EASPD

Membership criteria

Not for profit umbrella groups of service providers for persons with disabilities in at least one member country of the Council of Europe.

Membership fee

Basis: € 3.500
 + inflation of previous year in Belgium
 + GDP difference of your country compared to the EU average
 +/- 10% according to the number of organisations represented by your network:
    > 300 organisations = +10% fee
    < 300 organisations =  -10% fee

Information provision

• EASPD website: a  regular update on social policy and funding opportunities through EASPD's website and access to the members only section of the website
• leaflet with general information on the who, what and why of EASPD; is regularly updated
• one newsletter per year
• a monthly newsflash on European policy,
• EASPD projects and interesting web links
• conference reports as a result of the activities of EASPD

• participation in Board meetings of EASPD
• four votes in the General Assembly
• three to four times a year at each Board/General Assembly meetings, members are informed about the most important policy developments in the social and disability sector
• direct involvement of UMOs in Standing Committees of EASPD
• an Action Plan for each year with input from the members
• an Annual Report with EASPD's work of the past year and with a glimpse at the future.

Direct practical support

• quick feedback on questions of the members by tel, fax or email
• infrastructure for the members in Brussels for own use and to organise a meeting.

Policy-influencing

• lobbying especially with the Commission, DG Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship) to voice the viewpoints of the members (especially of those of the umbrellas, because they have a better overview and more influence themselves) and to keep disability on the European agenda
• lobbying with the Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the Council of Europe
• four Standing Committees are set up to monitor & strategically plan in the long term actions on Employment, Enlargement and Education and Policy Impact
• Five interest groups are set up in the fields of Mental Health, Sheltered Employment, ICT & Assistive Technology, Workforce Development and Independent Living 

Project development
& Research

• a project development seminar with background information on the EU, practical tips for European partnerships and project development and a guiding tour through the labyrinth of EU programms and budget lines
• possibility to participate in each European project the EASPD develops

Networking

• reduced rate for members: several European meetings and conferences per year for information & networking amongst the members and other stakeholders
• local fora in Eastern European Countries will be organised to create national umbrella structures
• Twinning: invite local service providers from the new European member states and accession countries to link up with their counterparts from the 'old' Europe. The twinning should facilitate later bilateral cooperation.

Participation in working groups on themes

• opportunity to get involved in a certain issue at the European level through participation in a working group, e.g. on quality assurance
• information on the impact of EU policy on the social sector and specifically the sector of people with disabilities is being gathered through a study working group.