International Seminar
"Status and Functioning of Non-Governmental Organisations"

in Tallinn, Estonia, September 8-10, 1995 Organised under the aegis of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in co-operation with the CBSS Working Group on Assistance to Democratic Institutions (WGADI) by the Estonian Institute.

Co-organisers: the Danish Centre for Human Rights, the Estonian Human Rights Institute and the Legal Information Centre in Tallinn.
Financially supported by PHARE Democracy Programme.

Seminar program

List of participants

Contents:

• SEMINAR PROGRAM
• I SESSION
• II SESSION
• III SESSION,
• FINAL SESSION
• LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
• Denmark
• Finland
• Germany
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Norway
• Poland
• Russian Federation
• Sweden
• International institutions and guests
• Estonia

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Seminar program

DAY I, September 8, 14.00 - 18.00
OPENING OF THE SEMINAR:

• Mr. Toomas Savi, Chairman of Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament.

I SESSION

"Fundamentals in constitutional law and private law which guarantee the status and functioning of NGO-s; implementation and appeal" moderated by Mr. Nils Eliasson, Ambassador for Human Rights Issues, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden); CBSS WGADI

KEYNOTE SPEECH:

• Mr. Ole Espersen, CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

• "Private law: establishment and functioning of private non-profit organisation: the principle of autonomy"
• "Administrative law: use of public space by private organisations, eventual privileges for non-profit organisations"

REGISTRATED SPEECHES:

• Ms. Elvira Baltutyte, Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights:
  "Establishment and statutes of Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights
• "Prof. Dr. Ulrich Drobnig, Director, Max-Planck-Institut (Germany): "An implication of the freedom of association: Non-registered associations in German law"
• Ms. Tuula Majuri, Legislative Secretary of the Ministry of Justice (Finland): "Reform of legislation on public meetings, demonstrations and events under consideration in Finland"
• Mr. Petr Pajas, Deputy Director, Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise (Czech Republic): "Present situation and prospects of NGO-s in the Czech Republic - the legislative process"
• Ms. Rita Tamm, Executive Director, Estonian Foundation Centre:
  "Baseline analysis of the Not-For-Profit Law in Estonia"
• Mr. Jan Witek, Senior Legal Adviser, Legal Department, Council of Ministers Office (Poland): "The Polish Experience: status and functioning of NGOs in Poland"

CONCLUDING REMARKS by the Moderator of the I Session

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DAY II, September 9, 10.00 - 18.00

II SESSION

"Financial regulations and taxation policy which guarantee the independent activities of NGOs"

moderated by Ms. Birgit Lindsnaes, Deputy Director,

Danish Center for Human Rights

KEYNOTE SPEECH:

• Mr. Lars Bryntesson, Assistant Under-Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration (Sweden)

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

• "Fund-raising activities and financial grants from public sources (forms and conditions)"
• "Tax exemptions and tax deductibility: privileges for NGO-s"

REGISTRATED SPEECHES:

• Mr. Agust Thor Arnason, Director, Icelandic Human Rights Center:
  "Founding of the Icelandic Human Rights Center"
• Mr. Ian Bell, Director, International Programmes, Charities Aid Foundation (U.K.):
  "Financial Regulations and Taxation Policy"
• Mr. Aristotelis Gavriliadis, European Commission:
  "European Community's funding of Human Rights activities"
• Ms. Merle Haruoja, Estonian Human Rights Institute
• Mr. John Penny, European Commission, PHARE Programme:
  "PHARE Programme support for NGOs"

CONCLUDING REMARKS by the Moderator of the II Session

III SESSION,

"Access to official information and contacts with government offices and other public institutions

moderated by Mr. Harri Tiido, Commentator,

Private Local Radio-Station "Kuku Raadio" (Estonia)

KEYNOTE SPEECH:

• Ms. Cathrine Andersen, Organisational Officer, Norwegian Helsinki Committee

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

• "Access to and contacts with government representatives, parliamentarians and officials"
• "Institutionalised forms of participation in the political process (hearings, etc.)"

REGISTRATED SPEECHES:

• Ms. Vija Barsova, Leader of the Local Branch of Latvian "Save the Children"
• Ms. Aleksandra Gospodarczyk, Civil Servant, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Poland)
• Mr. Vaidotas Ilgius, Director, NGO Information and Support Centre (Lithuania)
• Ms. Irena Kulbiene, Lecturer, Vilnius Pedagogical Institute (Lithuania):
  "Building Educational Community: children, parents, teachers"
• Ms. Anna Markowska, Vice Coordinator of the Project, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (Poland): "The place and the role of NGO-s in the system of social policy in Poland"
• Mr. Rein Ruutsoo, Researcher, Institute of Social Sciences, Academy of Sciences (Estonia)
• Mr. Reinis Zobenis, Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies (LCHRES): "Access to official information and contacts with government offices and other public institutions"

CONCLUDING REMARKS by the Moderator of the III Session

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DAY III, September 10, 10.00 - 12.00

FINAL SESSION

moderated by Mr. Nils Eliasson, Ambassador for Human Rights Issues,

Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden), CBSS WGADI


CONCLUDING PRESENTATIONS

12.30 PRESS CONFERENCE for journalists accredited to Estonia

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LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Denmark

• Mr. Espersen, Ole, Comissioner of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights including the rights of persosns belonging to minorities, Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
• Mr. Jacobsen, Allan R., Head of CBSS Section, CBSS WGADI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ms. Lindsnaes, Birgit, Deputy Director, Danish Center for Human Rights
• Mr. Schøn, Knud Sørensen, Head of developing, The National Association of Local Authorities in Denmark

Finland

• Ms. Majuri, Tuula, Legislative Secretary, Law Drafting Department, Ministry of Justice

