This country report contains a summary of the most important issues affecting NGOS, which are regulated by the recently passed laws concerning the not-for-profit sector in Albania.   Read article

On 27 September 2001, the Croatian Parliament enacted the new Law on Associations, to replace a regressive law enacted in 1997. Along with local NGOs and Council of Europe experts, ICNL provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Justice in preparing the Law.   Read article

In order to strengthen and develop the interaction between Volunteer Denmark/Associations Denmark and the public sector, representatives of each have agreed to prepare a charter setting forth the framework and fundamental values for such interaction.  Read article

La commission des affaires culturelles du Sénat a approuvé le rapport d'information de M. Bernard Murat portant sur le bénévolat dans les associations. Pour le rapporteur, le bénévolat constitue l'essence même de la vie associative : environ 12 millions de bénévoles consacrent une part plus ou moins importante de leur temps à la réalisation de projets associatifs dans de multiples domaines de la vie sociale.  Read article

On 1 July 2001, the French government entered into a general agreement with the French NGO sector. The event took place on the anniversary date of the French association law of 1 July 1901. The agreement, referred to as the “State-Association Charter” was signed by the Prime Minister on the one hand and the President of the Conférence Permanente des Coordinations associatives on the other.  Read article

The Hungarian parliament passed the " Public Interest Volunteer Activities" in 2005 that establishes the basic rules of public interest volunteerism and encourages citizens and their organizations to volunteer.  Read article

A report of the National Committee on Volunteering that presents findings and recommendations on issues including the volunteer and the organisation; young people and volunteering; recognition and accreditation.  Read article

In January 1999, the Law to Promote Specified Non-profit Activities was promulgated in Japan giving non-profit organizations (NPOs) their first legal recognition. The legislation is in part a result of volunteer activities following the Kobe Earthquake which took more than six thousand lives.   Read article

The purpose of this law, promulgated on 25 March 1998, is to promote the sound development of specified non-profit activities in the form of volunteer and other activities freely performed by citizens to benefit society, through such measures as the provision of corporate status to organizations that undertake specified non-profit activities, and thereby to contribute to advancement of the public welfare.   Read article

Given that volunteers make a vital contribution to social development, the economy and the environment, the New Zealand government endorsed the following policy on volunteering in December 2002.   Read article

This is one of a series of country reports produced by the Association of Voluntary Service Organisations (AVSO) and the European Volunteer Centre (CEV). They aim to provide comprehensive and practical information on volunteers and the law in a number of current and future European Union Member States.  Read article

The revised legal framework for the Voluntary Organisations Act and the amendments to the Civil Code were discussed during Tuesday’s parliamentary session. The Voluntary Organisations Act describes an organisation as being a group of people who share a common goal and vision. Such groups may come together for philanthropic, social or private purposes.  Read article

The report of research for the Russell Commission on the attitudes of young people in England towards volunteering and the extent of their involvement in voluntary activities.  Visit site

This is a policy brief, published June 2006, from the Global Economy and Development Center of the Brookings Institution, focusing on the role American volunteers can play in promoting cross-cultural dialogue and bringing benefits in terms of national security and economic wellbeing.   Read article