European Public Sector Award

In 2009 European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) organized the European Public Sector Award Competition for the second time. The first edition of the Competition was held in 2007. EPSA is the only award in Europe that honours public sector initiatives. The Competition is organised under the auspices of the European Commission. Its purpose is to popularise the best practices and the most innovative public sector solutions in Europe as well as to foster the constructive competition amongst public sector organisations.

In this way organisers of the Competition intend to create a European learning platform on public administration solutions and to encourage local governments to modernise their administration and make it more efficient. Over 300 applications from 29 European countries were sent to the EPSA 2009 Competition.

In the EPSA 2009 Competition the "Gdynia Civic Sector" project was awarded an "Honourable Mention" Certificate within the "Citizen Involvement" Theme. In the justification of its decision the Jury has written that:

• Gdynia convinced with presenting an ambitious programme to overcome the traditional ways of representative democracy and to create a sustainable partnership with the local NGOs
• Gdynia involves NGOs in consulting and co-creating local programmes and undertakings, and the delivery of public tasks
• Highly innovative is the Gdynia NGO Centre and a City Hall division created that coordinates the cooperation with the NGOs.
The prize giving ceremony was held on 5th November 2009 in Maastricht (Holland).