Samaritan International
SAM.I.
The SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL (SAM.I.)
ID: 877886034945-03
Lobbying Activity
Response to The new Action Plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
8 Sept 2025
Samaritan International welcomes the possibility to give feedback to the European Commissions call for evidence and public consultation for the new Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights. With its member organisations working predominantly in the social services sector, Samaritan International considers itself a key stakeholder in promoting and advancing a stronger social Europe. The call for evidence rightly mentions, that on the EU-level the Commission has delivered its initiatives under the first Action Plan as planned, however that implementation on the ground is often only beginning, and a real impact thus lagging behind. The implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights will be a key component for the preparedness of the social services sector. Already under normal circumstances, the sector is facing many conventional threats, such as underfinancing, demographic change and labour shortage, which will only be exacerbated in times of crises and shifting policy priorities. Preparedness efforts need to focus on its ability to continue functioning, to protect vulnerable groups and to safeguard social cohesion under any circumstance. The main activities of Samaritan Internationals member organisations comprise various social services and civil protection activities, all supported by a significant number of structurally engaged and qualified volunteers. In that capacity, SAM.I. is raising the following points for consideration: - The ESF+ is a crucial funding source for CSOs in the social sector and must be safeguarded in the next MFF rather than merged into National and Regional Partnership Plans; - A strong social Europe and social cohesion must be recognised as a precondition for preparedness and resilience and thus strongly safeguarded against competing policy priorities; - Skills need to be defined in a broader way to comprise civic and social skills beyond labour market relevance; - Swift implementation of the Council Recommendations on Long-Term Care and additional measures are needed to make accessible, affordable and high-quality long-term care a reality; - The root causes of the persisting labour shortage in the social service sector need to be addressed as a priority by the new Action Plan. The full position is in attachment.
Read full responseResponse to EU Civil Society Strategy
4 Sept 2025
Samaritan International welcomes the European Commissions initiative to set up an EU Civil Society Strategy and the opportunity to give feedback to this call for evidence. Being an EU-level network of civil society organisations, SAM.I. considers the meaningful involvement of civil society at all stages of the EUs policy cycle, in addition to an institutionalised Civil Society Dialogue, crucial. The main activities of Samaritan Internationals member organisations comprise various social services and civil protection activities, all supported by a significant number of structurally engaged and qualified volunteers. In that capacity, SAM.I. is raising the following points for consideration: - Adequate funding, unbureaucratic access to funding, funding security and a strong enabling framework are essential for a strong civil society; - The value of structured and qualified volunteering needs to be better recognised, not only for the tasks the volunteers fulfil, but for its value to social cohesion through the promotion of civic engagement, democratic and social skills; - CSOs in civil protection, disaster preparedness and response need a better European integration, as well as supporting national policies to use their full potential; - CSO networks that bring together member organisations from the EU and its neighbours should be recognised for and supported in their important role for foreign policy. The full position is attached.
Read full responseResponse to Evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives
3 Mar 2025
Samaritan International welcomes the opportunity to give feedback to the call for evidence on the functioning of Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement. The detailed position is in attachment to this statement. With regards of the functioning and implementation of the current Public Procurement Directive, Samaritan International remarks the following shortcomings: The potential of socially responsible public procurement as a strategic tool is not utilised enough by the Member States. The lack of data availability, both on the national and at EU-level, makes effective monitoring and evaluation impossible; Except for the horizontal social clause, any provisions on socially responsible public procurement are optional. Therefore significant differences exist between Member States; Even though the horizontal social clause includes a mandatory adherence to collective agreements, the provision lacks proper implementation and monitoring. It is important that the respect of collectively agreed wages is strictly enforced; The distinction between emergency ambulance services and patient transport ambulance services is not practical, creates legal uncerntainty and disadvantages non-profit organisations offering these services. The ECJ ruling (C 424/18) only increases the legal uncerntainty and clearly demonstrates that an objective separation of these services is not possible; The maximum duration of three years for reserved contracts in the field of social services is not sufficiently long to make the necessary investments and ensure qualified staff and volunteers to provide high-quality services.
