Government Policy and the Nonprofit Sector: Switzerland - VMI
Government Policy and the Nonprofit Sector: Switzerland - VMI
Government Policy and the Nonprofit Sector: Switzerland - VMI
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- switzerland
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Nollert <strong>and</strong> Budowski <strong>Government</strong> <strong>Policy</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Nonprofit</strong> <strong>Sector</strong>: Switzerl<strong>and</strong><br />
subdivisions (SGG 2005). The Swiss Society of Public Utility was also a founder of Pro Juventute (1912), Pro<br />
Senectute (1917), Swiss Mountains Relief 50 (1942), Pro Mente Sana (1977) <strong>and</strong> was <strong>the</strong> driving force behind <strong>the</strong><br />
ZEWO foundation by providing more than 400,000 CHF as start‐up capital. One of <strong>the</strong> current projects of <strong>the</strong><br />
Swiss Society of Public Utility is <strong>the</strong> Volunteer Survey that complements <strong>the</strong> survey results provided by <strong>the</strong> Swiss<br />
Federal Statistical Office (Ammann et al. 2007).<br />
Finally, <strong>the</strong> website, freiwilligenarbeit.ch, should be mentioned. This platform was created in 1999 to promote<br />
volunteer work in Switzerl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Swiss volunteer work overseas (Markwalder 2005). It counts on <strong>the</strong> support<br />
of 85 organizations. In <strong>the</strong> past few years this forum has campaigned to institutionalize <strong>the</strong> social time card to<br />
document an individuals’ volunteer work.<br />
All of <strong>the</strong>se umbrella organizations <strong>and</strong> national coalitions work toge<strong>the</strong>r on many levels, such as in consultation<br />
processes, election campaigns, or, as in 2006, <strong>the</strong> creation of <strong>the</strong> Swiss NPO Code at <strong>the</strong> Large Swiss Relief<br />
Organizations Presidents’ Conference (KPGH). The Swiss NPO Code should guarantee responsible, transparent<br />
<strong>and</strong> timely good governance in NPOs for common welfare that rely on donations (Swiss NPO Code 2006).<br />
c) Involvement of Swiss <strong>Nonprofit</strong> Organizations in International or Regional Umbrella Groups<br />
Many NPOs, national umbrella organizations, <strong>and</strong> political parties are members of international umbrella<br />
organizations. In light of both <strong>the</strong> European integration process <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> associated shift in political decision‐<br />
making authority from national capitals to Brussels <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> large dependence of <strong>the</strong> Swiss economy on <strong>the</strong><br />
European markets, it is obvious that NPOs, even without membership in <strong>the</strong> European Union (E.U.), are<br />
increasing <strong>the</strong>ir commitment to umbrella organizations (Nollert 1996). On <strong>the</strong> one h<strong>and</strong>, Swiss associations<br />
transmit <strong>the</strong> meaning of decisions made by <strong>the</strong> E.U. to <strong>the</strong>ir members. Hence, enterprises exporting to <strong>the</strong> E.U.<br />
can, for example, adapt <strong>the</strong>ir production to new regulations <strong>and</strong> technical st<strong>and</strong>ards. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r h<strong>and</strong>,<br />
despite lacking membership in <strong>the</strong> E.U., Swiss associations can still influence E.U. legislation by lobbying for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
interests within <strong>the</strong> umbrella organizations. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, Swiss associations can ally with associations in<br />
countries with E.U. membership to fight against an objective of <strong>the</strong> E.U. Thus, in accordance with <strong>the</strong> initiative<br />
for <strong>the</strong> “Protection of <strong>the</strong> Alps Against Transit Traffic” Swiss <strong>and</strong> European environmentalist <strong>and</strong> public transport<br />
associations toge<strong>the</strong>r are attempting to prohibit transit by trucks with a 60‐tons load on roads in <strong>the</strong> Alps.<br />
As this section has shown, <strong>the</strong> devices of Swiss direct democracy provide NPOs (as well as its citizens)<br />
considerable opportunities to intervene in public policy making <strong>and</strong> legislation (though networks with politicians<br />
or money considerably helps to support interests in <strong>the</strong> political arena). Umbrella groups have proven to be<br />
important players in politics <strong>and</strong> for policy issues. NPOs have gained interest in international or regional<br />
Umbrella groups, as international or regional (European) legislation are impinging on <strong>the</strong>ir situation in<br />
Switzerl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> abroad.<br />
50 Schweizer Berghilfe<br />
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