Germany

• Mr. Birke, Wolfgang; Dr., Head of Section, Federal Ministry of Justice
• Mr. Drobnig, Ulrich; Prof. Dr., Director, Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht
• Mr. Michlik, Frank; Dr. LL.M., Government Counsellor, Fereral Ministry of Justice

Iceland

• Mr. Arnason, Agust Thor, Director, The Icelandic Human Rights Center
  Internet homepage: http://www.centrum.is/humanrights

Latvia

• Ms. Abelite, Inara, Foreign Relations Officer, Latvia's Children Fund
• Ms. Barsova, Vija, Leader of the Local Branch, Save the Children Jurmala
• Ms. Malere, Kristine, Desk Officer, CBSS WGADI; Division of Humanitarian Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Zobens, Reinis, Student, Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies (LCHKES)

Lithuania

• Ms. Baltutyte, Elvira, Legal Adviser, Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights
• Mr. Ilgius, Vaidotas, Director, Civil Servant, NGO Information and Support Centre
• Ms. Kubiliene, Irena; Dr., Lecturer, Dr. of Social Sciences, Lithuanian Cultural Foundation
• Ms. Slajute, Aldona, Junior Specialist, Department of Care Division, Ministry of Social Security and Labour
• Mr. Vegelis, Vidmondas, Chief Adviser of the Legal Department, Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania
• Mr. Virketis, Kestutis, Senior Adviser of the Legal Department, Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania

Norway

• Ms. Andersen, Cathrine, Organisational Officer, Norwegian Helsinki Committee
• Mr. Bøhler, Tor, Attorney at law, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, The Norwegian Barristers Association
• Mr. Overa, Oddvar, Head of the Constitutional Department, Norwegian Parliament
• Ms. Teslo, Kari Ensby, Norwegian Association of Rural Women
• Mr. Åtland, Kristian, Executive officer, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Øystein, Bø, Chargé d'Affaires, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Tallinn

Poland

• Ms. Gospodarczyk, Aleksandra, Civil Servant, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Ms. Markowska, Anna, Vice Coordinator of the Project, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
• Mr. Segal, Mark, Program Director, Baltic States, Cent./East.Europe, The Internat. Center for Not-for-profit Law (ICNL)
• Mr. Witek, Jan, Senior Legal Adviser, Legal Department, Council of Ministers Office

Russian Federation

• Mr. Arakeljan, Antuan, Chief Executive, Coalition of Human Rights, National Minority, Scientific and Welfare Organiza-
• Mr. Gornyi, Mikhail, Executive Director, St.Petersburg "Strategy" Centre
• Mr. Ivanov, Robert, Representative, Vsemirnõi Russkii Sobor
• Mr. Nasinovski, Sergei, Senior Counsellor, Department for International Cooperation and Human Rights, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Nikitin, Aleksandr, Director, Center for Political and International Studies Also: Chairman, International Relations Section, Russian Political Science Association
• Ms. Starovoitova, Olga, Chairman, "Interlegal - SPb", Coalition of NGOs of Sankt-Petersbourg and Region

Sweden

• Mr. Bryntesson, Lars, Assistant Under-Secretary, Youth Section, Ministry of Public Administration
• Mr. Eliasson, Nils, Ambassador for Human Rights Issues, CBSS WGADI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Isaksson, Åke, NGO Section, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Ms. Jonsell, Annika, Member of National Board, National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations
• Mr. Lindström, Per, Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, IV2 / NGO
• Mr. Malmsten, Krister, Association Solicitor, Member of Sw.Supreme Sports Tribunal, Swedish Sports Confederation
• Mr. Ottosson, Ulf, Member of the Board, National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations
• Mr. Wiktorsson, Torgny, KUBS

International institutions and guests

• Mr. Bell, Ian, Director, International Programmes, Charity Aid Foundation, U.K.
• Ms. Everist, Lyn, Director, Council for Voluntary Services
• Mr. Gavriliadis, Aristotelis, Unit A2 - Human Rights and Democratisation, EC, Brussels
• Mr. Lasocik, Zbigniew; LL.D., Project Manager, European Human Rights Foundation
• Mr. Pajas, Petr, Deputy Director, Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise, Czech Republic
• Mr. Penny, John, Official of the European Commission, Directorate General 1A, PHARE Unit B5, Brussels
• Ms. Suurpää, Johanna, Programme Officer, UNDP

Estonia

• Ms. Haruoja, Merle, Secretary General, Estonian Institute for Human Rights
• Ms. Hellam, Mall, Executive Director, Open Estonia Foundation
• Mr. Ikla, Jaanus, Ministry of Justice
• Mr. Kahn, Jüri, CBSS, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ms. Kanarik, Katrin, Desk Officer,CBSS WGADI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Laius, Agu, Director, Jaan Tõnisson Institute
• Ms. Listra, Lore, Director, Estonian Institute
• Mr. Maruste, Rait, Chairman, Supreme Court
• Ms. Mänd, Kristina, Ministry of Finance, Also NGO: Youth for European Security (YES)
• Mr. Rummo, Paul-Eerik, Member of Parliament
• Mr. Ruutsoo, Rein, Researcher, Institute of International and Social Studies
• Mr. Savi, Toomas, Chairman, Riigikogu (Parliament)
• Mr. Siilmann, Mart, Administrative Director, Estonian Institute
• Ms. Tamm, Rita, Executive Director, Center of Estonian Foundations
• Mr. Tiido, Harri, Commentator, Private Local Radio Station "Kuku-Raadio"
• Mr. Tshurkin, Sergei, Legal Adviser, Legal Information Centre for Human Rights in Tallinn
• Ms. Veski, Epp, Estonian Association of Personnel Development