Members Network

The European Commission has proposed ‘A New Skills Agenda for Europe: Working together to strengthen human capital, employability and competitiveness’ to address the skills challenges that Europe is currently facing. The aim is that everyone should have the key set of competences needed for personal development, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment. These competences include literacy, numeracy, science and foreign languages, as well as more transversal skills such as digital competence, entrepreneurship competence, critical thinking, problem solving or learning to learn. The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, also known as EntreComp, offers a tool to improve the entrepreneurial capacity of European citizens and organisations. The framework aims to build consensus around a common understanding of entrepreneurship competence by defining 3 competence areas, a list of 15 competences, learning outcomes and proficiency levels, which current and future initiatives can refer to. © European Union, 2016 Margherita Bacigalupo, Panagiotis Kampylis, Yves Punie, Godelieve Van den Brande   Read More

“Development does not start or stop with the production of goods. It starts with the people and the useable resources of people, such as motivation, initiative, organizational discipline. Without this, all resources remain potential and untapped ...." Since joining the Council of Europe, the consolidation of democratic principles and practices is progressing in the Eastern Partnership countries and so is in Armenia. Democratic institutions, freedom of elections and check and balances of power are among the objectives that the recent Armenia has posed to itself for peace and development for the whole country. The following guidelines, will give practical hints to all those who are seizing the challenge and embark on a new form and participative local governance!   Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of the European Association of Local Democracy Lusine Alexandryan, Delegate of LDA Foundation Armenia   Read More

This study was commissioned and supervised by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee. European countries have started exploring e-participation as a way to regain citizens' trust and revitalise European democracy by developing a more responsive, transparent and participatory decision-making process. The main objectives of the study are to identify best practices in EU Member States, describe e-participation tools and initiatives at the EU level, and explain the benefits and challenges of e-participation. © European Union, 2016 - Elisa LIRONI, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)   Read More

Being media literate means being able to critically understand and evaluate media content and to responsibly and safely use digital media services. Media literacy helps us engage with others in the public sphere, using the creative and participatory potential that new technologies and services can offer. Nowadays, it also includes understanding how data is used and how algorithms and all can influence media production and choices. The importance of community media in supporting the formation of an ‘informed citizenry’ is well recognized by the Council of Europe. © Council of Europe, February 2020 - Martina Chapman, Nadia Bellardi, Helmut Peissl   Read More

Digital solutions are increasingly used in elections. Their security has attracted much attention in the recent years as it impacts the integrity of elections. The legislator has the important burden to introduce regulations ensuring that only digital solutions which comply with constitutional principles can be used in elections. This is not an easy task as the field is still experimental. The two studies presented here raise legal questions, draw upon past experiences in several countries and suggest possible approaches. This publication will be of interest to legislators and executive authorities, namely Election Management Bodies, that are invited to decide on the use of digital solutions in elections. © Council of Europe, March 2020 - Ardita Driza Maurer   Read More

Young people today inhabit a world that has been transformed by digital technologies, effortlessly enabling connectedness through social media and access to vast quantities of information. Making sense of this hyper rich information and engaging effectively and responsibly poses a whole set of new challenges for educators as they seek to prepare young people as citizens, exercising their rights and participating effectively in the affairs of the community. © Council of Europe, April 2020 - Janice Richardson, Veronica Samara   Read More

Violence against journalists is on the rise across Council of Europe member States – attacks are getting more severe and include, in some cases, murders and car bombs, as well as other forms of physical violence and threats. The present Implementation guide aims to provide member States with concrete responses to the question what can and should be done to protect journalists and other media actors. © Council of Europe, July 2020   Read More

The European Convention on Human Rights, an international treaty drawn up within the Council of Europe, was opened for signature in Rome in 1950. On 1 June 2010 it was amended by Protocol No. 14, whose aim is to guarantee the long-term efficiency of the Court by optimizing the filtering and processing of applications.Protocol No. 16 to the Convention allows the highest courts and tribunals of a State Party to request the Court to give advisory opinions on questions of principle relating to the interpretation or application of the rights and freedoms defined in the Convention. Protocol No. 16 came into force on 1 August 2018 in respect of the States which have signed and ratified it. © Council of Europe, September 2019   Read More

The European Convention on Human Rights (“the Convention”) was signed on 4 November 1950 in Rome. In the context of effective political democracy and respect for human rights mentioned in the Preamble to the Convention, freedom of expression is not only important in its own right, but also it plays a central part in the protection of other rights under the Convention. Without abroad guarantee of the right to freedom of expression protected by independent and impartial courts, there is no free country, there is no democracy. © Council of Europe, 2001, 2004 - Monica Macovei   Read More

Promoting inclusive youth participation through the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

Customs Guide for Businesses - European Commission

In this handbook you will find some information about several topics: what is the European Union (EU) in general, its history, how does it work, how decisions are taken at EU level and who takes those decisions - TDM 2000 International   Read More

In this 2015 Annual Report, we managed to complete a great number of activities, campaigns, and events. We developed new platforms and networks, reinforced the already existing ones, supported our members by providing training and additional visibility . Together, we achieved the objectives set up one year ago, moving us closer to achieving the goals foreseen in our long-term strategy.   Read More