The project aims to empower CSOs in Iraq to express opinions and participate in the design and implementation of the projects, policies and laws. As a technical expert ECNL was contracted by UNOPS to help facilitate the process of the development of policy processes and mechanisms for cooperation between authorities and civil society on the Iraqi federal level as well as in the Kurdistan region.

ECNL provides technical assistance in support of the following key objectives:
• Increase awareness of CSOs and public actors on the different models for supporting civil society through national funds and foundations;
• Work with a select group of key stakeholders (PIC) to design and facilitate participatory processes to develop a Compact in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and one at the Federal Level:
• Build capacity of CSO and public sector actors to understand the importance of policy dialogue, participation and public sector – CSO cooperation, and what it takes to realize such cooperation in their own context;
• Increase knowledge and understanding among key stakeholders on PDC and Compacts, both in terms of their substance and the process of their development, adoption and implementation;
• Provide key stakeholders with skills to undertake public consultations, engage in discussions and briefing sessions related to the Compacts;
• Increase the capacity of public actors and specifically the NGOs Directorate in Iraq to be able to provide better support to NGOs and better define its strategic role in the support of NGOs and civil society in Iraq.

ECNL is implementing activities in Macedonia under the Legal Enabling Environment Program (LEEP), which is implemented by the International Center for Not-for-profit Law (ICNL) through an Associate Award issued under USAID Global Civil Society Strengthening Cooperative Agreement with Pact.

ECNL implements the activities under three major sub-components:

1. Support Implementation of the Law on Associations and Foundations

2. Support Reform of the Law on Donations and Sponsorship in Public Activities

3. Support Reform of the Tax Laws Affecting CSOs

4. Support regional information sharing and networking

Moldova Civil Society Strengthening Program (MCSSP) is a three-year effort funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Academy for Educational Development (AED) and the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL). The purpose of the program is to strengthen representative democracy in Moldova through support for a constituent-driven, financially viable civil society sector. Through MCSSP, AED and ECNL will provide a variety of services to civil society organizations (CSOs), including funding, technical assistance, information sharing, coordination mechanisms and networking. ECNL is primarily in charge of implementing Objective 3.

The Program has four main objectives:

1) Enhancing the skills of CSOs to effectively represent citizen interests ;
2) Improving the governance and management of CSOs ;
3) Strengthening the legal and fiscal framework for CSOs ;
4) Promoting the diversification of financial resources available to civil society organizations.

Within the framework of the CEE Trust-funded „Advocacy for broadening and improving employment opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder” ECNL was contracted by Salva Vita Foundation to provide legal and practical expertise in the project’s advocacy measures. Specifically, ECNL is to hold a training on advocacy, participate in the development of an international comparative paper on the levels of disability included in the mandatory quota for the employment and take part in the elaboration of the advocacy and PR strategy.

ECNL was hired as a short-term senior legal expert by SIPU to strengthen capacity of the coalition of local NGOs to participate in the drafting of the Law on Social Entrepreneurship. The draft law was prepared by the working group commissioned by the the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Employment of which the coalition is a member. Specific services include participating in a meeting of the coalition, assisting in identifying shortcomings in the draft Law; and providing written comments to the draft Law.

Together with a Polish watchdog SLLGO and with CEE Trust funding ECNL is implementing an advocacy project for improving sustainability of watchdog organizations in Europe. As part of the project, an informal network of watchdog NGOs is being established for proactive advocacy to include priorities of accountability, fundamental rights in the next EU financing cycle 2014-2020, to explore sources of financing for watchdog NGOs in CEE and to enhance their capacity for raising additional funds.