By the EESC Diversity Europe Group

At a conference on 'Civil Society Organisations: Key Actors for the Future of Europe' on 5 November 2021, organised by the EESC's Diversity Europe Group (in partnership with Civil Society Europe and with the support of the EESC's Liaison Group and Associational Life Category), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and their umbrella organisations reiterated their call for an EU Civil Society Strategy and a European Statute for Associations. Appropriate follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) and a regular, structured dialogue with CSOs were considered key aspects in rebuilding citizens' trust in politics and strengthening European democracy.

Participating organisations and individuals showed determination in strengthening their cooperation in order to prevent a further shrinking and shifting of the civic space and to make the case for effective civil dialogue. Against a backdrop of increasing political and economic challenges for CSOs, funding - especially for small organisations, effective legal protection, capacity-building and recourse to existing EU complaints procedures will be crucial. Participants called on the European Institutions for support.  

The conference saw the participation of high-level speakers and CSO representatives, as well as a presentation of the first results of an EESC study on 'The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights and civic space', requested by the Diversity Europe Group. The study will be published in the first quarter of 2022.

The conclusions and recommendations of this conference are available on the website of the Diversity Europe Group. They will be part of the Group's contribution to the CoFoE.

Read the whole press release on the conference. (jk)