The IVAA is member of and supports the activities of the “European Alliance of Initiatives for Applied Anthroposophy” - ELIANT. 

The Alliance “ELIANT” was founded two years ago by initiatives for applied Anthroposophy in the fields of agriculture, nutrition, medicine and education to strengthen the presence and participation of Anthroposophic viewpoints in the political discourse and at policy making level in Europe. The principles and working mechanism of ELIANT were laid down in the ELIANT Charter. The name ELIANT intentionally makes reference to the word anthroposophy, to show clearly what ELIANT stands for in Europe. 

The activities of ELIANT are concentrated to support the European engagement of its member-organizations and to realize projects in the name and together with its member-organizations. In this process ELIANT provides the critical mass as “added value” to demonstrate that Anthroposophic views and values are sought after not by a minority, which can be neglected, but by hundred thousand of European citizens by now. With these tasks, ELIANT operates as a “non-governmental-organization” (NGO) and co-operates with other likeminded NGOs at the European level. 

The Alliance ELIANT offers an ideal platform to support the political objectives of the IVAA, to contribute to its presence and strengthen its impact. 

The major initial project of ELIANT is a campaign to gather as many supporting signatures for the Alliance by European citizens and World-wide as possible. With his campaign ELIANT creates the foundation for its presence and activities as a European NGO as well as fostering cooperation among initiatives for applied Anthroposophy. More then 450.000 citizens have with their signature expressed their support for ELIANT so far (June 2008). The campaign will be continued until a million supporting signatures have been reached.
IVAA continues to support this campaign actively and calls at its member-associations to do so likewise.
The activities of ELIANT have to be seen in the wider context of the efforts of the EU Commission to reach a “better governance” in cooperating more closely with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Commissioner for the “Stragey for Communication” (currently Vice-President of the Commission Margot Wallström) is responsible for this dialog.

The direct participation of the European citizens in European policies will be reinforced with the instrument of a “citizens initiative” in new constitutional treaty (“Lisbon Treaty”), expected to come into force in 2009.

The new clauses of article 8b of the Lisbon treaty, give citizens, their representative associations and civil society the possibilities to require the Commission to submit appropriate proposals on issues for which, in the view of these citizens, the Union should enact legislation, if one million EU citizens from several member-states support this initiative. Together with other organizations of European civil society, ELIANT is working on a proposal for an enactment of this clause. 

To guarantee a pluralistic approach in the European societies – prerequisite for our engagement - basic values need to be in force. With the adoption of the Treaty of Lisbon, the Charter of Fundamental Rights acquires binding legal status. The Charter ELIANT expressly appeals to the plurality enshrined in this Charter of Fundamental Rights.

For further details concerning ELIANT see:
www.eliant.eu 

For further details concerning the Lisbon Treaty see: 
www.europa.eu/lisbon_treaty