Civil society for EU

Why this campaign?

Civil society plays a prominent role in addressing our multiple societal challenges. We protect and promote fundamental rights, provide crucial services that enable people and societies to be more resilient and more inclusive, and connect people - especially marginalised groups - with policy-makers. But we need an enabling space and dedicated tools and resources to do this, whereas the reality on the ground is that civil society actors are facing an ever-expanding list of challenges.

Upcoming EU elections are a key opportunity to turn the tide of shrinking civil society space and limited civil dialogue all over Europe, and ensure that civil society can become a permanent, empowered and engaged actor in future European governance and counterbalance the influencing power of big business and other actors.

For this reason, the YES Forum is part of the campaign launched by Civil Society Europe and Social Platform “Civil Society for EU” for strengthening civil dialogue and civic space across the EU through better recognition, involvement and resourcing of civil society.

We call on the EU institutions to take concrete steps to create an empowering environment for civil society during the next five years, starting from the development of a European Civil Society Strategy and of a Civil Dialogue Agreement.