User:Rsi1995/sandbox

The Robert Schuman Institute (full name: Robert Schuman Institute for Developing Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, abbreviation: RSI) is an organisation for political education, with headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. Legaly it is constituted as an association or union, the members of which are political parties, organisations and foundations belonging to the European People’s Party (EPP). Its main activity comprises political and civic education and support for democratic party development within its specified target region.

Establishment and mission
The Union of the Robert Schuman Institute for Developing and Supporting Democracy and Civil Society in Europe", as it was originally named, was founded in 1995 - to replace the Christian Democratic Academy for Central and Eastern Europe. The founding Christian Democratic organisations included the Robert Schuman Foundation (Luxembourg), the European People’s Party / Christian Democrats, the Foundation for European Studies and a number of national organizations.

The Institute was named after Robert Schuman, a French Christian democratic politician, who after World War II as Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of Justice of France and later President of the European Parliament fought for the integration of Europe in peace and freedom. He is considered as one of the "founding fathers" of what is the European Union today.

The mission of RSI can be briefly summarized as follows:
 * promoting the idea of a united Europe, the basic values of the EPP and Christian Democracy
 * supporting and the process of democratic transformation and the development of civil societies in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe
 * contributing to the development of the EPP sister and cooperating parties by education and training
 * facilitating the information flow between EU members, accession countries and neighbouring European states
 * building up a cross-border network between international participants and speakers sharing the same values and political orientation

In order to achieve its aims, RSI
 * organises training courses, conferences and study visits for politicians, public figures, party staff and experts
 * promotes political and civic education as a means for developing a democratic and participatory political culture
 * issues publication
 * cooperates with other organisations
 * encourages international contact between political and civil organisations
 * engages its network of alumni

The core competences of RSI include organizing educational activities in the environment of the European Institutions, especially of the European Parliament. Between 2002 and 2010 the Institute was running the Centre for Political Parliamentary Education and Training of the European People's Party (European Parliament group). In the framework of this cooperation a large number of trainings were organised before the EU enlargements of 2004/2007 for politicians from the candidate states such as potential members of the European Parliament/EPP Group, parliamentary officials and parliamentary assistants. Since 2011 RSI has continued to run these activities on behalf of the EPP Group on a framework contract basis under its own name.

Institution
The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the Union, comprising the representatives delegated by each member organisation. Parties, organizations and institutions belonging to or oriented towards the EPP family may apply to join the Union of RSI. The International Board is the supreme operative body of the Robert Schuman Institute, including the President of the Union of RSI, with members elected by the General Assembly from among the main sponsoring organisations, and the Honorary President of the Union of the Robert Schuman Institute. The Director, responsible for the operation of the Institute takes part in the meetings without voting right.

The Robert Schuman Institute is financed exclusively from membership fees, donations and sponsorship of projects.

Presidents of the Robert Schuman Institute

 * 1995 – 2006: Wim van Velzen MEPai
 * 2006 – 2007: Camiel Eurlings MEPai
 * since 2007: Othmar Karas MEP

Directors of the Robert Schuman Institute

 * 1995 – 1998: Dr. Márta Szalai
 * 1998 – 2011: Dr. Erhard von der Bank
 * since 2011: Kinga Szabó

Current members of the Union of RSI
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 * Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)

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 * Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V)

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 * Union of the Democratic Forces (UDF)
 * Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union-People's Union

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 * Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH)

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 * Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL)

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 * Europaisches Zentrum für Arbeitnehmerfragen (EZA)

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 * Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica

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 * Fondation Robert Schuman (FRS)

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 * Nea Demokratia (Greece) (ND)

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 * Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori (MCL)

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 * Robert Schuman Foundation

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 * Christian Democratic People's Party (Moldova)
 * Foundation for Christian Democracy

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 * Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)

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 * Christian People's Party (KrF)

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 * Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L)
 * Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ)

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 * G17Plus

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 * Party of the Hungarian Coalition (SMK)
 * Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)

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 * Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS)
 * New Slovenia (NSi)

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 * People's Party (PP)

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 * Christian Democrats (KD)

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 * Democratic Alliance