CSO Legal Reform' The NGO Perspective

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CSO Legal Reform. The NGO Perspective

• Luben Panov
• Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law

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BCNL

• Public benefit foundation registered in 2001
• Affiliate of ICNL ECNL
• Mission to improve the legal framework for
  civil society in Bulgaria
• Worked on the CSO law, tax laws related to CSOs,
  social contracting for CSOs, volunteerism, budget
  subsidies, etc.

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The obvious

• Creating working groups
• Research/Providing comparative information
• Discussions
• Drafting
• Advocating through public campaigns, assistance
  to decision-makers, etc.

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And not so obvious

• Building local support/ownership
• Participatory process
• Putting the CSO legal issues on the agenda of the
  government
• Gaining the trust of both CSOs and the government
• Educating decision-makers
• Educating people

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Implementation is equally important

• Preparing implementing regulations
• Popularizing the new rules to CSOs and the
  general public
• Training for government officials, judges and
  other implementers
• Oversight of implementation practices
• Monitor and improve

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What is important

• Changing the legal framework is a long process
• It is also a difficult process
• It is important to make CSO legal issues part of
  the agenda of governments
• CSO legal reform should be a focus for donors
  because it creates the system in which CSOs
  operate
• Sometimes not only financial but political
  support is also important

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Important Focuses

• Ensuring there is local capacity developed and
  supported
• Ensuring there are sufficient mechanisms for CSO
  funding after international donors are not there
• Ensuring a mechanism for cooperation and dialogue
  is in place especially on CSO sector development
  issues
• Implementation and monitoring of CSO legal reform.

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Thank you for your attention!

• Information and contacts at
• www.bcnl.org