Within the framework of the Moldova Civil Society Strengthening Program (MCSSP) implemented by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and with the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ECNL prepared an Assessment of the Legal Framework for Civil Society in Moldova.
In its initial assessment, ECNL aimed to set out areas for strategic considerations by all stakeholders to better advocate for a more enabling environment for civil society in Moldova. Under MCSSP, ECNL identified and committed to work in the six priority areas:
- Improving Legal Framework for Public Associations;
- Improving Legal Framework for Public Benefit Organizations;
- Assisting with Developing and Implementing Legal Framework for Volunteering;
- Improving Fiscal Framework for NGOs;
- Assessing Potential Enactment of the Percentage Law;
- Assisting with Developing Legal Framework for Government Contracting of Services.
Among the specific activities planned under the MCSSP, ECNL will provide ongoing technical assistance and comparative legal expertise to local partners on CSO matters in the identified priority areas and beyond on the needs basis; will hold trainings and other capacity-building events for NGOs and government representatives on CSO related legal issues; on the needs basis will assist with establishing and will support the policy making processes by Public-Private-Working Groups in order to develop and promote NGO law initiatives; will provide targeted training on policy and legal reform affecting NGOs to a select group of stakeholders from both NGOs and Government; and will share comparative materials and good practices from European countries and beyond.