Improvement of Volunteering Regime (BG0089)

What is the public problem being addressed by the measure? Since 2003, organizations that work with volunteers have been proposing to the state to adopt a Law on Volunteering - to have more clarity, guarantees and validation for volunteer work. 5 draft laws have been developed, submitted to 4 different National Assemblies, but such a law has not yet been adopted. The lack of government policy and responsibility on this topic leaves the efforts of civil organizations and self-initiated groups without support and appreciation for the help they give to the most needy in society, as well as for the activity of civil organizations in general, whose life force are the volunteers. Only 10% of the population in our country (data from an omnibus survey by Alpha Research for 2021) participated in volunteer initiatives. The lack of definition for the legal status of volunteers, the validation of skills acquired as a result of volunteer work, the obligations of the organizations and institutions working with them, related to the requirements for ensuring the health and life of workers in the relevant environment are some of the factors that influence negatively civic activity realized through volunteering. This, in the medium and long term, is reflected in a poorly developed culture of solidarity and participation in public life.

What does the measure consist of? Encouraging volunteerism through appropriate legal regulation will lead to wider civic participation and activation of more citizens in dialog with institutions and joint decision-making. The following activities are foreseen in order to implement the measure: - making the Council for the Development of Civil Society a place to attract a wide range of civil organizations to discuss the subject of volunteerism; - identifying stakeholders and conducting a volunteering needs assessment; 41 - organizing discussion forums in order to create a framework for a possible future Law on Volunteering - creating a working group for the CDCS with the participation of stakeholders (institutions, civil organizations, business - with opinion and competence on volunteering). - Preparation of a preliminary assessment of the impact and a draft legislative framework of volunteering in Bulgaria - in an open process and a regime of constant public consultation, including, but not limited to: - Conducting various forms of public consultation with stakeholders during the preparation of the preliminary assessment and during the development of the draft of normative texts; - Organization of a public forum, in which representatives of interested persons from the entire spectrum of volunteer activity, and above all - volunteer organizations and representatives of the volunteers themselves, participate. - Preparation of an analysis of the legislative framework in the field of volunteering in several leading European countries and those with similar demographic and socio- economic characteristics. - Public consultation on the developed and agreed draft legislation with the preliminary impact assessment. - Submitting the draft legislation with the results of the public consultations to the National Assembly. Throughout this period of implementation, the stakeholders carry out activities related to the inclusion of national representatives to the idea and the specific draft law, in view of creating preparation for the subsequent discussions in the National Assembly and an attitude of support for its adoption.

How will the implementation of the measure contribute to solving the problem? The development of draft legislative changes as a result of an open process with various forms of public consultation ensured at the various stages of project preparation will fulfill the mandatory conditions for the adoption of the proposed legal changes by the National Assembly at the next stage. During the preparation of the preliminary impact assessment, various options will be discussed for addressing the needs of specific legal incentives and rules in the field of volunteering, which will prepare the contents of the debate in the National Assembly in the adoption of the regulation. The open and inclusive process of developing the legislative changes will be a clear sign on the part of the state institutions that they want to develop an encouraging policy of voluntary activity in support of good governance in partnership with civil organizations and businesses.

How does the measure relate to the values of the initiative? The regulation of public relations in the field of voluntary activity in the country with the aim of its promotion and sustainable development is necessary to achieve wider civic participation. The majority of civil organizations are made from volunteers and/or involve volunteers in their activities to varying degrees. Civil organizations are among the most active representatives of civil society, which are engaged in activities as required by the institutions of public information and its popularization among the general public, participation in various forms of consultation, dialog and partnership with state authorities.

More information (including budget for implementation of the measure) Time and human resources are necessary for the preparation of the preliminary assessment of the impact, the respective analyses and public consultations during the development of the proposal for legal regulation.

Activities for and measurable results of the implementation of the measure: Starting date Date of completion of activity: Formation of a working group October 2022 March 2023 Preparation of a preliminary assessment of the impact and the development of draft legal regulation, including identification of stakeholders and assessment of their needs March 2023 May 2023 43 Conducting public consultations when developing the draft legal regulation May 2023 June 2023 Intradepartmental coordination of the draft legal regulation June 2023 July 2023 Adoption of the draft legal regulation by the Council of Ministers July 2023 September 2023 Public consultation on the developed and agreed draft legislation September 2023 October 2023 Submitting the draft legislation with the results of the consultations to the National Assembly October 2023 November 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 11. Improving the Regime of Volunteering

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● Potential for results: Modest