feb 2020 01 Mar 2021 Mr Petar MARKOVIC 19 Jun 2019 01 Jul 2020 Maria Pia STERNATIVO 19 Jun 2019 15 Feb 2020 Complementary Information
The ECIT Foundation operates as a task force of young Europeans and Erasmus students working full-time. One member of the team is employed by the foundation under a 'convention d'immersion professionnelle' . The majority of the ECIT foundation's operational funds are spent on activities, not salaries. While the dependence on students and volunteers means operational costs are relatively low, the level of turnover in the task force is high. The number of persons involved from in the organisation's activities is liable to fluctuate. The ECIT Foundation's founder, Tony Venables, is also active in providing strategic direction and ideational input to the task force. Other members of the foundation's board also provide strategic input into the organisation's activities on an irregular basis. Suzana Carp, another Board member is particularly active especially to support the cross-party group of MEPs
Person in charge of EU relations
Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR
Person with legal responsibility
Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR
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Categories
Category
Think tanks and research institutions
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Networking
Affiliation
- ECIT is a member of the board of Europeans around the World (ETTW) (Link: https://euromonde.eu/);
- ECIT is a participating member in the EU Sign Day coalition (Link: https://eusignday.eu/);Member organisations
- ECIT is a member of the board of Europeans around the World (ETTW) (Link: https://euromonde.eu/);
- ECIT is a participating member and has received funding from the EU Democracy Rally(e) (EUDR) project network (Link: http://www.ourcommonfuture.org);
- ECIT is a participating member in the EU Sign Day coalition (Link: https://eusignday.eu/);
- ECIT has a cooperation agreement with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (European Dialogue) (Link: https://www.freiheit.org/european-union/focus/about-us-brussels);
- ECIT has a cooperation agreement with NECE (Networking European Citizenship Education) (Link: https://www.bpb.de/die-bpb/partner/nece/);
- In 2021, ECIT had a funding agreement with Européens sans Frontières (ESF) (Link: https://www.europeenssansfrontieres.eu/) to co-organise one campaign event in January 2022 and for the production of an animated campaign video;
- In 2021, ECIT had a funding agreement with D66, Delft Chapter (Link: https://d66.nl/delft/) to co-organise one campaign event in December 2021;
- In 2021, ECIT had a funding agreement with Progress in European Union (ProgEU) (Link: https://progeu.org/) to co-organise one campaign event in December 2021;
- In 2021, ECIT had a cooperation agreement with Jeunes Européens Fédéralistes (JEF), Paris Chapter (Link: https://www.jeunes-europeens.org/La-JEF-Europe) to co-organise one campaign event in June 2021. -
Financial Data
Interests represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Closed financial year
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Lobbying costs for closed financial year
Since 20 September 2021 self-declared 'non-commercial organisations' are no longer required to provide a lobby budget. See above timeline for this registrant's historical lobby budget.
Total organisational budget in closed year
90,000€
Major funding types in closed year
Grants, EU funding
Major contributions in closed year
Type Name Amount Contribution Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom 50,000€ Contribution Obshtina Veliko Tŭrnovo (European Academy Network lead partner) 20,000€ Contribution NECE (Networking European Citizenship Education) 16,810€ Grant Europe for Citizens Programme (EACEA) 20,000€ Grant Erasmus+ (European Commission) 1,500€ Major contributions in current year
Type Name Amount Grant Erasmus+ (European Commission) 1,500€ Other financial info
- Funding received in the form of grants from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation was mostly spent on activities related to the 'Voters Without Borders' ECI; however, some funds were allocated for the ECIT Foundation's Annual Conference 2021. More specifically, 'Itemised costs' paid directly by FNF include: hire of event spaces, catering, event logistics, website design, Zoom (online event programme), Howspace (event-space platform), Canva (design promgramme), Photoshop (design programme), flyers, posters, QR code stickers and training sessions. 'Internal costs' paid directly by FNF include research briefs, policy recommendations, strategy documents, press releases, promotional videos, reporting documents;
- Funding received in the form of grants from NECE was mostly spent on activities related to the ECIT Foundation's Annual Conference 2021. However, some funds were allocated for other activities;
- Funding received from Obshtina Veliko Tŭrnovo pertains to ECIT’s participation in the project 'European Academy Network: Encouraging democratic participation at EU level', co-funded by the Europe for Citizens Programme of the EU, as part of the funding stream ‘Democratic engagement & civic participation’ and more specifically the ‘Networks of Towns’ sub-stream (March 2021 - June 2022);
- Funding received from La Fondation Zentrum fir Politesch Bildung pertains to ECIT’s participation in the project 'EU Democracy Rally(e)', an Erasmus+ funded-project (Strategic Partnership in the field of youth) (February 2021 - July 2023);
- Funds received from Université Libre de Bruxelles and Visit.Brussels pertain to a public event held to promote the Voters Without Borders ECI in December 2020. -
EU Structures
Groups (European Commission)
none
Groups (European Parliament)
The ECIT Foundation is host to a 'Cross-Party Group of MEPs on European Citizenship' (sometimes called 'Inter-Party Group on European Citizenship') outside of the European Parliament's official intergroups. This group functions as a platform to the MEPs to interact and promote a dialogue between them and civil society on legislative topics pertaining to European citizenship, European political rights and the future of Europe. Around 14 MEPs - from different groups, committees and nationalities – have formed an informal collective to bring together a broad spectrum of political opinion on different topics. The MEPs in the group have expressed a preference for a 'horizontal structure', led by the ECIT Foundation from outside of the European Parliament, rather than having one of the MEPs as a chair/convener.