Read full responseMeeting with Iratxe García Pérez (Member of the European Parliament)
14 Feb 2024 · Cooperation between S&D and Samaritan International
Response to Proposal for a Directive on cross-border activities of associations
30 Jan 2024
Samaritan International is a European network of 21 non-profit civil society organisations from 19 European countries. We are politically and religiously unaffiliated and cooperate across borders within our network, on a regional, bilateral, and multilateral basis. Our members are active in the areas of social services, first aid and rescue services, civil protection, humanitarian aid, youth work, and volunteer management. Our work is conducted with the support of about three million individual members and almost 150.000 volunteers. Overall, Samaritan International welcomes the Commissions proposal as it increases the recognition of non-profit organisations and, for the first time, defines non-profit purpose in EU legislation, prescribing that any profits generated are used only in pursuit of the objectives of the association. SAM.I. fully supports the aim of reducing the administrative burden and facilitating the activities of non-profit associations in another Member State. The element of mutual recognition and non-discrimination vis-à-vis national non-profit associations is a key element of the proposal and needs to be implemented in practice, including on taxation of foreign donations, in order to be effective. SAM.I. is however concerned that the proposal is too market-focused and does not achieve a comprehensive framework for this particular pillar of the social economy. In its 2022 Resolution with recommendations to the Commission on a statute for European cross-border associations and non-profit organisations, the European Parliament had acknowledged the risk of restricting civic space through the denial, refusal or challenging of organisations status as public benefit organisations and thus introduced conditions for a public benefit status at European level, including mutual recognition by the Member States when a European Association is granted such a public benefit status. Samaritan International regrets that the Commission proposal has left out this important aspect and calls for a European framework and definition of public benefit status that creates certainty and removes the burden of continually having to prove the applicability of exceptions for charitable organisations, therefore allowing them to focus their resources on their core activities and services to citizens. A common European public benefit status would substantially facilitate the application of supportive national financial and tax treatment or relief measures, as well as cross-border donations. Another point of concern is the Commissions approach on the governance of European cross-border associations, which prescribes that only natural persons that are Union citizens or legally resident in the Union and legal entities with a non-profit purpose established in the Union, through their representatives, may be members of the executive body of an ECBA. Samaritan International is a network composed of 21 non-profit associations, both from EU Member States and from countries in the Western Balkan, as well as the Eastern Neighbourhood and strongly believes that the cooperation and collaboration of EU civil society with civil society organisations beyond the EUs borders is a key element to a successful enlargement and integration process. Therefore, SAM.I. considers it crucial, that there is no restriction of an ECBAs executive body to EU nationals or residents. Please find attached the position paper.
Read full responseResponse to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills
11 Oct 2023
Samaritan International (SAM.I.) welcomes the opportunity to give feedback to the Commissions call for evidence on the initiatives on maximising the potential of talent mobility. SAM.I. is a network of 20 European non-profit civil society organisation, both from within the EU, as well as from Accession Countries and Eastern Neighbourhood Countries. The member organisations are active in the areas of social services, first aid and rescue services, civil protection, humanitarian aid, youth work, and volunteer management. Labour shortages in social services, including long-term care, have been identified as a main challenge impacting the work of our member organisations in this sector. Samaritan International, therefore, welcomes the Commission initiative to tackle the problem of labour shortages, and fully supports the facilitation of recognition of qualifications from third country nationals. However, SAM.I. emphasizes that any policy response linked to attracting talent in a strategic way, should address the problem in a comprehensive way and seek more sustainable solutions first, to avoid brain drain in the areas where talent is being sought from. As regards the social services sector, SAM.I. strongly believes that the following principles should be safeguarded: - An increased attractiveness of the professions should be considered the main priority; - Avoid brain waste and brain drain use all available present talent; - Cooperate closely with third countries; The full statement is in attachment.
