Fighting for Democratic Empowerment and Resilience
Civil society is a cornerstone of democracy and rule of law. In the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine we are reminded that with few means and little power, in the context of conflicts, pandemics or natural disasters, civil society organisations and volunteers help people in need. They are often the first ones to arrive and the last ones to leave. They advocate for the common good and to ensure laws are not driven by corporate interest and for-profit pursues.
But across the EU, NGOs, associations and movements are experiencing pressures and challenges faced with the erosion of democratic processes and breaches of the rule of law.
In our Civic Space Report 2023, we highlight similar trends and patterns of deterioration of civic freedoms emerging across Europe.
Country Reports
Our Civic Space Report 2023 includes 14 country-specific reports, written by ECF members and partners on the ground.
Click on the tiles below to read the country reports!
Country Report Contributors
Romy Grasgruber-Kerl, Bündnis Für Gemeinnützigkeit, Austria
Zahari Iankov, Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Bulgaria
Gong, Croatia
NGO Support Centre, Cyprus
Blanka Mouralová and Jana Miléřová, Glopolis, Czech Republic
Ligue des droits de l’Homme, France
Siri Hummel and Rupert Graf Strachwitz, Maecenata Institut für Philanthropie und Zivilgesellschaft, Germany
Dominka Spyratou, Greece
Veronika Móra, Ökotárs, Hungary
OFOP, Poland
Filip Pazderski, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
Civil Society Development Foundation, Romania
Kristine Zonberga, Civic Alliance Latvia, Latvia
Tina Divjak, CNVOS, Slovenia
Novact, Spain
Omnium Cultural, Spain
Short on time? Check out the report Summary!
Civic Space Watch
Civic Space Watch collects findings and analyses from actors in Europe on the conditions for civil society to operate, capturing national and trans-European trends in civic space.  Through ongoing monitoring of social media and regular contact and interviews with a strong network of members and partners on the ground, we strive to provide easy access to resources and improve information sharing within civil society across Europe  with, policy-makers and the media.Â
