Civil Society – EFA | European Fundraising Association

Slovakia’s “Russian Law” episode: How a government tested the limits of civic space

Melanie May — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:45:43 +0000

When the fourth government of Robert Fico returned to power in late 2023, civil society in Slovakia quickly became a central political target. The confrontation that followed was structured and escalating – moving from rhetoric to legislation, and from legislation to administrative pressure when the courts intervened. Eduard Marček, EFA executive director and head of the Slovak Fundraising Centre, reports on the situation.

From its first days in office, the fourth government of Robert Fico framed a segment of Slovak NGOs – particularly those watchdogs active in anti-corruption, rule-of-law advocacy, and public policy – as politically biased and foreign-influenced. Organizations such as Transparency International Slovakia, Stop the Corruption Foundation and Via Iuris were repeatedly portrayed as actors operating “like political parties” but without public accountability. This narrative laid the groundwork for regulatory action.

The “Russian Law”

In 2024 and 2025, the coalition advanced an amendment to the NGO law with no expert discussion that soon became known domestically as the “Russian Law.” The original proposal required organizations receiving foreign funding of more than €5,000 to label themselves as “organizations with foreign support,” disclose donors publicly, and comply with expanded reporting obligations. Early drafts also considered classifying NGOs (and only NGOs, not businesses or other actors) as lobbyists. The parallels with Russian and Georgian legislation were widely noted, and international criticism swiftly followed. Under mounting pressure – including concerns raised at EU level – the government softened the terminology at the last minute, removing the explicit “foreign agent” label. Yet the core obligations remained, and Parliament passed the law in April 2025.

Civil society fights back

The proposal and ultimate adoption of the law triggered an immediate backlash. Civil society organizations coordinated across platforms, organized public protests, issued joint statements, and mobilized legal expertise to challenge the legislation. The response was unusually cohesive: NGOs formed broad coalitions, engaged European partners, and framed the issue as a constitutional matter rather than a sectoral dispute. Within days of adoption, opposition parties and the Public Defender of Rights filed a motion to the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic requesting constitutional review.

The most controversial element was the mandatory donor disclosure – with NGOs receiving significant contributions required to publish the names of donors above a €5,000 threshold. Critics argued that this endangered privacy, exposed donors to harassment, and created a chilling effect on philanthropy. Additional reporting and registry requirements also increased compliance burdens, particularly for mid-sized and smaller organizations.

Even before the Constitutional Court ruled, the political campaign translated into practice. Government-initiated financial audits targeted selected NGOs, presented publicly as evidence of systemic misuse of public funds. Yet the official audit findings revealed irregularities amounting to roughly 0.5% of the total controlled sum – hardly indicative of widespread abuse. Despite this, the narrative of suspected misconduct persisted. Within the sector, these waves of inspections and public statements were widely described as harassing and bullying – designed less to correct financial mismanagement than to intimidate and discredit non-governmental organizations.

Circumventing the Court ruling

In December 2025, the Constitutional Court struck down the law as unconstitutional, holding that mandatory donor disclosure violated privacy and fundamental rights protected under the Slovak Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. The ruling rejected the framework in its entirety, and the law formally lost effect on 4 February 2026.

The government, however, did not abandon its approach. On 18 February 2026, it adopted a new resolution – this time not a law, but an executive directive – ordering intensified oversight of NGOs across multiple state authorities. District offices, tax authorities, labour inspectors, ministries, the Public Procurement Office, and the Data Protection Authority were instructed to expand controls over NGOs’ financial management, use of public funds, labour law compliance, and GDPR adherence. Annual reports from these inspections are to be consolidated and presented to the Cabinet each October.

Rather than labelling organizations as foreign agents, the state is mobilizing existing regulatory instruments to subject NGOs to heightened scrutiny. The formal justification remains transparency and proper use of public funds.

Further undermining of the sector

Other tactics are also being used to undermine the sector, including a deliberate strategy of defunding critical areas of civil society – designed specifically to limit and weaken nature protection, human rights protection, culture, and development aid. Analysis by the Platform for Democracy with the Open Society Foundation shows that funding losses in these areas reached €16m in 2024 and 2025. These were caused by a range of state interventions from administratively excluding NGOs from eligibility for the Green Education Fund (a loss of €823,000), to blocking approximately €5m from the European LIFE program by refusing mandatory co-financing, and negative intervention in the expert committees of 513 projects by the new Arts Support Fund Council (losing €3.5m).