Read full responseMeeting with Andreas Schieder (Member of the European Parliament)
18 Sept 2023 · Exchange of Views on driving licences
Meeting with Achille Variati (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)
4 Sept 2023 · Driving licence directive
Meeting with Karima Delli (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and International Road Transport Union Permanent Delegation to the EU
4 May 2023 · Driving Licence Directive
Response to Revision of the Directive on Driving Licences
3 May 2023
Samaritan International (SAM.I.) welcomes the opportunity to give feedback on the Commission proposal COM(2023)127 for the revision of the directive on driving licences. SAM.I. fully supports the objectives of the Driving Licences Directive to improve road safety and to facilitate the free movement of citizens within the EU, including to facilitate cross-border service provision. Nonetheless, SAM.I. would like to point out existing inconsistencies between national approaches, which complicate cross-border ambulance services, and which are not being addressed by the current proposal. SAM.I. considers, that under the current Commission proposal, two main concerns are not addressed: 1) The national legislation in some Member States does include ambulances in the definition of civil defence and thus enables them to grant an exemption for driving ambulances above 3,5t with a category B licence. However, this is not the case in all EU Member States. Therefore, in addition to not being obligatory to grant an exemption, some Member States effectively cannot use the civil defence exemption possibility for the purpose of ambulances. Volunteers in these countries are subject to the requirement of obtaining a category C driving licence before they can conduct their civic engagement in emergency or paramedical services. 2) Where national exemptions exist, they still pose a problem in border regions, as the exemption is usually only valid for the national territory. It is overwhelmingly in the general interest to have the closest ambulance respond to a call or to have a patient transported to the closest hospital, even if this means crossing a border between Member States. Today, such services are still conducted, but operate in a grey area (legal and liability matters) and/or under regional multilateral agreements to enable them. SAM.I. calls for a European solution to enable the driving of ambulance vehicles up to 4,25 t with a driving licence granted for category B. SAM.I. strongly believes that such a provision will have no negative effect on road safety, but on the other hand will significantly improve legal certainty for cross-border ambulance services, as well as ensure a low threshold for civic engagement by volunteers. The position is further explained in the attached document.
Read full responseResponse to Recommendation on covert interference from third countries
11 Apr 2023
We welcome the recognition of the crucial role of civil society and particularly organisations fostering civic engagement in the Defence of Democracy package and the development of a recommendation on civic engagement. In this context, we would like to note the role of not-for-profit civil society organisations that offer structured volunteering opportunities, thereby fostering and organising active citizenship. Structured and qualified volunteering, as enabled by civic volunteering organisations, is an important source of and indicator for citizens resilience and social cohesion. Volunteers do not only receive important qualifications that are useful to them well beyond their specific voluntary engagement. They also have the opportunity to participate in initiatives, services and work for citizens by citizens, thereby giving them a direct stake and a participatory sense of responsibility for the democratic society and civic space within which they live. Besides the overall positive effects on social cohesion that are well-established in research on the issue, there is a particular potential in volunteers as a mean to combat disinformation and counter the societal divide it seeks to create. Voluntarily engaged citizens and the organisations that structure their work tend to enjoy an elevated degree of trust in the populace and could therefore be an effective and sustainable component in communicating against disinformation. We suggest that initiatives attempting to realise this potential of citizen-to-citizen dialogue to counter disinformation be supported. In conclusion, we want to encourage and expand upon the idea to, as the Call for Evidence document puts it, create an enabling environment for civil society and citizens. We understand this to explicitly include favourable framework conditions for volunteers, voluntary engagement, and volunteering NGOs. The European Union and its member states should actively encourage such engagement by facilitating and supporting the work of organisations offering structured volunteering opportunities. Volunteer work must be recognised for its benefits, addressed in an enabling way in relevant legislation and the added value it provides should be considered in the award criteria for relevant grant and funding programs, be they European or national. SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL is a European network of 20 non-profit non-governmental organisations from 19 European countries. We are politically and religiously unaffiliated and cooperate across borders within our network, on a regional, bilateral, and multilateral basis. Our members are active in the areas of social services, first aid and rescue services, civil protection, humanitarian aid, youth work, and volunteer management. Our work is conducted with the support of about three million individual members and almost 150.000 volunteers.
