Glass half full: Civil Society Day actors are concerned but also confident about the future of civil society in Europe

The EESC's Civil Society Days 2023, held from 1 to 3 March, delivered a set of proposals to not only protect but also expand the EU's civic space and ensure younger generations a solid foundation on which they can build a vibrant civil society.

The three-day event was held from 1 to 3 March under the title "Civil Society Organisations: a pillar of democracy and a key player to overcome current challenges". It opened with a call to shore up civil space in the EU against internal and external threats and wound up with the presentation of a set of conclusions drawn by eight interactive workshops. The proposals cover key issues for the future of civil society ranging from the 2024 EU elections to the future of citizen panels in EU policymaking, the European Semester, civil society funding and more.

At the opening, EESC President Christa Schweng stressed that the EESC had repeatedly drawn attention to the threats besetting civil society. "That's why we were crystal clear in our feedback on the Commission's European Democracy Action Plan. We have called on the Commission to establish a dedicated pillar for civil society and have relayed the demand for a European Civil Society Strategy coming from European civil society organisations and networks."

Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, conceded that “we cannot take democracy for granted. We cannot take our civil society for granted.” She stressed the Commission's action in response to the Conference on the Future of Europe, with 80% of legislative initiatives this year being a direct result of citizens' proposals at the Conference. "We took your commitment seriously. We took the proposals of the Conference seriously.”

Some 500 participants took part in this event, which took place fully in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The full conclusions will feed into a resolution to be discussed at the EESC March plenary and later presented to the EU law-makers.

Civil Society Days are organised by the EESC in cooperation with its Liaison Group, which brings together pan-European civil society organisations and networks. (dm)