For many in the sector, the cumulative effect of these measures constitutes a sustained campaign of pressure – intended not only to regulate but to intimidate.

Diversifying to build resilience

At the same time, the pressure has generated an unintended consequence: rising resilience within the sector. Many organizations have accelerated diversification of revenue streams, strengthening individual fundraising to reduce dependency on state resources. Crowdfunding campaigns, small-donor programs, and community-based giving have expanded. The process is exhausting, but also empowering.

For fundraisers and philanthropy leaders across Europe, Slovakia illustrates how restrictions on civic space can unfold incrementally – through rhetoric that reframes NGOs as political adversaries, through legal experiments that probe constitutional limits, and through administrative escalation when courts intervene. The Slovak case shows how civic space can be pressured inside the European Union without formally dismantling democratic institutions, testing not only constitutional safeguards but also the resilience of activists and organizations, donor trust and independent fundraising ecosystems.

Eduard Marček

UK civil society in 2026 – resilient, resourceful, but under strain

Melanie May — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:40:21 +0000

In 2026, UK civil society remains resilient and trusted, but it is operating under mounting financial strain, heavier compliance demands and rising needs at home and abroad. The sector’s future will depend not on its capacity to endure, but on whether policymakers, funders and corporate partners commit to long-term, sustainable support rather than short-term fixes, warns Ceri Edwards, executive director of engagement at the UK’s Chartered Institute of Fundraising and EFA president.

The real test for the coming years will be whether policymakers, funders, corporates and philanthropists move beyond short-term fixes and commit to long-term partnerships that match the scale of the challenges ahead.

In 2026, UK civil society is neither collapsing nor comfortable. It is resilient, adaptive and still deeply committed to the communities it serves – but it is also operating under sustained pressure that is reshaping what it can do, how it works, and who it can reach.

Recent analysis, including the February 2026 report from Bond on UK civic space, paints a picture of a sector navigating tightening funding, increased scrutiny and growing demand. The question is not whether civil society still exists in strength – it does – but whether the conditions around it are becoming more fragile.

A sector tested by funding shocks

The aftershocks of the USAID cuts continue to ripple through the system. The initial shock was immediate: organisations heavily reliant on US development funding were forced to close offices, reduce programmes, and scale back their geographic footprint. Those with diversified income streams – a mix of grants, individual giving, and corporate partnerships – fared better. Smaller, grassroots organisations felt the brunt.

But the bigger story in 2026 is the domino effect.

Reduced US funding influenced UK government international development spending priorities, while UN agencies – many of which relied on US contributions – tightened their own allocations. Funding agreements now often come with more stringent reporting requirements and compliance demands, increasing administrative burdens at precisely the moment organisations are trying to stretch limited resources further.

Civil society is surviving – but it is spending more time proving impact than delivering it.

Domestic pressures mirror global ones

While international NGOs recalibrate, UK-based charities are facing parallel strains at home. The cost-of-living crisis may no longer dominate headlines in the same way, but its effects persist. Demand for food banks, mental health services, housing advice, and refugee support remains high. Climate-related emergencies and geopolitical instability continue to drive humanitarian need abroad.

Yet public giving has not risen in line with need.

This mismatch – rising demand and constrained income – is the defining tension of 2026. Civil society is increasingly asked to plug systemic gaps while operating without long-term financial certainty.

Adaptation: Philanthropy, corporates and new models

One of the most striking shifts is strategic rather than reactive. Organisations are not simply trying to “replace” lost government funding. They are rethinking how they generate income.

There is greater focus on:

Deepening relationships with philanthropists aligned with mission and values
Building meaningful corporate partnerships with socially conscious businesses
Exploring blended finance and public-private partnership models
Using existing infrastructure to develop earned-income services

However, these approaches require investment. Developing a corporate partnership or launching a social enterprise arm demands upfront capacity – specialist staff, due diligence, legal support. Larger institutions can often absorb this transition; smaller charities struggle.

Blended finance and alternative models are promising but remain unevenly accessible. Without careful policy support, there is a risk that innovation benefits the already well-resourced, widening inequalities within the sector itself.

The civic space question

Beyond funding, there is a broader issue: civic space.

