Within the second half of the year 2014, in the project „Active civic participation: Latvia = EU(Me)” has actively participated and organised a variety of events. To sum up the experience in the first six months, European Movement in Latvia has:
- Regularly published news about the project activities in our newsletter (19 newsletters), as well informed our followers via social media (at least 3 times a week) and our website.
- Mainly EML president Andris Gobiņš, but also board members, have collaborated with local and international media on a various topics. Some of the media articles in this period:
- 07.2014 – interview of Andris Gobins to LR1 about EU directive on tabacco
- 07.2014 – opinion paper to „Latvijas avīze” about EP committees work
- 08.2014 – comments about the visit of Angela Merkele in news of LNT and TV3
- 08.2014 – participation in show LR2 “Dzīves virtuve” about EML
- 09.2014 – interview in “Latvijas vēstnesis”
- 10.2014 – Participation in LR1 show “Krustpunktā” in the eve of elections
- 10.2014 – Interview for LR1 „7 dienas Eiropā” about Latvia’s presidency period
- 10.2014 –Interview for LR1 „7 dienas Eiropā” about the new EC
- 10.2014. – “Latvijas vēstnesis” „European Commission today: the new organisation of work”
- 12.2014 – Comment in “ir.lv” about EVS
- 12.2014 –Interview to LR1 – TTIP contracts
- EML president, the bureau personnel and members of board have tried to participate in the events organised by the partners in the relation with EML core activities. In this period, the main activities are related to:
- European Year of Citizens;
- Upcoming European Year of Development
- Upcoming Latvian Presidency
- Open Government Partnership
- In the field of events, EML together with our partners have tried to pay particular attention to the latest discussions and include them into our events, therefore in the period we have organised two events: 1) on 26th August EML organised an event “European Year of Citizens 2013 and 2014 – achieved and things to do” in order to sum the events and achieved results for the thematic EU year. 2) on 18th November, EML organised an event “Civil society in Latvia (and EU) and political decision making” to inform about the possible ways of participation.
Within this project EML has organised and participated in some events for youth:
- 28th September president of EML met with youth in private secondary school “Laisma” to inform about different possibilities.
- 7th November president of EML participation in the forum of Baltic countries pupils’ governing body “Going further the Baltic way” whose aim was to strengthen the youth cooperation.
- 8th December EML personnel informed the youth of RV1Ģ about EVS and other EU project possibilities.
- EML president has participated and EML has organised training and provided information about the civil participation:
- 28th October the EML team met with the delegation of Bosnia and Hercegovina to inform about the cooperation between Latvian NGOs and Parliament in the organisation of NGO forum, as well to tell about the Latvian experience while entering EU.
- Cooperation with local and international NGOs has been a priority throughout the whole project. In this period, EML has paid particular attention to 1) Cabinet of Ministers and NGO memorandum meetings – this involves many formal and informal meetings: 2) Participation in European Year of Citizens (EYCA); 3) Participation in the European Year of Development preparation activities; 4) Participation in the discussion about Open Government Partnership.
- Cooperation with EU information providers in Latvian has been done on a regular basis via newsletters and group on Facebook, informing about the actual events and asking to send information.
- The dialogue about EU multiannual budget is mainly carried out through the Cabinet of Ministers and NGO memorandum meetings which cover a variety of relevant questions and issues of this topic; as well EML president has attended and expressed his opinion in the commission meeting in the Parliament.
- Similarly the work on the new model of civil participation is mainly done by participation in the formal and informal meeting around Ministers and NGO memorandum meetings and the relevant commission meeting in the Parliament. In the project period, EML has actively cooperated with the Parliament and partners in the organisation of NGO Forum on 19th May, as well follow-up with the commissions and introducing them to the results of the event. The evaluation of the event was discussed also with foreign partners in the second part of 2014.
- Cooperation and advocacy, as well coordination activities are done regularly by EML president, bureau personnel and members of the board in the following meetings (whose topics are relevant to the project and EML activities):
- Meetings of the Senior Civil servant in MFA;
- Meetings regarding Council of Europe in MFA;
- Cooperation with EYCA within European Year of Citizens;
- Cooperation and meeting with partners regarding European Year of Development in MFA;
- Cabinet of Ministers and NGO memorandum meetings;
- Regarding the preparation for the Latvian Presidency, EML president, bureau personnel and members of board have actively participated by expressing the opinion in the media and meeting with the official authorities:
- EML personnel have visited seminars and informational meeting, as well monitored online resources for additional funding possibilities. Within the second half year, EML has submitted an application for several projects like Latvian Presidency NGO events, call for proposal from MFA for European Year of Development, accreditation for EVS projects, call for proposals for the following EU information providers’ forum.
- The work with EML members, staff and volunteers is one of the main priorities. The year 2014 has brought many new changes in the personnel of EML, as well the organisation has tried and succeeded to involve many new volunteers. We have developed a database of volunteers and established a stable relationship with several volunteers, who mainly assist in the organisation of events.
- The capacity building of EML personnel is mainly related to the attendance various seminars. In this period:
- 20th August, EML team visited the seminar by Maureen E.Feit, a NGO leadership expert from USA.
- 25th August, EML visited the seminar about the EEZ projects “Research”.
- 27-28th November, EML team visit the media seminar organised by EESC in Milan.
- 10th December, EML visited the seminar about EU education tendencies.
- EML started to create the design for the new business cards, as well as we have changed our server and try to improve other technical aspects.
- EML personnel and president has attended several events organised by partners:
- 19.07. Participation in the debates organised by LIAA about the EU Eastern partnership;
- 21.-22.08. Participation in the conference to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way;
- 29.08. Participation in the seminar organised by LIAA about the situation in Crimea;
- 12.11. Participation in the conference about the ESF use in Latvia.
- EML has provided information about the implementation both on our social media and website (see more in the Latvian version).