Read full responseMeeting with Olivér Várhelyi (Commissioner) and
29 Mar 2023 · Supporting the Western Balkans in social policies
Response to Evaluation of the Council Recommendation on European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning
9 Jan 2023
Samaritan International (SAM.I.) considers that the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a very important referencing framework, which removes obstacles from worker mobility through cross-border comparability and recognition of qualifications and thus promotes the Single European Labour Market. Already in 2016, Samaritan international called in its position paper Single European First Aid Cross-Border first responders for a cross-border recognition of qualifications. First Aid qualifications are not only an important requirement for professions with a responsibility for workplace safety, but also an expression of civic engagement and a substantial contribution to public safety and a resilient society. The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Framework Directive 89/391 EEC establishes First Aid as an important element to improve the safety and health of workers at work and requires the employer to designate an adequate number of qualified workers. Furthermore, both the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Directive 2009/128/EC establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides request First Aid measures to be included in trainings or in the compilation of the products safety data sheets. In addition, the European Youth Strategy sets the target that all professionals working with young people should be provided with quality mental health First Aid training. While First Aid skills have been established in European legislation as a work-relevant qualification, these qualifications are still predominantly nationally regulated and an officially recognised European standard for First Aid qualifications, including AED (automated external defibrillator) usage, does not exist. In a European labour market, this can impose additional burden and costs on workers who must retake training courses in the country of their prospective workplace, despite already being educated in First Aid. In addition, the non-recognition across borders might discourage people from engaging in training courses and from practicing this form of civic engagement. The integration of First Aid qualifications into the EQF based on established and accepted standards, such as the European Resuscitation Council guidelines, could pave the way towards cross-border recognition. To facilitate this cross-border recognition and enable the integration into the EQF, the quality of First Aid courses should be described by learning results. Despite predominantly focusing on secondary and post-secondary degrees and diplomas, the EQF is designed with sufficient flexibility to also map smaller scale qualifications. Several Member States and other participating countries have already explicitly extended the scope of their National Qualification Frameworks (NQF) to qualifications awarded outside the formal education system and to non-regulated supplementary qualifications. Therefore, Samaritan International strongly believes that the EQF should play a stronger role in facilitating the cross-border recognition of First Aid qualifications. Such recognition would remove unnecessary burden from workers in need of the possession of a valid First Aid certification and create an additional incentive for people to proactively acquire First Aid skills, which are essential skills of civic engagement in contribution to public safety. More info: https://www.samaritan-international.eu/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SAMARITAN-INTERNATIONAL-EC-First-Aid-Single-European-First-Aid.pdf
Read full responseResponse to Social Economy Action Plan
20 Apr 2021
SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL is a network or 20 aid- and welfare organisations in 19 European countries. Our members work in civil protection, rescue- and paramedical services, first aid, and a large variety of social services. They conduct their work with a total of 45.000 employees and with the support of over 150.000 volunteers and an individual membership of over 3 million people.
Many of our member organisations‘ activities are classified as typical social enterprise activities, such as elderly care or social services for persons with disabilities or other persons who find themselves at a social disadvantage. In some cases, these services are also conducted via subsidiaries in dedicated legal forms meant for social enterprises, such as gGmbH in German-speaking countries and regions or other forms meant for corporations with a focus on general interest.
With regard to the roadmap published for the EU action plan for social economy, we would like to raise the following points.
1) The roadmap focuses strongly on the implications of social economy enterprises for the European labour market and associated indicators. We appreciate the recognition that the social economy has positive effects on employment, skills, and, in case of particular social services geared towards this goal, labour market integration and understand that it is possibly the aspect of societal contribution of social economy enterprises that is the easiest to measure. However, it should be noted that the benefits of social economy enterprises extend beyond this. Many social enterprises either are also a civil society organisation (CSO) or have been founded by civil society organisations. They are initiatives that not only work for the general interest of citizens, but are also created and based on a community of citizens with active civic engagement. As such, they play an important role for social cohesion in the societies of the member states and regional communities – they create social capital. This specific invaluable aspect of CSO-borne social enterprises does not seem to have found explicit mention in the roadmap.
2) Volunteerism, which we consider a cornerstone of civic engagement, is not mentioned at all in the roadmap. Considering the multitude of essential services of general interest that society relies on but that would not be feasible without the commitment and engagement of volunteer work, we advise its inclusion in the roadmap, so that European policy on the social economy may include the creation and safeguarding of a favourable framework and infrastructure for voluntary engagement, as laid out in the Policy Agenda on Volunteering in Europe (P.A.V.E.) that was created by the European Year of Volunteering Alliance in 2011.
3) Social enterprises and civil society organisations, including our member organisations, are technically eligible for many EU funding programs outside of the initiatives explicitly named in the roadmap – for example also in civil protection, humanitarian aid, or research in their fields of expertise. These programs have a great potential for contributing to social innovation and ultimately better essential services for Europeans – a potential that is hard to quantify, but valuable nonetheless.
Yet, the inclusion of social enterprises in these programs not dedicated to them usually means competition between them and public entities and/or private for-profit enterprises on terms that do not consider the added value social enterprises bring to the table.
We recommend that this aspect be taken into account in the design not only of dedicated funding programs but also of funding programs with relevant subject matters, even if they are not dedicated to social enterprises or CSOs specifically.
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