Bond’s 2025–26 analysis highlights concern about the regulatory and political environment in which civil society operates. Increased compliance requirements heightened political polarisation, and public discourse that sometimes questions the legitimacy of advocacy work all contribute to a more complex landscape in which we operate.

This does not amount to a closed civic space – the UK remains a functioning democracy with a vibrant voluntary sector – but it does signal a subtle shift. Scrutiny has increased. The margin for error has narrowed. The tone of debate has hardened.

In this environment, charities are balancing service delivery with advocacy, mindful of reputation, funding relationships, and public trust.

A sector still anchored in trust

Despite these pressures, civil society retains one of its most valuable assets: public trust at a community level.

Local organisations remain embedded in the communities they serve. National charities continue to mobilise volunteers at scale. When crises hit, civil society is still among the first to respond. And this is what makes the long-term funding question so urgent.

The long view: Demand is not going down

If 2026 has made anything clear, it is that demand for civil society services will continue to rise. Climate change, conflict and migration and inequality are not short-term trends. The funding model, however, remains short-term and reactive.

The central challenge now is not simply replacing lost income. It is building sustainable, multi-year funding structures that allow organisations to plan, invest in staff, innovate responsibly, and maintain standards without being consumed by compliance.

Civil society in the UK is holding up – but it is doing so through ingenuity and sheer effort rather than structural stability.

The narrative of resilience can be comforting. It suggests adaptability, strength, perseverance.

But resilience should not be confused with sustainability.

In 2026, UK civil society is still standing, still delivering, still advocating. Yet it is navigating an increasingly complex funding ecosystem, heavier reporting demands, and rising need – all at once.

Civil society is holding up. The question is whether the system around it will hold up too.

Ceri Edwards

Main picture by Getty Images for Unsplash+

Czech Republic: nonprofits must beware the turning tide

Melanie May — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:32:32 +0000

Jana Ledvinová, CEO of the Czech Fundraising Center, reflects on the evolving role of civil society in the Czech Republic, drawing parallels between the authoritarian constraints of the 1980s and emerging pressures today. She highlights how nonprofit organizations, once restricted to ideologically aligned activities, have become independent pillars of democracy, warning against recent government measures that echo past patterns, and calling for vigilance and the active defence of civil society to ensure the hard-won independence and influence of nonprofit organisations is preserved.

I have a persistent sense of déjà vu. The language and reasoning of parts of today’s political representation increasingly remind me of the 1980s. For many of us, that is a period we either did not experience or remember only vaguely. Yet it is worth recalling – especially when old patterns of thinking about civil society are resurfacing in new forms.

Pre-1989 – the reality of living under a totalitarian regime

Before 1989, there was essentially only one official space in Czechoslovakia where civic initiatives and associations could operate: the National Front. Access, however, was limited to organisations that shared and actively promoted the values of the socialist regime. Everything else was pushed into a grey zone or outright dissent – a small, forbidden, and constantly threatened space.

The backbone of the “civil society” at that time was formed by mass organisations controlled by the state: Pioneers for children, the Socialist Youth Union for young people, and the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia for adults. Participation was de facto a prerequisite for civic engagement and often for professional advancement. Alongside these were numerous other associations – firefighters, hikers, amateur theatre groups, nature conservation groups, associations for people with disabilities, and many more. On the surface, the array of associations appeared vibrant and diverse, yet all operated under constant supervision. Secret collaborators were present in every organisation, and each association had to regularly demonstrate that it fulfilled “socialist goals and commitments.”

The totalitarian regime thus created the illusion of freedom of association. People could collaborate, strengthen local communities, maintain traditions, care for the environment, or educate younger generations – but only within strictly defined ideological boundaries. Freedom was permitted, but only insofar as it served propaganda and control.

Images from events of the association Tereza in the 1980s (https://terezanet.cz/english/)

Post-1989 – space for an independent nonprofit sector to thrive

Paradoxically, it was from this environment that a strong and dynamic civil society emerged after 1989. Suddenly, space opened for a truly independent nonprofit sector that could professionally contribute to the development of society. It became clear that nonprofit organisations were neither appendages of the state nor the market, but independent pillars of a democratic system. They can counterbalance centralising tendencies of state power, respond flexibly to people’s needs, and complement the market where it fails.

