Discretionary government transfers granted for CSOs’ Europe information in 2017

Press release 38/2017
20 February 2017

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 370,000 in discretionary government transfers to 36 civil society organisations’ (CSOs) Europe information. The total number of supported projects is 41.

Discretionary government transfers are granted to CSOs in order to raise awareness of the European Union in Finland. CSOs play an important role in increasing knowledge and understanding of these matters and in promoting discussion related to Union. The transfers strengthen CSOs’ Europe information and improve the citizens’ basic knowledge of questions related to the European Union and Finland’s membership of the EU.

In the application round in 2017, the following matters were prioritised: basic knowledge of the EU and Finland’s EU membership; the future of the EU and Brexit; the EU and Arctic, economic and trade policies; and young people’s Europe.

By the deadline, set by the Ministry, 39 organisations has submitted applications for 53 projects. The amount of applied support ranged from EUR 3,000 to 49,000, totalling EUR 955,000 in all. The one-year transfer is meant for the dissemination of information in Finland.

The applications had to focus on the priorities set for the round and specify the intended use of the support for information purposes. The CSOs can spend 30 per cent of the granted support on salaries. Administrative expenses may take 10 per cent of the granted support at the most.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted discretionary government transfers to the following CSOs:

• Avoin yhteiskunta ry
• Pro Ethical Trade Finland (Eetti)
• EKSO - Cultural Association Europe
• EU:n Vastainen Kansanrintama ry
• European Movement in Finland
• Women in Europe
• JEF Finland
• EYP Finland
• Parents’ association of Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (SYK)
• The Finnish League for Human Rights
• Kansallinen Sivistysliitto ry
• Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation
• Finnish NGDO Platform to the European Union, Kehys
• Finnish Association of the Deaf
• Wider Security Network, WISE
• Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Union for Rural Culture and Education
• Youth Academy
• SaferGlobe Finland
• Schuman Society in Finland
• Spartacus Foundation in Finland
• Finnish Youth Cooperation – Allianssi
• Suomen OneWorld Portaaliyhdistys
• Peace Union of Finland
• Committee of 100 in Finland
• Economic Democracy in Finland
• UN Association of Finland
• Tigern rf / Ny Tid
• Turun lähiradioyhdistys ry
• Workers’ Educational Association WEA of Finland
• Vapaus Valita Toisin - VVT ry
• Left Forum
• Venäläinen Kulttuuri-Demokraattinen Liitto ry
• Green Cultural Association
• Ydin-julkaisut ry and
• All Our Children

Inquiries: Keijo Norvanto, Deputy Director General, Department for Communications, tel. +358 40 520 3925.

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are of the format [email protected]