We brought together government and civil society leaders in Warsaw to discuss funding principles for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework and the place of digital rights and civic participation in it. While democratic resilience and civic engagement are essential for societies to withstand crises and digital threats, it is urgent to combine them with the current focus on security and competitiveness.
Participants highlighted the need for sustained investment in NGOs as crisis responders and preventive actors, direct funding independent of political conditions, digital rights protections within competitiveness frameworks, and meaningful civil society participation in EU decision-making. These measures are necessary to build democracy based on citizen trust, ensure everyone benefits from digital progress, and strengthen Europe through shared responsibility between governments and communities.
We are thankful for everyone’s expert input and determined to advocate for its implementation in Brussels debates. You can download the full summary here.