A fundamental turning point was the ability to finance activities not only from public but primarily from private sources. Fundraising brought nonprofits real freedom – the ability to decide their own direction, professionalise, and grow according to their own vision. Today, tens of thousands of nonprofit organisations demonstrate that civil society can function voluntarily and professionally, with responsibility, enthusiasm, and creativity. It has become a natural, indispensable, and often joyful part of our daily lives.

Now – an insidiously turning tide

It is all the more worrying when the current government starts systematically making life difficult for nonprofits. Proposals to introduce central registers, limit funding for so-called “political nonprofits,” mandatory transparent accounts, and other administrative hurdles strikingly echo the past.

Vaguely defined terms and deliberate ambiguity about who these measures apply to raise fears that the real aim is to silence critical voices and eliminate those who hold views different from those in power. This process is subtle and creeping. It is presented as an effort to save money, maintain order, or increase efficiency so that the public will accept it without resistance. That is precisely why it is dangerous.

This is not only about nonprofits themselves – it is about the level of freedom in society as a whole.

A time for vigilance & active defence

We must not be deceived by the “boiling frog” method. Once we become accustomed to small infringements on freedom of association, it may be too late to resist larger ones. History teaches us where the attempt to confine civil society to a single, centrally controlled ideology leads. We must not allow this path to be repeated.

Jana Ledvinová

Wave photo by Marie Pankova on Pexels

New Covenant aims to ‘reset’ UK charities’ relationship with Government

Melanie May — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:15:06 +0000

The UK Government’s new Civil Society Covenant is a “real turning point” offering good news for fundraisers, says the chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF).

The Covenant, an agreement outlining how Government and nonprofits will work together, was launched on 17 July following a sector-led consultation process involving more than 1,000 civil society organizations.

The word ‘reset’ was employed by both Government and the sector in describing the new Covenant, indicating a mutual desire to improve their partnership.

Lisa Nandy, the Government’s Culture Secretary, argued that while the previous Government “kept civil society at arm’s length”, the new Covenant would improve the relationship. She said:

“Our charities, volunteers, and social enterprises are embedded in the communities they serve and trusted by the people they support. That makes them the perfect partners for shaping the change we need.”

Katie Docherty, chief executive of the CIOF, which is an EFA member, highlighted that the Covenant emphasises “recognition and respect for civil society’s independence”, but also promotes partnership working. In her reaction to the launch, she writes:

“Fundraisers should anticipate more collaborative opportunities with public bodies, where charities have a seat at the table in shaping services and funding approaches.

“A key theme is involving those affected by policies in decision-making. Funders will likely expect fundraisers to demonstrate how their organisations include beneficiary voices in program design and storytelling.”

Docherty also notes the Covenant’s stipulations around transparency, data sharing, inclusivity and other points which have implications for fundraisers.

However, she also reminds the sector – and fundraisers in particular – that the Covenant “doesn’t guarantee new money”, saying:

“Charities must still compete for limited funding, guard against superficial partnerships, and avoid mission drift when aligning with government priorities.”

While the Covenant is officially a UK-wide policy, Docherty notes that it focuses mainly on England and Wales.

The chief executives of the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action are both quoted in the Government press release saying that they will ensure that the Covenant complements the existing partnership structures for their respective nations.

Annie Fowlie, their counterpart at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) notes that Scotland is “the only part of the UK that doesn’t have a formal partnership between the government and the voluntary sector”. Fowlie adds that SCVO will use the 2026 Scottish elections to ask for the creation of a scheme to replicate Wales’s statutory Third Sector Scheme.

Picture by Kirsty O’Connor/No 10 Downing Street, released under Creative Commons license.

ECNL hopes for better environment for Serbian civil society

Melanie May — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:07:14 +0000

Steps have been taken towards an improved relationship between Serbia’s government and its civil society sector.

An article on the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) website says that for several years, there had been “harassment and attacks on civil society organisations (CSOs) from both the legislature and the executive”.

In 2022, the Government signalled its intention to improve dialogue between the sectors and increase participation of civil society in decision making. A Council for Cooperation and Civil Society Development was then established in the country in September 2023, and met for the first time on 5 December.

ECNL supported the process of developing and launching the council, having received funding from the United States Agency for International Development and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, to support its work in Serbia.

ECNL says that it is “excited about the Council’s future work to genuinely support civil society development and dialogue with diverse sectors”.

Broader concerns

Despite this cause for hope, there are signs of ongoing hostility from the Government.

