European Network Meeting of Independent School Movements

19 January 2012 ; 10:00 - 18:00/19:00 … Forum 3 Gymnasiumstra e 21 70173 STUTTGART, Germany

Working Title : How and by what means can we start a cooperation on EU level in order to achieve complete free choice of education, assert our rights to fair financial support without any financial or social discrimination and barriers as well as maintaining self governance of our schools in pedagogic and administrative matters.

2 Quotations to start with : Resolution on Freedom of Education in the European Community. Passed in the European Parliament 14-3-1984. In accordance with the right to freedom of education, Member States shall be required to provide the financial means whereby this right can be exercised in practice, and to make the necessary public grants to enable schools to carry out their tasks and fulfil their duties under the same conditions as in corresponding State establishments, without discrimination as regards administration, parents, pupils or staff.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union : Article 14 : Right to education

1. Everyone has the right to education and to have access to vocational and continuing training.

2. This right includes the possibility to receive free compulsory education.

3. The freedom to found educational establishments with due respect for democratic principles and the right of parents to ensure the education and teaching of their children in conformity with their religious, philosophical and pedagogical convictions shall be respected, in accordance with the national laws governing the exercise of such freedom and right.

Programme

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome, introduction, aim of the meeting, role of delegates Florian Amlinger, www.freieschulwahl.at ; Waldorfbund Austria

10:15 – 10:40 Our vision of school driven by free initiative and self-responsibility in cultural life. The role of state authorities government, how to maintain independence. Henning Kullak-Ublick, Aktion m€ndige Schule, Board Waldorf Association DE

10:40 -11:25 Sharing the state of legal framework and recognition as well as public funding of independent schools throughout the EU + NO + CH Anne Liekenbrock/ Ingo Krampen, EFFE, Examples of countries

11:25 – 11:55 Sharing information about general conditions and state of past and current legal measures and civil actions (lawsuits, complaints, citizens‘ initiatives) Experience with previous EU- lawsuits/ complaints with the EU Commission and potential procedures on EU level. Barbara Rapp ; Lawyer for European law, Frankfurt/Main & Bruxelles

11:55 – 12:30 Current national Citizen Initiatives (arguments, aims, results, efforts)

 Elternlobby Schweiz (Pia Amacher)

 Aktion m€ndige Schule Schleswig-Holstein (Henning Kullak-Ublick)

 Volksinitiative Schule in Freiheit Berlin & Brandenburg (Kurt Wilhelmi)

 Elternb€ndnis "Freie Schulwahl" sterreich (Edgar Hernegger, Florian Amlinger, Beatrice Lukas)

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 13:55 Experience with ELIANT a European Citizen Initiative Andreas Biesantz , Demter Europe, Brussels

13:55 – 15:45 Decision making – how to act – group & plenary work

 What do we want to achieve ? What is our vision ? Carving out our present principal object.

 What are the appropriate logistic or political measures we want to choose ; ECI, Law suits ….EU / national ?

 Which further organisations and NGOs of civil society in our area / education do we need to contact to cooperate with ?

 Open questions, further steps, definition and division of tasks, voluntary arrangement of duties and work.

15:45 – 16:15 Coffee Break

16:15 – 18:30 Gerald H‡fner, Die Grˆnen, MEP.

 European Citizen Initiative (ECI) and other possibilities of political actions and awareness raising on the EU stage – Basic conditions, chances,

 Results of the Group work – Next steps – Summary of the day

19:00 Dinner in nearby restaurant

Conference language : In principle it is foreseen in English ; at least one presentation will be in German with consecutive translation.

Main organiser : www.freieschulwahl.at & INSWaP, www.elternlobby.ch

Co-organisers : ECSWE ; APAPS ; EFFE ; Waldorfbund Österreich ; Aktion mündige Schule Organising committee : Florian Amlinger, Bea Lukas from, AT ; www.freieschulwahl.at Pia Amacher, CH ; www.elternlobby.ch Henning Kullak-Ublick, Aktion Mündige Schule, DE ; http://www.freie-schule.de/ . Anne Liekenbrock/effe, Brussels : http://effe-eu.org

Contact and application Please apply until 13 January 2012 to eltern@freieschulwahl.at Indicate : Name, Organisation, Address, Country, Telephone, e-mail Tel : Florian Amlinger +43 699 172 82 690