Communication activities
- The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), ‘Voters Without Borders’, which aims to reform existing rights and to extend them to regional, national elections and referendums. Having been launched in September 2020, the signature collection ran until 11 June 2022 after several extensions. The plan is to follow up the ECI with a European symbolic election on 26 April 2024 just before the next elections to the Europen Parliament.
- A ‘Cross-Party MEP Group on European Citizenship’, which functions as a platform to the MEPs to interact and promote a dialogue between them and civil society on legislative topics pertaining to European citizenship, European political rights and the future of Europe.Quarterly meetings are planned. Around 14 MEPs - from different groups, committees and nationalities – have formed an informal collective to bring together a broad spectrum of political opinion on relevant topics and legislation;
- Lobbying the European Commission and European Parliament for EU voting law reform, specifically the recent package concerning ‘Reinforcing democracy and integrity of elections.’ ECIT is also lobbying the European Parliament to follow-up to the 2020 Citizenship Report, and lobbying both the European Commission and European Parliament for ECI Reform in an effort to improve the signature collection system and the visibility of ECIs on the Commission webpage;
- A ‘Statute on European Citizenship’, a drafted ‘Charter of European Citizens’ Rights’, codifying the rights and responsibilities of European citizens. The Statute has featured input from MEPs, academics and civil society representatives and has been published on the online platform of the Conference on the Future of Europe;
- Submitting complaints to the European Commission requesting it launch infringement proceedings against EU Members states, specifically concerning the disenfranchisement of EU citizens in five EU Member States;
- Organiszng an Annual Conference, bringing together civil society activists, researchers, policymakers and students to discuss relevant topics pertaining to European citizenship. The 2023 edition will be held on 31 October and 1November, the 30th anniversary of Union citizenship
- Participating in the EU Sign Day coalition of ECI organisers, organising events and activities on Europe Day (9 May). to encourage Europeans to sign ECIs This coalition serves to raise awareness of the ECI instrument, and Voters Without Borders has previously participated in meetings convened by EUMANS, a Brussels-based NGO.
- Participating as a partner in the EU Democracy Rally(e) project, coordinated by the Centre for Political Education in Luxembourg, to offer young people tools for designing political and social campaigns.
- Participating in the 'EuroCartoons' initiative organised by Européens Sans Frontières (ESF) to promote European citizenship through six educational cartoon videos on the topic of Europe for the general public.Other activities
Here are some of the activities related to the TR that we have undertaken in the last year:
-meetings and exchanges with the citizenship unit of DG justice;
-meetings and exchanges with the Article 50 task force on loss of EU citizenship;
-meetings in the European Parliament for the revision of the regulation on citizens’ initiatives where we supported the ECI campaign and Democracy International;
-launched an ECI 'Voters Without Borders' on 1 September 2020.
-presented the ECI to both Commission and Parliamentary committees;
-ECIT's fifth Annual Conference, December 2020.- Meetings
Meetings
3 meetings found. Download meetings
The list below only covers meetings held since November 2014 with commissioners, their cabinet members or directors-general at the European Commission; other lobby meetings with lower-level staff may have taken place, but the European Commission doesn't proactively publish information about these meetings. For more information about which commissioner is responsible for which portfolio, check out this link: https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/index_en All information below comes from European Commission web pages.
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Date 06 Jul 2023 Location Brussels Subject Defence of Democracy Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová Portfolio Values and Transparency Attending - Věra Jourová (Vice-President)
- Zuzana Dorazilova (Cabinet member)
- Simona Constantin (Cabinet member)
Other Lobbyists - European Foundation Centre
- European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting
- Civil Society Europe
- Front Line Defenders
- European Civic Forum
- European Movement International
- European Endowment for Democracy
- Transparency International Liaison Office to the European Union
- European Partnership for Democracy
- Democracy International e.V.
- The Innovation in Politics Institute GmbH
- Association Européenne pour la Démocratie Locale
- The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association
- European Youth Forum
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Date 24 Apr 2023 Location Brussels Subject Defence of democracy Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Didier Reynders Portfolio Justice Attending - Joachim Herrmann (Cabinet member)
- Didier Reynders (Commissioner)
Other Lobbyists - The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association
- Transparency International Liaison Office to the European Union
- Asociación de Víctimas de la Ley de Violencia de Género Madrid
- Open Search Foundation e.V.
- Amnesty International Limited
- European Foundation Centre
- European Civic Forum
- EU DisinfoLab
- European Partnership for Democracy
- Democracy International e.V.
- Civil Society Europe
- European Citizen Action Service
- European Movement International
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Date 03 Jun 2021 Location Online Subject meeting on citizenship education Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica Portfolio Democracy and Demography Attending - Toma Sutic (Cabinet member)
Other Lobbyists
- Meetings