Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Communication on EU policies and volunteering: Recognising and promoting cross-border voluntary activities in the EU

Volunteering is a creator of human and social capital. It is a pathway to integration and employment and a key factor for improving social cohesion. Above all, volunteering translates the fundamental values of justice, solidarity, inclusion and citizenship upon which Europe is founded into action.

Volunteers help shape European society, and volunteers who work outside of their home countries are actively helping to build a Citizens' Europe. Indeed, volunteering activities are implicitly linked with many European Union policy areas – such as lifelong learning, rural development and sport – where they add a valuable dimension to European Union programmes.

For all these reasons and more, the year 2011 has been designated as the European Year of Voluntary Activities promoting Active Citizenship. The European Year gives the European Commission the opportunity to take stock of volunteering in the European Union and its contribution to society. It also allows the Commission to evaluate what the European Union and Member States can do to facilitate and promote volunteering, notably in cross-border situations.

EUR-Lex: COM(2011)568: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2011:568:FIN

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