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Civil Society Europe Newsletter
May 2026
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Welcome to our May 2026 newsletter! In this edition, find out about our new social media series The Power of Many, our Civil Dialogue in Practice event, the upcoming event "A Budget that Works for Citizens", and more!
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Launch Event of Civil Society Europe’s Campaign ‘Voices of Millions’
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On May 5 2026, we successfully celebrated the launch event of Voices of Millions in Brussels, welcoming over 60 participants who demonstrated their support to civil society and their commitment to amplifying the voices of millions.
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The event gathered civil society actors, EU representatives and media to reflect on the present and future of Voices of Millions. The session offered a reflection on the history and impact of civil society in Europe, and presented real stories of how national civil society organisations have shaped and informed EU policy. It was also a chance to present the campaign’s key messages and planned outputs.
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The launch event marked the beginning of Voices of Millions, which will run throughout 2026 and 2027. Check all updates and developments in our dedicated website section.
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The Power of Many: Civil Society Europe’s New Social Media Series
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To kick off our campaign Voices of Millions, we have launched the social media series The Power of Many, aiming to show the links between national civil society organisations and EU policy making.
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This series features concrete stories from diverse civil society organisations working at national level, focusing on how their work improves people’s lives daily. At the same time, these stories highlight how organisations benefit from belonging to EU-wide networks, as it allows them to unify voices with other European organisations from their sector and brings them closer to have an impact on EU policymaking.
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You can already read the first two stories from The Power of Many on our website and all social media platforms (LinkedIn, BlueSky, X). Stay tuned for biweekly updates!
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Joint Contribution on Civic Space to the 2026 Rule of Law Report
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Civil Society Europe has developed its 2026 contribution on civic space to the Commission’s annual Rule of Law report. The contribution, prepared by CSE’s Working Group on Civic Space and Fundamental Rights, outlines cross-country trends on civic space in 2025, followed by an overview of countries where relevant new or persistent issues have been identified, and civil society country-specific recommendations for most Member States.
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Read the full contribution here.
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Civil Dialogue in Practice: Bridging EU Frameworks and National Realities
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The event aimed to foster exchange, provide a space to assess the state of civil dialogue across Member States, and explore how the Civil Society Strategy and the implementation of Recommendation (EU) 2023/2836 can strengthen structured engagement in policymaking at the national level.
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Events you don't want to miss
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A Budget that Works for Citizens: the Multiannual Financial Framework and Civil Society
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On 22 June, Civil Society Europe and the EP Partnerships Team are co-organising an event to discuss the next 7-year budget of the Union, the Multiannual Financial Framework. The event will take place at the Info Hub of the European Parliament, from 14:00 to 17:30.
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The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 will set EU’s priorities, programmes and investments for almost a decade. The event will be the opportunity to exchange on the stakes and the main points of the next MFF developed in the position paper “A civil society proposal for a democratic and value-based Multiannual Financial Framework”.
Register here to join this discussion. More details on confirmed guest speakers will be shared soon!
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Launch Event of the European Pro Bono Week
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On June 8, the European Pro Bono Week will celebrate its online launch event, focusing on the crucial role of volunteer lawyers. Civil Society Europe’s director, Carlotta Besozzi, will contribute with an intervention at the event’s panel discussion.
This year’s topic is Reinforcing Pro Bono Ecosystems: Building Partnerships That Last. Panelists will discuss ways to embed pro bono ecosystems on the national and European level, and ideas to reimagine pro bono partnerships for more structured and longer-term collaborations.
Register here to attend the online session on June 8, from 15:00 to 16:30.
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Civil Society Co-designing Quality: Building Resilience in a Challenging Environment
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Can quality build resilience in civil society organisations? As civic space keeps shrinking across Europe, many organisations are searching for more adaptive approaches to quality management that support learning, participation and collaboration.
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On 14 October 2026, Civil Society Europe will host the event “Civil Society Co-designing Quality: Building Resilience in a Challenging Environment”, under the CoQuality network. The event will build on the findings of a CoQuality European study on quality management, and will bring together relevant stakeholders to assess how quality can promote resilience, partnership and change.
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When? 14 October 2026, 9:30 - 16:30
Where? Royal Library of Belgium, Mont des Arts 28, Brussels
Register here until July 17, 2026, and read the draft agenda here.
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European University Association: Revive the Directive on Cross-border Associations to Make Cooperation Easier Across the EU
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The European University Association, representing Universities and rectors conferences across the continent, expressed their support to the proposal for a directive on European Cross-Border Associations, calling for the Council to resume its work on the file.
Read their statement here.
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