Public Database and Special Register of Civil Society Organisations (GR0096)

Brief Description of the Commitment

Development of two electronic platforms, namely a Public Database and a Special Register of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Ministry of Interior, with a view to registering CSOs that meet specific criteria and conditions for transparency and accountability, in order to receive state funding

Problem Definition

1. What problem does the commitment aim to address? • There was no single framework regulating the state’s relations with civil society organisations as a whole. • In recent years, scattered legislation had been adopted from time to time, leading to fragmentation of the legal framework for civil society. Indicatively, there are 9 different registers in respective ministries registering NGOs. Some registers include Social Cooperative Enterprises (KOINSEP) or Private Capital Companies (IKEs) that are not civil society organisations but companies. • Frequent allegations of abuse have led to a misguided equation of the Civil Society Organisations producing real work, with those organisations that have exploited society’s charitable feelings. • Law 4873/2021 establishes a single regulatory framework for Civil Society Organisations, which aims to create a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability in the state funding of CSOs.

2. What are the causes of the problem? Fragmentation in the regulation of issues relating to the registration, inscription and financing of CSOs established and operating in Greece as associations or civil nonprofit companies with a public benefit purpose resulting in the inability to operate a single register with clear rules and conditions.

Commitment Description

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem? Voting and adoption of the necessary regulatory framework for the regulation of Civil Society Organisations (Law 4873/2021) and laying down the conditions for the creation of the two registers. It is the first time that a single legislative framework regulates the state’s relations with civil society with the minimum possible state intervention and that the foundations are laid for civil society to evolve freely.

2. What solution are you proposing? • Completion of the creation of the two electronic databases, namely a Public Database and a Special Register of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Directorate of CSOs and Public Benefit Entities in the Ministry of the Interior, for the purpose of the systematic registration and inscription of these public benefit entities, in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Law. • The Public Database and the Special Register will be 2 specific applications, accessible through the Single Digital Portal of Public Administration (gov.gr ΕΨΠ) and in order for a CSO to be able to be registered in these it will have to submit a series of supporting documents, as listed in Article 6 & 7 of Law 4873/2021. • The Public Database and the Special Register will be composed of the CSO index, the dossier kept separately for each CSO including specific supporting documents, as well as certifications of competent authorities (Law 4873/2021).

3. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? • The aim is to ensure the integrity, transparency, sound management and accountability of civil society organisations, in particular in order to avoid instances of non-transparent funding. • Linking government funding to transparency-supervision-accounting, but also to more favourable tax treatment of organisations fulfilling specific criteria • Establishing common principles and criteria for transparency and accountability for state funding • Central Management and Control of all necessary supporting documents/conditions for funding • Creation of two electronic databases recording CSOs wishing to be supervised in order to meet specific transparency and accountability criteria and conditions and receive government funding • Mapping of CSOs • Incentivising the creation of strong CSOs and the provision of donations for charitable purposes

Commitment Analysis

1. How will the commitment promote transparency? The information that will be included on the website of the databases and will be freely accessible to citizens will consist of the name of the public benefit entity, the contact details, the constituent act with changes thereto and the list of administrative bodies, without prejudice to Law 4624/2019 (GG A 137) on the protection of personal data.

2. How will the commitment help foster accountability? The creation of the two registers will contribute to: a) Creating a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability in the state funding of CSOs. b) The development of effective policies through the appropriate information of competent bodies. c) Creating incentives for reliable CSOs.

3. How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions? The publication of the corresponding data further strengthens public confidence in public institutions.

Commitment Planning (Milestones | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date)

Preparation at the Council of State | Draft Presidential Decree amending the Organisational Law of the Ministry by setting up a responsible Directorate | 31/12/2022

Publication of Ministerial Decision | Adoption of Secondary Legislation | 31/12/2022

Inclusion in the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Governance for the implementation of procedures | Creation of Platforms | Q3 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 14. Public database and special register of civil society organizations