Mid-June 2006

National Coordinating bodies to be established: The Member State designate the national implementing body for the European Year. The Commission will share this information with EU NGOs who can encourage their members to be involved at national level.

June 2006

Call for proposals to Member States: The European Commission invites formally Member States to present a national strategy for the Year, plus specific proposals for national awareness-raising campaigns

Summer/autumn 2006

Preparation at national level: The Member States begin designing the national strategy for the Year and pinpoint the activities to be organised in 2007. This programme of activities and priorities will be submitted to the Commission

Autumn 2006

National bodies submit their national strategy: The national implementing bodies apply for Community funding: their applications outline the national strategy, the various activities they would like to be co-funded by the EU and the organisations in charge of organising these activities

Late 2006/early 2007

Agreement on national strategy: The European Commission agrees together with each Member State the projects for the Year

January 2007

Equality Summit – Launch of European Year: The Year gets underway on a European-wide basis and in all the participating countries. High level conference in Berlin on 29 - 30 January 2007: Ministers, ministries, civil society organisations, equality bodies, social partners, national implementing bodies, etc. to be invited – will focus on the four objectives of the year