A key element of our international activities is to collaborate, develop partnerships and exchange experience with professional organisations in the European Union. By opening an office in Brussels, we will further strengthen these links and give even more impetus to our activities in 2024.
CREATResili
We are proud to have launched the CREATResili project in 2024, funded by the EU Creative Europe // Creative Europe programme, which supports abused and marginalised women in Kosovo to receive vocational training relevant to the labour market. The projects enable them to become self-reliant and self-sustaining while coping with their trauma. For more information on the CREATResili project click HERE.
The rotating presidency of the Council of the EU
From 1 July to 31 December 2024, Hungary will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union, which will also be our focus in 2024. In the context of the rotating presidency, policy area meetings are always chaired by the country holding the rotating presidency. This also applies to the International Development Council, for example, so that Hungarian priorities in this area will also be more strongly emphasised. The presidency is also an excellent opportunity to raise the profile of our fledgling development programme and build further partnerships.
Pillar assessment
In order to protect the EU’s financial interests, organisations wishing to manage EU funds are subject to a comprehensive, pillar-based assessment by the European Commission. Compliance with the assessment is an essential condition for participation in EU development policy tenders. By following this procedure, the Hungary Helps Agency assures the European Commission that it can ensure that the financial interests of the European Union are protected to the same extent as if it were only directly managing the project budget. This includes setting tender conditions, managing calls for proposals, selecting successful applicants and concluding contracts. Our pillar assessment is underway.
DG ECHO Partnership
The Agency’s application for accreditation, submitted to the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (hereinafter: DG ECHO) in August 2020, was accepted in November 2021. DG ECHO considers that the Agency, as a government agency, fulfils the conditions to be recognised as a “Member State Specialised Agency - MSSA”, i.e. as a partner. The Hungary Helps Agency is the first organisation in Hungary to be granted this status, i.e. as an MSSA partner organisation of DG ECHO. With DG ECHO partner status, the Agency is eligible to apply for European Union funds earmarked for humanitarian purposes, which allows it to use central EU funds to implement humanitarian projects in line with the guidelines of the EU and the Hungary Helps Program.
Certificate of Quality in Humanitarian Volunteering
In March 2023, the European Commission awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Humanitarian Volunteering to Hungary Helps Agency. The Quality Mark for Voluntary Humanitarian Aid certifies that Hungary Helps Agency is capable of carrying out high-quality solidarity activities in accordance with the principles, objectives and requirements of the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. The quality certificate enables us to carry out a humanitarian volunteering project with other qualified organisations within the framework of the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. Projects implemented under the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps aim to prevent and alleviate human suffering, preserve human dignity and strengthen the capacity and social resilience of vulnerable or disaster-affected communities in third countries. This action gives young people aged between 18 and 35 the opportunity to get involved in society through short or long-term voluntary activities aimed at improving the living conditions of people in need. These projects must comply with the principles of humanitarian aid, i.e. the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, independence, and the principle of “do no harm”.
