The third in a series of seminars revolving around a report published by Volonteurope in June on "Effective Consultation between Europe and its Citizens", this Library Dialogue in France will seek to push further this consultative vision with our partners "La Ligue de L'enseignement" based in Paris. This timely seminar will be delivered in French ("Comment reimaginer un éspace consultatif Européen?") and promises to be a uniquely interactive and stimulating day surrounding effective consultation between Europe and its citizens.

Following the seminar in the Netherlands - at the Amsterdam Public Library, which focused on specific areas of active citizenship, civil engagement and volunteering in the EU, Volonteurope will host the second seminar in London, which will revolve around identifying effective means of conducting civil dialogue, reflecting on the structures needed to consult with citizens and will also look at the difference between influencing policy and politics and the role of civil society in participative democracy.

Volonteurope is proud to announce that the 2010 annual European Workshop on Volontary Action will take place in Greece. The online registration for this year's conference in Athens is now open. The event, delivered by the Volonteurope Secretariat in partnership with the independent Greek NGO PRAKSIS, will bring together 100 participants from over 25 different countries to debate how to strengthen the voice of Active European Citizens.

Volonteurope are now accepting nominations from across Europe for individuals or organisations who have proved to be outstanding pioneers in voluntary action and Active Citizenship. The ACE Awards will recognise their achievements in improving the lives of their communities, either locally, regionally, nationally or internationally. We hope the Awards will also encourage European countries that do not have a strong history of Active Citizenship to get involved with volunteering in the future and will provide inspiration for a collective European identity.

The preparations for the implementation of the European Year of Volunteering in 2011 (EYV 2011) are under way at EU level and in Member States. Volonteurope is working through the Executive and Steering Groups of the EYV 2011 Alliance, as well as through its network, to ensure that the Year fulfils its objectives, makes a real and lasting difference, reaching out to as many citizens across Europe as possible. One of the features of the Year, organised by the European Commission and the Communications Agency, PAU education, will be the EYV 2011 Tour. The Tour will visit all 27 Member States during 2011 - please contact the Volonteurope Secretariat with suggestions on when the Tour should visit specific Member States and why; we will forward your suggestions to the organisers of the Tour.

We are delighted to announce that Volonteurope's 'Report on Effective Consultation with Citizens in the EU', which has formed the basis of the the "Library Dialogue" seminar held on the 24th March 2010 in Amsterdam, has now been published. Volonteurope will continue to focus on the all-important issue of consultations with CSOs and citizens further, as it is one of the crucial elements and obligations of Article 11 of the Lisbon Treaty. In the coming months we will deliver a series of further seminars on the topic, involving our partners and relevant agencies.

On 27 January 2010 Volonteurope organised a seminar entitled 'Impact of Volunteering: Beyond GDP'. The event was held at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels. In addition to insightful presentations and stimulating debate, Volonteurope distributed its response to the EU 2020 Strategy, which argues for volunteering to be recognised and included as an ingredient of all economic, social and environmental policies in the EU over the next decade.