ELF Spring General Assembly 2024 held in Brussels

The ELF Spring General Assembly 2024 took place on 17-18 April in Brussels, gathering old and new member organisations from across Europe to discuss the further growth of our organisation and network.

We have to be ready for the future because Europe needs strong liberal voices more than ever 

‘We are facing challenging times, but we, liberals, are not the ones, who are afraid of obstacles. We embrace change, we adapt, we innovate and shape our own future’ – expressed ELF President Hilde Vautmans in her presidential report. This is why the ELF Secretariat worked on making our ELF-network future-proof and ready for the new challenges of the next five years. We have to show that liberal solutions are the only viable solutions for a strong and prosperous Europe and for this, we will need all member organisations as we can only do this work together. 

Stable finances 

The General Assembly approved the 2023 Annual Financial Report, presented by Melissa Amirkhizy, Head of Finance and Compliance. Despite financial challenges, we managed to have a balanced budget in 2023 thanks to the prudent financial policy of the Secretariat and to stable cooperations with our corporate stakeholders. With the approval of the Board, the Secretariat presented a redefined and transparent set of criteria for Hardship Funding, which will enable ELF’s members in distress to more easily ask for reduced co-funding requirements in the implementation of ELF projects. 

Sustainable membership growth 

ELF Board member Milosz Hodun, Deputy Executive Director Dr. Antonios Nestoras and Zinaida Zlatanova (LIPA, Bulgaria) presented the recommendations of ELF’s Membership Taskforce. The goal is to retain current members, increase membership satisfaction, and grow membership more strategically. The Task Force recommended implementing a coherent membership strategy, improving the membership application process, and extending membership criteria.   

Next project cycle soon to kick-off 

Goran Neralic, Head of the Project Unit introduced the timeline for the 2025 project selection process. Applicants can submit their first concept notes for future projects between 20 May and 21 June. The concept notes and final project applications have to be sent by 14 July. The final project selection will be approved by the Autumn General Assembly in September.  

Code of Conduct to ensure safe spaces 

ELF Executive Director Alva Finn presented ELF’s new Code of Conduct that ensures that proper safeguards are in place to protect employees, and anyone engaged with our activities.  We have to make sure that the spaces we provide for participation are inclusive and safe, that everyone who represents us does so with professionalism and a commitment to liberal values, and that we are accountable as an organisation in the case of any breach of this Code of Conduct. 

Meet our new members 

Congratulation to Fundación para el Avance de la Libertad (Fundalib, Spain), Foundation for Liberal Public Policy, (FLPP, Serbia) and Land of Freedom Foundation (previously Golos.Kyiv, Ukraine) for becoming full member of the European Liberal Forum.  

We are happy to welcome our new affiliate member in the European liberal family: The Adam Smith Society (Italy) is a nonprofit and nonpartisan cultural association, whose members are professionals, academics, economists, lawyers and economic operators interested in the promotion of principles related to market economics, competition and free enterprise. The Milan-based organisation is a reference point for those in Italy who want to support the promotion of a liberal view and of all the aspects related to a free market economy. For more information, check the organisation’s website.