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Ogólnopolska Federacja Organizacji Pozarządowych

OFOP

1.

Lobbying Activity

Response to EU Civil Society Strategy

5 Sept 2025

As civic space faces an alarming rollback globally and across Europe, urgent action is imperative. There is a need to push back against these pressures by designing a Civil Society Strategy that will meet the moment and address the gravity of the situation in a comprehensive manner by equipping civil society with essential legal and institutional tools to prevent a closure of civic space. The attacks on civil society occur in an international context that puts the very existence of a rules-based order into question. Many activists in Central Europe vividly remember the times when civic freedoms were absent, and the recent rule of law crisis in Hungary and Poland was a stark reminder that fundamental rights are not a given, and that democracies can collapse in a heartbeat. The time has come to confront this challenge firmly with decisive measures. This is why as the National Federation of Polish NGOs, we call for: stronger institutional frameworks, i.e. institutionalised civil dialogue under Article 11 of TEU, enhanced Partnership Principle, impactful Civil Society Platform based on dialogue, Early Warning Mechanism, adequate protection mechanisms for civil society activists, condemnation of attempts to marginalise the role of civil society organisations in policy debates, robust funding mechanisms, strengthening safe space for CSOs to work freely, resourced deployment of CSOs for crisis interventions, more energetic defence of democracy, and the prevention of labelling CSOs as foreign agents. Given that public participation of CSOs in the policy process has been misrepresented and impaired by disinformation (including from inside EU institutions), institutional processes across the EU should be framed in a way that explicitly acknowledges the participation of CSOs as important contributors to the design of public polices, ensuring that they serve citizens of Europe in the best possible way. The Civil Society Strategy should serve as a tool to streamline the public participation mechanisms across EU institutions for individuals and CSOs alike, preventing further attacks. The partnership principle should not only be extended to all EU funds and programmes but can also serve as a model for how CSOs can be systemically included in the co-designing of EU policies and programmes at all levels. In Poland, for example, the monitoring committees (with around 500 representatives of CSOs) regularly engage in debates on the implementation of EU programmes, thus providing a forum that allows CSOs to participate in all stages of the EU-cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies. Even though the partnership mechanism can still be improved, what is already in place provides an effective avenue for improving the level of participation in policies. The Civil Society Strategy could benefit from the insights of CSOs working in bodies such as the European Community of Practice on Partnership, the monitoring committees, etc., as these bodies have been a testing ground for solutions in participatory decision-making. CSOs are best equipped to handle issues related to democratic backsliding, like dis- and misinformation, radicalisation, polarisation, and a growing lack of trust in local communities, etc. This is why diverse EU initiatives, such as the Democracy Shield should include a role for CSOs and appropriate funding. AGORA is a step in the right direction. One should understand such resources not just as an investment in CSOs, but as a more fundamental investment in democracy in the face of the declining trust in institutions, processes, and in knowledge-based policy making. The Civil Society Strategy may provide an outline of measures across the current and new MFF, where appropriate funding mechanisms can be implemented (both at the EU and national level) in relation to the defence of democracy and strengthening of civic space. For details and evidence, please see the attachment.
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Response to European Democracy Shield

26 May 2025

The concept of a Democracy Shield must not be limited solely to combating disinformation. It should be fundamentally linked to the promotion and protection of the values outlined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. This includes reinforcing the rule of law, supporting independent media, and fostering organised civil society and civic education rooted in transparent, manipulation-free communication. A core pillar of this mechanism should also involve monitoring and addressing attacks on civil society organizations, and ensuring protection for defenders of democracy. Only coordinated effortsbringing together civil society, independent media, and broad-based educational initiativescan yield lasting and meaningful results. Committed citizens and the institutions they build remain the most effective safeguard for the preservation and advancement of democracy across Europe.
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Meeting with Mirzha De Manuel (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and ClientEarth AISBL and

28 Apr 2022 · Contribution and engagement from CSOs, local authorities and social partners on Polish RRP