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DEFEND CIVIL SOCIETY

A thriving civil society

The crackdown against civil society has become a reality in the EU. Repressive laws and administrative hurdles restrict the freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. We want to make sure civil society is supported and protected in the EU.

EU action to protect democracy

Civil society organisations are crucial in the fight against corruption and discrimination, and to protect the environment, social care, health and much more. They intervene as democratic antibodies when rights, democracy and the rule of law are under attack. The EU must act and safeguard civil society space in its Member States.

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Stay informed about our work on defending civil society

OUR KEY DEMANDS

To strengthen and protect civil society in the EU, we demand:

  • Minimum standards for protection of civil society organisations in all member states of the EU
  • Making cross-border cooperation easier between civil society non-profit organisations and facilitating the legal mutual recognition of non-profit organisations among national authorities by harmonising common minimum-standards on civil society organisations
  • Guaranteeing easier access to funding for non-profit organisations at European and national level
  • Creating and implementing measures to support a regular, meaningful and structured dialogue with civil society
  • Creating a statute for European cross-border associations and non-profit organisations

Europe, stop paying for pushbacks!

Tens of thousands asylum seekers have been brutally pushed back at Europe’s borders in the past years. The Commission grants financial support to the countries that carry out these inhumane practices through the use of European migration funds.

This has to stop. No EU money should fund these extreme human rights violations at our borders.

Urge the European Commission to act now.

OUR CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

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© European Union 2017 - Source : EP
Picture of the European Parliament - Strasbourg
News |

Debriefing of the March I Plenary Session

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, regulation for Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry, right for an adequate minimum income, EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, among others.
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EIL logo banner NEW 2023 yellow v1
EIL logo banner NEW 2023 yellow v1
Event |

European Ideas Lab

Join us on 3-4 March in Warsaw Poland for the 2023 edition of the European Ideas Lab (EIL). A creative space for green-minded people keen to find creative solutions to concrete problems. Find out more and register.
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Sergey Lagodinsky
Young lady with loudspeaker in a demonstration
Event |

Defending and Protecting Civic Space

Civic space is the cornerstone of every vibrant democracy, allowing citizens to organise and meaningfully engage in shaping their societies. In recent years, civic space in the EU and other countries in the world has become increasingly threatened. Against this background, the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament brings together re…
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Christopher Jahn/IFRC (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
migrants greece
Video |

Saving lives is not a crime

The EU must protect humanitarians. Not criminalise their actions when they save lives. When faced with people in distress, no matter where they are from, human dignity must come first. That is one of the core values of the European Union.
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Video |

Drop the charges against Seán Binder and other humanitarian workers

"Helping someone who is at risk of drowning is the most normal thing to do. It shouldn’t be praised. It shouldn't be criminalised. It should just be done.” Seán Binder and 23 other humanitarian workers return to trial in Greece. They are facing 20 years in prison for saving lives at sea. We are calling on the Greek authorities to drop the…
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UNHCR (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Refugees at sea
Press release |

EU intervention urgently needed to save lives at sea

MEPs debate the need for a European solution on asylum and migration including search and rescue in the Mediterranean sea. Nearly 6,000 people have died in the Med trying to reach Europe since the start of last year and nearly 30,000 have died since 2014. The Greens/EFA Group are calling on Member States to respect international law.
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Event |

Stopping Biometric Mass Surveillance in Europe

Civil society organisations from several European countries will meet Members of the European Parliament for a discussion on the use of biometric surveillance systems, one of the greatest threats to our fundamental values and democracy in Europe and across the world. Join the discussion
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Domenico Lucano Criminalisation of Solidarity - Thumbnail
Domenico Lucano Criminalisation of Solidarity - Thumbnail
Video |

We stand with Domenico Lucano - against Criminalisation of Solidarity

Domenico “Mimmo” Lucano, the former mayor of Riace, was sentenced to 13 years and 2 months in prison for “criminal conspiracy to assist illegal immigration, fraud, embezzlement and abuse of office“.
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© Picture credits: ERIK MARQUARDT
Refugees walking in a field
Study |

Addressing the violation of fundamental rights at the external borders of the European Union

Violations of fundamental rights at the external borders, including pushbacks and violence committed towards third country nationals, have been well-reported and documented by journalists and NGOs. This study looks at infringement proceedings and conditionality in EU funding instruments.
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Christopher Jahn/IFRC (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
migrants greece
Event |

Resilience and resistance: the criminalisation of solidarity across Europe

Join us for a live event on 29 June in European Parliament on the increasing criminalisation of migration and solidarity with refugees. What are the challenges, what could be the solutions?