In conditions of pan-European economic crisis afflicting the entire European Union, European Social Fund represents a particularly valuable source of funding for the programs that contribute to mitigation of negative consequences and provision of new opportunities to the particularly vulnerable social groups in the field of employment, education, social welfare etc
In order to reduce developmental differences between member states of the EU and European regions, Republic of Croatia will also be able, after joining the EU on 1 July 2013, to use resources from this Fund. Subsequently, in the second half of the year 2012 alone Croatia will attain access to 60 million euros.
However, in view of experiences concerning preparation and planning of priorities in Croatia thus far, there are concerns about the methods of defining and the quality of proposed projects, which should be based upon actual needs related to employment, education and social protection of most vulnerable groups and development of social services in the community.
CSOs are actually the ones providing such support and they have proven their abilities to go through procedures of obtaining EU funding, as indicated by the 99% absorption of pre-accession funds. Moreover, CSOs contribute to democratization, protection of human rights and strengthening of the rule of law; but also to the state budget – according to the data published by the Ministry of Finance, in 2010 CSOs employed 17 724 persons, whereas in 2011 this number has increased to 18 667 persons, which amounts to over five per cent growth.
After issuing an open letter „Will civil society survive Croatia's accession to the EU?“ in which CSOs requested to be involved into decision-making process concerning European Structural Fund in Croatia, their representatives have been selected through the Council for Civil Society Development to join seven Thematic Working Groups for preparation of program documents for Structural and Cohesion Funds, which started with work on 10 December 2012.
In order to ensure cooperation between CSOs and state administration bodies, while planning European Structural Fund priorities, we request that:
1. Civil society development is defined as a separate and general priority within each operational program.
2. CSOs are included as project partners and beneficiaries within operational program priorities of all state administration bodies.
3. Within activities of the Thematic Working Groups special emphasis should be placed on areas of employment and public administration reform.
4. Grant schemes are provided for both macro and micro projects of CSOs through the Office for Cooperation with NGOs and other state administration bodies.
5. Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds and the Ministry of Finance should provide adequate funds for pre-financing of non-profit organisations' projects in the amount of at least 50% of the total project amount, to be paid upon signature of the contract.
This event was held on 24 January and it is supported by TACSO Croatia Office.
These requests have been supported by the following civil society organizations:
1. Academus
2. Centar za mir, nenasilje i ljudska prava Osijek
3. Hrvatski institut za lokalnu samoupravu (HILS)
4. Društvo za psihološku pomoć
5. Autonomni centar - ACT
6. DEŠA - Dubrovnik
7. Riječki sportski savez
8. Udruga malih sirara Osječko-baranjske županije Siros
9. Hrvatska gorska služba spašavanja
10. GONG
11. Zelena akcija
12. Savez udruga Klubtura
13. Institut za demokraciju IDEMO
14. Ženska udruga "Izvor"
15. Srpski demokratski forum SDF
16. Pokreni ideju – Udruga za promicanje socijalnih inovacija (Hub Zagreb inicijativa)
17. LAG Sumaniovći
18. Hrvatska udruga za školovanje pasa vodiča i mobilitet
19. Udruga invalida rada Vukovar
20. CEDEPE - Društvo osoba s cerebralnom i dječjom paralizom Zagreb
21. Centar za socijalnu inkluziju Šibenik
22. Udruga za promicanje ljudskih prava i medijskih sloboda "Cenzura plus"
23. Mirovna grupa Oaza Beli Manastir
24. Hrvatski pravni centar
25. Hrvatski crveni križ
26. Centar za edukaciju i informiranje potrošača
27. Partnerstvo za društveni razvoj
28. Centar za žene žrtve rata ROSA
29. Udruga za promicanje projektne kulture “EU klub”
30. Udruženje stanara grada Osijeka
31. Razvojna agencija Sjever
32. Mreža mladih Hrvatske
33. Udruga invalida rada Vukovar
34. Strukovna udruga za promicanje dobrobiti djece „Portić“
35. Organizacija za građanske inicijative OGI
36. Transparency International Hrvatska
37. Centar za građanske inicijative Poreč
38. Udruga DOOR
39. Građanska organizacija razvoja društva -GORD
40. HOMO Udruga za zaštitu ljudskih prava i građanskih sloboda Pula
41. Centar za razvoj demokracije – CERD, Split
42. Udruga žena Vukovar
43. Udruga žena Romkinja " Romsko srce"
44. Udruga „IZVOR“
45. Udruga za prevenciju socijalno-patološkog ponašanja mladih "PREVENCIJA"
46. Forum za slobodu odgoja
47. Centar za mirovne studije
48. Zelena Istra
49. CESI – Centar za edukaciju, savjetovanje i istraživanje
50. „Projekt građanskih prava“ Sisak
51. Udruga za nezavisnu medijsku kulturu
52. Udruženje BARANJA
53. Zagreb PRIDE
54. Moslavina media servis
55. UP – Udruga za društveni razvoj
56. Udruga za promicanje istih mogućnosti UPIM
57. Hrvatsko debatno društvo
58. SUSH – Savez udruga stanara Hrvatske
59. B.a.b.e.
60. Dalmatinski odbor solidarnosti
61. Udruga za samozastupanje
62. Volonterski centar Zagreb
63. Documenta
64. Kuća ljudskih prava
65. Volonterski centar Osijek
66. Udruga Franjo Košćec
67. Udruga roditelja djece s posebnim potrebama ''Put u život''- PUŽ
68. Eko Pan
69. Sjaj - udruga za društvenu afirmaciju osoba s duševnim smetnjama
70. Udruga Mobbing
71. Ekološka udruga "Krka" Knin
72. Udruga za promicanje ljudskih prava i medijskih sloboda Cenzura Plus
73. Eko - Zadar
74. Zeleni Osijek
75. Koordinacija udruga za djecu
76. Udrugu za prirodu, okoliš i održivi razvoj Sunce
77. Brodsko ekološko društvo-BED
78. DIM - Udruga za građansko obrazovanje i društveni razvoj
79. Roda - Roditelji u akciji
80. Ženska soba - Centar za seksualna prava
81. Centar za podršku i razvoj civilnog društva "DELFIN" Pakrac
82. Udruga Nobilis
83. Fade In
84. Udruga za promicanje kultura Kulturtreger
85. Kurziv - Platforma za pitanja kulture, medija i društva