In 2014 the press was loud about the conflict between the Hungarian Government and the EEA/Norwegian NGO Fund. The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration upon the official request of the Hungarian Governmental Audit Office suspended the tax numbers of the Operator Foundations (Ökotárs, Autonómia, DemNet and Carpathian Foundations) of the EEA/Norwegian NGO Fund; at first the tax number of the Carpathian Foundation in September, 2014. Since then, the government’s actions against the ‘Norwegian civic organizations’ were unsuccessful. Currently there is silence – or calm before the storm….. Here comes a “brief and pithy” summary about this case.

It is exactly one year on September 8, since the police has illegally raided the offices of Ökotárs, its partners and the homes of its staff members thus bringing the dastardly crusade against NGOs to the maximum. Despite the indignifying series of attacks, Ökotárs and its partners have kept and keep on doing their jobs, including the operation of the EEA/Norwegian NGO Fund.

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On 22 April 2015, Ms. Colleen Bell, the Ambassador of the United States of America to Hungary, visited our Foundation during her trip in Eger in order to learn more about our organization’s activities, staff, and Board of Directors.

During the visit Mr. Sándor Köles, the chairman of the Board of Directors, presented to the Ambassador the history and the continuing ties of the Foundation to the United States, and later Boglárka Bata, the CEO of the Foundation, summarized the main focuses of our programs and the most considerable achievements of the organization.

„Travel, explore and present!”

The Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation - Ökotárs Alapítvány (HEPF) in cooperation with Autonomia Foundation, Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights (DEMNET) and the Carpathian Foundation-Hungary hereby announces a call for applications in the framework of the NGO Fund of the EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism for Hungarian NGOs to support study trips of young people to Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland (the donor countries).

Originally this award was conceived for the best town-twinning agreements between Italian cities. However, in the framework of the CEMR conference on citizenship and twinning, and the 10th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement, the award will this year add a new category in order to showcase best projects between municipalities of the EU and municipalities coming from countries who acceded the EU in 2004.

Brussels – 3rd July 2014 – A study released today by the European Foundation Centre and the Transnational Giving Europe network “Taxation of cross-border philanthropy in Europe after Persche and Stauffer - From landlock to free movement?” calls for less red-tape and non-discriminatory tax treatment for donors and philanthropic organisations throughout the Member States..

What is ProNet?

ProNet is a multidisciplinary project that brings together young entrepreneurs from Europe and supports them in generating social sustainable projects in their own community.

During this year long project incubator you and your team, together with teams from other seven countries, will develop and implement a social project. During this process you will reach your maximum potential together with your team and gain knowledge, skills, attitude, tools and a network to make your project real and possible through social change.

Call for Participants

“De/Construction of (National) Identity at the time of Mass-Media”

Sinzig, Germany, 15-22 August 2014 

In July anyone can meet personally the operators of the EEA/Norwegian NGO Fund and those organisations which received support from the Fund. Come and see all the beautiful things that make our life easier and better thanks to the support of the NGO Fund!

What is exactly the EEA/Norwegian NGO Fund?

The NGO Fund was created by Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein with the goal to strengthen the civil society.