Three days after the new council’s first meeting, Katarina Kitanovic from Human Rights House Belgrade said that those defending human rights in the country “do not have public support from the state authorities”. Instead, the authorities were continuing “terrible attacks” against them, according to Kitanovic.

Similar concerns are felt across the region, such as in neighbouring Hungary. According to Philea, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 18 January 2024 to express its concern about the further erosion of democracy in the country. That resolution also recognises systemic discrimination against civil society, as well as other groups such as academia and journalists, in the country.

And as Fundraising Europe reported earlier this year, CSOs in Hungary’s northern neighbour Slovakia are also facing several threats to their independence and funding from the country’s new government.

There is nonetheless some optimism for nonprofits in the region; last year Fundraising Europe highlighted a report suggesting that there was potential to nearly double the level of charitable giving in the Central and Eastern Europe.

Picture by ivalex on Unsplash

Sector calls on European Commission to develop civil society strategy

Melanie May — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:58:21 +0000

More than 300 civil society organisations from across Europe have written to the president of the European Commission, calling for the development of a European Civil Society Strategy to be included in its 2023 work programme.

The letter to president Ursula von der Leyen states that a civil society strategy has been a long-term demand of CSOs at both a European and national level, and is now supported both by a European Parliament resolution on the shrinking space for civil society in Europe. This resolution was reached on 8 March 2022 with a large majority. The strategy is also a recommendation in the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which ran from April 2021 to May 2022, and was established jointly by the European Commission, European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

The letter’s cosignatories urge the European Commission to take action, asking it to “safeguard civil society space by developing, in cooperation with CSOs and human rights defenders, a comprehensive European civil society strategy before the end of the current five-years term.”

It was initiated by Civil Society Europe and European Civic Forum, and is signed by nonprofits, sector organisations and networks from a wide range of EU countries, as well as some from outside of the EU.

In a recent report that makes the case for a European Civil Society Strategy, the European Civic Forum states that “the EU cannot foster and protect rule of law, democracy, fundamental rights and equality without a vibrant civil society.”

In its executive summary, it says:

“Better participation of civil society in the policy-making and agenda setting would allow EU policies to respond in a more meaningful way to the needs, concerns, aspirations and rights of people living in Europe, resulting in greater popular ownership and trust in institutions. This is even more essential in the context of the multifaceted crises the EU faces internally and globally.”

As such, it argues a strategy is needed that defines civil society at the European level, sets political priorities to develop its capacities and supports it when facing attacks.

It quotes the European Parliament report, which states that the EU Civil Society Strategy should give “genuine political recognition to the crucial role played by CSOs in the realisation of democratic values and policies” and calls on the Strategy to do this by integrating all existing tools, filling monitoring, support and protection gaps, and clearly linking monitoring and reporting tools to EU enforcement mechanisms to ensure timely and effective follow-up action.

Picture by Pixabay on Pexels

Patrick Gibbels: Ukrainian crisis opens EU’s eyes to the regulatory burden facing nonprofits

Melanie May — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 11:00:14 +0000

The EU regulatory environment for civil society has become disproportionately burdensome in recent years, but could that be about to change? Patrick Gibbels explores the impact of last week’s majority vote in European Parliament on new proposals to alleviate the regulatory burden facing nonprofits.

During recent years, the EU regulatory environment for civil society organisations has become disproportionately burdensome, and many in the philanthropy and civil society sector have had to deal with discriminatory measures, hampering their day-to-day operations. The crisis in Ukraine underlines the vital role of civil society for democracy. The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a report that seeks to alleviate this regulatory burden and its chilling effects on the sector.

Writing for EFA, I’ve highlighted in the past how legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation, and the introduction of consumer opt-in mechanism in European legislation, has significantly curbed the way in which charities and fundraisers can reach out to potential donors.

Moreover, the COVID-19 crisis has created additional barriers to outreach as it made it impossible to physically approach donors and make collections or to organise events for some time. In fact, in a report, published in June 2020, the EU agency for fundamental rights found that 57% of civil society organisations, both at local and national level, said that they experienced the global clampdown on civil society to have either “deteriorated” or “greatly deteriorated” in light of the pandemic.

Against the backdrop of this report, the European Parliament’s committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) tabled an own initiative report (INI) on the shrinking space of civil society in Europe in January of last year. Spurred by the recent aggressions against Ukraine, the European Parliament on Monday 7 March took stock of the role of civil society in dealing with the challenges and threats stemming from this crisis, which lead to an overwhelmingly positive vote in favor of the LIBE report (526 votes for, 115 against, 54 abstentions).

