New EU initiatives, including the EU Civil Society Strategy, the European Democracy Shield, and preparations for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, signal a shift toward making civic space, participation, and civil society protection central conditions for accession rather than peripheral concerns. These developments are unfolding amid growing political pressure on civil society within the EU itself. Decisions taken now in the context of the next EU budget cycle are expected to shape whether future democracy instruments strengthen civil society or introduce new constraints. For the Western Balkans and Türkiye, the EU’s evolving democracy agenda creates both opportunities and risks. This event aims to brief CSOs from the region on these policy shifts, outlining how recent EU initiatives affect civic space, enlargement, and democratic resilience, and highlighting the opportunities and political risks embedded in the EU’s new democracy framework. Interested in joining? Find more, and register here.
Source: BCSDN
