The paper presents CONCORD’s recommendations to the EU and Member States to continue their support of civic space and an enabling environment for civil society worldwide through a structured and systemic strategy. It ties each section to the EU’s commitments to the OECD DAC recommendations on enabling civil society in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance and emphasizes the critical role of civil society in democracy and sustainable development and acknowledges global challenges to civic space, particularly within the EU, and commends the EU’s initiatives. Recommendations include safeguarding civic space online and offline, supporting diverse civil society actors, and addressing early signs of civic space restrictions. It highlights the need for equitable partnerships, recognizing local actors’ role, and increasing core funding for civil society. The paper emphasizes the importance of continuous support, particularly in restricted spaces, with multi-year, transparent funding, and inclusive consultation processes. Read more here.
Source: CONCORD