Hungarian Member of European Parliament and author of the Report, Anna Júlia Donáth, said: “Civilian helpers at our borders with Ukraine are asking us to support their work, while they are out there representing justice and a more humane approach, in line with the EU’s core values. They are asking us to defend them, so they can do their job undisturbed, and to protect them from oppressive governments who persecute them based on Russia’s example. In light of the war in our neighbourhood, Parliament’s call to set up a framework to protect European civil society is ever more important.”

By means of this own initiative report, the European Parliament calls on the European Commission to develop a number of things on behalf of civil society. The Commission is urged to adopt a civil society strategy that will protect the civic space by introducing minimum standards for the legal and administrative environment of civil society, as well as introducing a statute of European cross-border associations and non-profit organisations. The Commission is also requested to structure its monitoring and create a civic space index, based on existing frameworks for measuring civic space, which serve as a basis for the creation of a secure and enabling environment for civil society organisations.

Policies and practices instilling a chilling effect on civic space have been adopted in certain Member States with the aim of achieving self-censorship and deterring civic actors from exercising their rights.The report emphasised that for civil society organisations to thrive, civic space must be an enabling and safe environment free from undue interference, intimidation, harassment and chilling effects by both state and non-state actors.

The Parliament also urges the Commission to create sustainable and non-discriminatory access to resources. A lack of fairness in funding allocation and an excess of administrative burden have been identified as challenges faced by civil society organisations, as well as restrictive eligibility criteria. The Commission must set out conditions and procedures to ensure that EU funds designated to civil society, whether in direct or shared management, are only awarded to organisations that are strictly independent from any government and fully adhere to the EU values.

Last but not least, the Parliament suggests one of its Vice-Presidents is appointed to carry out a structured and open dialogue with civil society organisations. In this context, the Parliament calls on the European Commission to restore the balance between representatives of corporate interests and those of other interests. And now that the Parliament has approved the Report in its Plenary configuration, the Commission is asked to table a proposal for legislation.

This vote, together with the recent MEP call for legislation to be reformed so that nonprofits are on more equal footing with their for-profit counterparts, suggests a shift in attitude towards the sector – and greater awareness of its key role in strengthening Europe. EFA welcomes this change and the report by the LIBE committee, urging the Commission to take swift action.

Patrick Gibbels, Gibbels Public Affairs

About Patrick Gibbels

Patrick is EFA’s public affairs columnist in Brussels.

He is the director of Gibbels Public Affairs.

Follow Patrick @GPA_Brussels.

Read more from Patrick in our View from Brussels column here.

Main photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash.

Threats to civil society organisations intensified by pandemic

Melanie May — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 10:29:51 +0000

A new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has been published, calling on policymakers to foster a more conducive working environment for civil society, after the agency’s research indicates that the pandemic has exacerbated the threats and challenges they face. These include lack of funding for 6 in 10 civil society organisations and worsening work conditions for over half of them (57%).

Civil society organisations across the EU provide services, engage in communities, raise awareness, advocate on behalf of others and hold authorities to account. While their support is needed more than ever, the report finds that threats, attacks, funding cuts and disproportionate restrictions for such organisations have increased during the pandemic.

FRA Director, Michael O’Flaherty, says:

“A strong and healthy civil society is the lifeblood of our democracies. Yet in some countries, civil society organisations are under great strain.

“While there are some green shoots of hope, the EU and EU countries need to support civil society organisations everywhere, so they can fulfil their vital role and defend our fundamental rights.”

FRA’s report ‘Protecting civic space in the EU’ sheds light on the challenges civil society faces across the EU. An online consultation with over 400 human rights civil society organisations carried out for the report reveals not only deteriorating work conditions and funding challenges, but a lack of involvement in key decision making and public consultations, threats and attacks and limitations to their freedom.

However, the report also highlights positive developments and promising practices. These include authorities publicly acknowledging the importance of civil society work, involving civil society in policy development and reducing bureaucracy for NGO registration.

FRA is now encouraging the EU and EU countries to monitor future challenges for civil society and counter restrictions, address funding needs and remove obstacles, safeguard rights to freedom, encourage dialogue between policymakers and civil society at the EU, national and local levels, and generally to protect civil society, ensuring effective protection against attacks and administrative harassment.

