Civil Society Strategy and Platform – what is next?

Draft agenda

Webstream JDE62

Facilitator/moderator: Estelle Masse, DG JUST, June Bedaton, EESC

11:30-12:00 | Welcome and opening remarks, and presentation of the Informal Steering Group of the Civil Society Platform and the road ahead

• Cinzia del Rio, President of the EESC Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship
• Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General in the European Commission, DG JUST 
• Friso Roscam Abbing, Head of the Liaison Office of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
• Gabriella Civico, President of Civil Society Europe

12:00-12:30 | Input session and panel discussion on the principles that should guide the development and functioning of the Civil Society Platform to ensure trust and transparency, including best practices. (Start of slido session)

• Rosalba Striani, Deputy Head of Unit in the European Commission, DG JUST 
• Pietro Barbieri, Rapporteur EESC opinion on the Civil Society Strategy
• Christa Schweng, Rapporteur EESC opinion on the Civil Society Strategy
• Waltraud Heller,  Lead on civic space and human rights defenders, FRA
• Carlotta Besozzi, Director of Civil Society Europe

12:30-12:50 | Discussion with the public/Q&A/results of Slido 

12:50-13:00 | Conclusions/Final address by Jose Antonio Moreno Diaz, President of the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group of the EESC 

Civil society organisations across Europe have faced a steadily shrinking civic space in recent years, as highlighted by the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). With the upcoming EU Civil Society Strategy and the planned Civil Society Platform, there is new momentum for positive change. This workshop, held during Civil Society Week at the European house of civil society, aims to kick-start the strategy’s implementation and help lay the groundwork for the Platform in close cooperation with institutional partners — the European Commission, the European Parliament, the FRA — and civil society actors themselves.