About us
European Civic Forum (ECF) is a pan-European network of nearly 100 associations and NGOs across 29 European countries. Founded in 2005 by our member organisations, we have spent nearly two decades working to protect civic space, enable civic participation and build civil dialogue for more equality, solidarity and democracy in Europe.
Our work
Policy & Advocacy
We advocate to ensure EU policies respect fundamental rights for all, for an enabling environment for civil society and for genuine civil dialogue.
Network & Capacity Building
We connect civil society actors transnationally and across sectors through conferences, forums and alliances.
Monitoring & Reporting
We monitor civic space across Europe and report on developments for Civic Space Watch and Civicus Monitor.
Civic Space Watch
Civic Space Watch is an online platform that gathers data and reports on developments in civic space at the national and EU level and analyses national and European trends in civic space. Powered by the European Civic Forum, it collects findings through regular contact and interviews with a strong network of members and partners on the ground, as well as ongoing media and social media monitoring.
Reports
Working with our members and partners, our research and advocacy team produces reports on a wide variety of topics – notably our annual Civic Space Report.
Our network
Our network is made up of diverse organisations, ranging from big federations and national platforms of NGOs uniting hundreds of thousands of organisations across different sectors, human rights and campaigning organisations, and smaller groups working at community level.
ECF in the news
Some highlights from our press coverage in the international media.
EU Commission wants registry for foreign lobbyists
'The plan will be “deeply harmful to democracy and will fail in its stated intention of exposing covert foreign interference in EU policymaking,” said Alexandrina Najmowicz, secretary general of the European Civic Forum, an umbrella organization of NGOs and associations.'
We all lose if the Olympic surveillance state becomes the norm
'A gaggle of human rights groups – including Amnesty International, the European Civic Forum and Human Rights Watch – blasted the law, writing in Le Monde that it was “a worrying precedent,”'
Repression of pro-Palestine movements in Europe: the rule of law threatened, alerts European NGO
'The NGO estimates that at least 12 EU member states have taken disproportionate measures, including banning protests...'
20 international organisations call on the State to drop terrorism charges against Democratic Tsunami
'In a statement, they denounce that research limits fundamental rights and generates a "deterrent" effect on civil society. The text has been promoted by the European Civic Forum (ECF) and has the support of Amnesty International...'
More than 130 European NGOs express solidarity with the citizens of Serbia – an inspiring protest movement
More than 130 European NGOs have signed a statement expressing solidarity with the citizens of Serbia, calling on the authorities to stop the escalating repression of the anti-corruption movement, the European Civic Forum and the Balkan Network for Civil Society Development announced today.
The future of Europe: EU citizens take centre stage
'The EU is coming to the end of a major experiment in public debate: the Conference on the Future of Europe, ... What – if anything – has the conference achieved? Will true change come about? We discuss this with three guests who took part in the Conference itself.'
Pro-Palestine protests - between anti-Semitism and state repression
'Back in April, the NGO association European Civic Forum criticised in a report that numerous European countries had applied disproportionate repressive measures to pro-Palestinian protests.'