For more information, see the full report here.

Photo by Doğukan Şahin on Unsplash

Study highlights worrying trend of narrowing civic space in the Western Balkans

Melanie May — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 08:07:14 +0000

The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) has published a new report, highlighting that civic space is narrowing in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia).

The study reports worrying findings including that, in some areas, severe restrictions and violations have been imposed against the freedom of assembly and expression, and that few legal changes have been introduced to create a more enabling environment for civil society development.

The 2020 edition of the Monitoring Matrix Regional Report on Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development in the Western Balkans stresses that the political and economic circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the situation, creating profound challenges for the state and the functioning of civil society in the region.

Anja Bosilkova, BCSDN

Anja Bosilkova- Antovska, BCSDN Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, says:

“The space for CSO and civic activism in the Western Balkans has been narrowing for some time now, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought further challenges for civil society in the region. Our monitoring notes restrictions and violations to the freedoms of assembly and expression, a significant decrease in funding and other types of state support to CSOs’ operations, and shrinking of the space for public dialogue, which all affect the environment and the effective operation of the CSOs. Nevertheless, the report also points to the success of the CSO to serve the citizens, especially the most vulnerable ones, in times of unprecedented crisis.”

According to the findings for 2020, public funding has decreased due to the cancellation or postponement of calls for proposals, with funds being redirected to crisis relief. BCSDN reports that civil society organisations (CSOs) were not ‘properly included’ in the crisis management planning, with a lack of recognition around their role at government level. Problematic anti-money laundering legislation may well be causing difficulties with registration for CSOs and restricting their operation, while a lack of tax incentives means that individual and corporate giving is insufficiently practiced. There is also a lack of policies in place to stimulate employment and volunteering in CSOs.

The report goes on to highlight challenges with the lack of public funding and issues concerning transparency around the distribution of funds. Despite having a vital role in providing social services for a wide range of beneficiaries and protection for vulnerable groups, CSOs are not properly incorporated in the cycle of service development and provision.

The Monitoring Matrix report offers specific recommendations for national governments and stakeholders, including CSOs and donors.

Read the full report here.

Photo by Drini Teta on Unsplash

Vibrancy of diverse European civil society unveiled in new report

Melanie May — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:23:16 +0000

Civil society in Europe is increasingly active in the public sphere, according to a new report from the Maecenata Institute for Philanthropy and Civil Society, commissioned by the Institute for Foreign Relations (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) in Germany.

The report ‘Understanding Civil Society in Europe’ highlights ‘striking’ differences in civil society at a national and subnational level, with wide variation noted in terms of the activities, legal frameworks, relationships with the state and the private sector.

However, authors Siri Hummel, Laura Pfirter, Johannes Roth and Rupert Graf Strachwitz maintain that civil society has a long tradition in European culture, that it has well established structures and legitimacy, and will remain a decisive factor and indeed driving force in the future development of Europe.

The study gives a brief and condensed insight into the composition of civil society in Europe. It assesses whether there is a European civil society and to what extent it is visible and active in the European public sector.

Dr Strachwitz says:

“What we find is that European civil society is really quite vibrant. The old theory that a functioning democracy is a precondition to the development of civil society no longer holds. It is actually the other way round. When you consider the transformation process to civil society in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989/90, this is a shining example.”

“Civil society is by no means a 20^th or 21^st century phenomenon. It is just the name that is new. So obviously, many traditions, and historical and legal developments have had a profound influence on the emergence of modern civil society in different parts of Europe.”

The study identifies trends in the focal areas for civil society across different parts of the continent. In Eastern Europe, the key focus is found to be mainly on efforts to achieve freedom, the rule of law, human and civil rights, democracy, and other socio-political objectives. Meanwhile, it is the social, educational and cultural sectors that tend to dominate in Western Europe, and community building in Scandinavia.

Despite the striking differences in national histories, cultural traditions, focus of work, funding, scope, and self-perception, the study also highlights that a joint civil society is gradually developing at EU level.

Currently, the potential of a dynamic civil society and further development of an open, cosmopolitan, and democratic society appears to be of particular importance.

The Maecenata Foundation is an independent think tank that focusses on civil society, civic engagement, and philanthropy.

The full report is available in English and German.

Photo credit: Krzysztof Hepner on Unsplash