Culture Action Europe joined Civil Society Europe’s (CSE) Working Group dedicated to supporting civil society and citizens’ participation in EU democracy, and to following up on the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) and its final proposals. In doing so, the WG continues the collaborative and ambitious work accomplished within the Civil Society Convention for the Conference on the Future of Europe (CSOCoFoE) in 2021 and 2022, including the Civil Society Convention’s report titled “The future of Europe is ours: A view from civil society” and containing 200+ recommendations.
In recent years, we have seen a surge in restrictions on democracy, civic space and the rule of law across the European Union (EU). Those most affected are marginalised groups whose access to rights is most difficult or even denied, including racialised people, women, LGBTQIA+ people, youth, children, persons with disabilities, migrants and displaced people (especially if undocumented), ethnic and religious minorities and people with low socio-economic status. Moreover, interconnected social, economic and environmental inequalities and challenges have been exacerbated by climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All of this necessitates transformative and coordinated policies based on trust, legitimacy, transparency and a stronger involvement by citizens and their representative associations, including civil society organisations (CSOs).
This WG—composed of independent European networks of CSOs specialised in different sectors—has written this Civil Society State of the Union report addressed to EU institutions and EU Member States. This document comprises our vision and key recommendations as civil society for a more democratic and socially and environmentally just EU.
In order to develop the key recommendations, five thematic subgroups were created within the WG, each responsible for specific topics:
1. EU democracy, civic space and the EU in the world, co-chaired by Alexandrina Najmowicz from European Civic Forum (ECF) and Antonella Valmorbida from European Association of Local Democracy (ALDA);
2. Migration, freedom of movement and security, co-chaired by Gabriella Civico from CEV and Piotr Sadowski from Volonteurope;
3. Social EU, chaired by Martina Corti from SOLIDAR;
4. Climate change and environmental challenges, chaired by Manuela Gervasi from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB);
5. EU’s digital transformation, chaired by Elisa Lironi from the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS).
The five subgroups wrote the recommendations between March and mid-July 2023, using a bottom-up and collaborative approach. Additional independent European networks of CSOs also contributed to the report by providing feedback throughout June and July. Altogether, 43 independent European networks of CSOs contributed to this report, either in a writing or feedback capacity (or both). Six additional organisations were consulted. A list can be found at the end of this report.
Download the report here.
