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Strengthening civil society

Group effort: young people painting a picture
The Swiss enlargement contribution is providing CHF 105 million to finance projects to strengthen civil society, establishing this youth centre in Latvia, for example. © SDC

The Swiss enlargement contribution provides CHF 105 million for financing projects that strengthen civil society. A support fund for non-governmental organisations (NGO fund) is financed in all partner countries, except Malta.

The NGO fund particularly supports social and environmental projects that support and strengthen the participation of civil society in the economic and social development of the country. Overall, one in five projects is realised with Swiss involvement. The NGOs benefit from Swiss expert knowledge by involving Swiss partners in projects. At the same time, Swiss organisations can expand their networks and improve their competences thanks to partnerships with organisations in the partner countries. In Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary, there is a partnership fund in addition to the NGO fund.

Results

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Documents (11)

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Switzerland's contribution to the enlarged EU: 2018 Annual Report

Information on the results achieved in the last three remaining country programmes that are still under way, e.g. mine clearance in Croatia, the promotion of SMEs in Romania and decommissioned trams from Basel improving Bulgaria's public transport system. The report also briefly explains the background to the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member countries.


Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribu-tion. SECO and the SDC have taken stock of the last decade and published the results in their 2017 annual report. The projects have made a significant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Switzerland was also able to use its expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a number of projects.


The Swiss Enlargement Contribution

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs present an interim balance sheet on the first five years since the approval of the Enlargement Contribution to the new 10 EU-Member States. The projects are to be implemented within another five year period, i.e., by 2017.


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News (32)

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Swiss support for civil sector and socially innovative projects

Swiss PRO public call results

17.09.2018 – Local news
Within the Swiss PRO Programme the support of the Swiss Government worth 350,000 EUR was granted to 26 civil society organisations for the purpose of conducting socially innovative projects in 48 towns and municipalities, while technical support intended for local self-governments in conducting projects in partnership with the civil sector will be received by 16 towns and municipalities.

One billion well invested

A man sitting in front of a remediation well at an industrial port

05.06.2018 – Article
The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribution. SECO and the SDC have taken stock of the last decade and published the results in their 2017 annual report. The projects have made a significant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Switzerland was also able to use its expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a number of projects.

10 years of contribution to the enlarged EU: efforts pay off

Workers installing solar panels in Niepolomice, Poland.

19.06.2017 – Press release

The 10-year implementation period for Switzerland’s enlargement contribution to the 10 central and eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 came to an end on 14 June 2017. Under the contribution, Parliament approved a total of CHF 1 billion to implement 210 projects which have helped reduce economic and social disparities among broad sections of the population living in the EU.

State secretary attends final conference in Czechia

State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch congratulating Pardubice city government representatives.

14.06.2017 – Article
State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch was in Czechia from 2 to 4 May 2017. During her visit she opened the final conference of the Swiss-Czech cooperation programme, which comes to an end in mid-June. She also visited four projects which were supported through Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU.

Cooperation with Croatia takes shape

Apprentices sewing wigs

31.05.2017 – Article
Two and a half years after the Swiss Parliament approved an EU enlargement contribution of CHF 45 million for Croatia, the commitment period is due to expire at the end of May 2017. The two countries have agreed on 12 projects during this time. The cooperation will focus on improving the drinking water supply and waste water treatment, education and research, and demining efforts.

A home for abandoned children in Romania

A young man and a boy eating together in the PeCA children's home.

21.09.2016 – Article
Many Romanian children find themselves in a home – not because they are orphans but for reasons of poverty.  Since the 1990s, members of the Swiss-Romanian association for abandoned children have run a home for abandoned children in the Transylvanian town of Ghimbav. The home offers these children a family environment to grow up in.

Volunteer fire brigade in Romania – civil society involvement

Three people place their hands on top of each together in a collective gesture of their collaboration.

06.07.2016 – Article

Romanian civil society is working to set up a volunteer fire service. More than five years ago the Romanian Parliament passed a law according to which every municipality in the country should have its own volunteer fire brigade. Unfortunately the municipalities did not have the necessary funds so that in many places the law remained dead letter. For this reason, Romanian civil society, with the support of the Opération Villages Roumains - Suisse association and the Swiss contribution to the enlarged EU, has become involved.

Swiss-Czech partnership for the rights of the child

Schoolchildren doing crafts in the classroom.

19.04.2016 – Article

Unfortunately, not all children are lucky enough to grow up in a family that remains intact. In the Czech Republic too, some children and young people live in homes or other institutions. The aim for the future is to accommodate children in foster families. The Swiss-Czech partnership is building awareness in the Czech Republic of children's rights.

Successful completion of the NGO and scholarship funds in Hungary

A woman in her garden

16.11.2015 – Article

On 12 October 2015, a closing event was held for the NGO fund and the scholarship programme in Miskolc in Hungary. In total, 102 small-scale projects have been implemented, benefiting disadvantaged adults and children or promoting a responsible approach to the environment. In addition, 679 schoolchildren from disadvantaged backgrounds have benefited from a scholarship fund.

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Videos (2)

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Publisher DEZA/SECO

The Swiss contribution in brief

Information on Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU: a brief presentation including project examples.

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Publications (4)

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Switzerland's contribution to the enlarged EU: 2018 Annual Report

Information on the results achieved in the last three remaining country programmes that are still under way, e.g. mine clearance in Croatia, the promotion of SMEs in Romania and decommissioned trams from Basel improving Bulgaria's public transport system. The report also briefly explains the background to the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member countries.


Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribu-tion. SECO and the SDC have taken stock of the last decade and published the results in their 2017 annual report. The projects have made a significant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Switzerland was also able to use its expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a number of projects.


The Swiss Enlargement Contribution

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs present an interim balance sheet on the first five years since the approval of the Enlargement Contribution to the new 10 EU-Member States. The projects are to be implemented within another five year period, i.e., by 2017.


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Last update 10.07.2020