In July this year, the European Parliament adopted a declaration whereby it called on the European Commission to declare the year 2001 as a Year of Volunteerism. European civil society welcomed this declaration, considering it as a clear sign of the Parliament's support of the volunteer activities and called on the Commission and the European Council to take action. The EU institution - similarly as many European countries - still do not have a strategic and all-encompassing policy that would support and promote volunteer activities.

 

On the other hand, thirty percent of the Europeans take part in the volunteer activities, while even eighty percent of them state that the active civic engagement is of the crucial importance for the european democracy. Along with the european recognition of the volunteerism, the 2011 will be also marked as the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, so the United Nations will also organize numerous celebrating activities.