Active Citizenship Network (ACN) is one of the most widespread and flexible European citizens’ networks, involving in its initiatives – just in the recent years - 206 civic, patient and user organizations coming from 34 Countries, plus 21 European/Global network/umbrella organizations.

ACN is promoter of several important initiatives among which the European Charter of Patients’ Rights in 2002, the European Patients’ Rights Day since 2007 (here is the link to the last edition) and the MEPs Interest Group “European Patients' Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare” since 2015.

Established in 2001, it is coordinated by Cittadinanzattiva, the Italian non-profit organization founded in 1978, independent from any political affiliation, trade unions, private companies and public institutions, officially recognized as a consumers’ organization as a member of the CNCU (National Council of Consumers and Users), a consultative body of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development representing consumer and user associations nationwide.

The main objectives of Cittadinanzattiva and its branch ACN are the promotion of civic activism and participation in the political arena and the protection of citizens’ rights, which are both the strength and the uniqueness of Cittadinanzattiva that, in 2016, was appointedby the European Commission to represent Italian Consumer Associations in the European Consumer Consultative Group.

The European Consumers Union (ECU) is a European consumer organisation which complies with all of the condition established by EU Institutions. ECU is a non-governmental and non-for-profit organization, which is independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests. ECU was Founded in 2009, with the main objective of uniting European consumer organizations in order to collaborate on all matters related to consumerism and to support the causes of the pan-European citizens. Today, ECU is composed by 23 National Consumer Associations coming from 16 EU Member States plus 1 extra EU member,as ratified in the Paris ECU General Assembly 2018.

ECU is mandated to represent consumers’ interests at EU level by organisations in at least half of the Member States and it is active at regional and national level. Member organisations are consumers’ representative, in accordance with their national rules or practice.

As EU umbrella Consumer Association, ECU acts in accordance with European principles and pursues social solidarity and the protection of the rights of consumers and users at national and European level in all areas of their interest, as declared in the Statute of the Association.

The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) was established on February 3rd, 2016, upon the initiative of the Unipolis Foundation and the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. Its aim is to raise the awareness of the Italian society, economic stakeholders and institutions about the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to mobilize them in order to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Alliance already brings together 270 member organizations among the most important civil society institutions and networks, such as: associations representing social partners (businesses, trade unions and third sector associations); networks of civil society associations pursuing specific Goals (health, education, employment, environment quality, gender equality, etc.); associations of local public administrations; public and private universities and research centres; associations of stakeholders working in the fields of culture and information; foundations and networks of foundations; Italian organizations that are members of international networks dealing with the SDGs.The Sustainable Development Festival represents one of the most important activities to raise the awareness about the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.