ERGO Network reacts to the EU Civil Society Strategy What’s in it for Europe’s Roma1?

On 12 November 2025, the European Commission adopted the EU Strategy for Civil Society and the European Democracy Shield. Together, they contain measures to protect the key pillars of our democratic systems: free people, free and fair elections, free and independent media, a vibrant civil society and strong democratic institutions. The EU Civil Society Strategy seeks to address key challenges such as fragmented and insufficiently meaningful participation, shrinking civic space, funding pressures, and legal and administrative barriers.

ERGO Network actively engaged in the preparation of the Strategy, through meetings, thematic focus groups, and written consultations. ERGO Network also contributed to discussions on how the Commission defines civil society, how to exclude extremist actors from this space, and how to better reach smaller and marginalised organisations, including Roma NGOs. While these consultations were valuable and appear to have informed the overall direction of the Strategy, the final text remains broad and less specific than many organisations had hoped. 

It is a missed opportunity that Roma, ethnic minorities, or racialised communities are not mentioned in the Strategy, nor are their civil society organisations. It is moreover regrettable that the initiative does not meaningfully address discrimination and racism as structural barriers to participation. While the text acknowledges that civil society working on fundamental rights and vulnerable communities is particularly affected by shrinking civic space, it stops short of embedding a strong equality and anti-racism dimension. Crucially, it also does not establish any clear links with the Union of Equality, including the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the Anti-Racism Action Plan, despite their direct relevance for civil society organisations working on equality and inclusion at national and EU level.

At the same time, we warmly welcome the Strategy itself as both timely and relevant in a context of waning civil dialogue, increasing pressure on civil society organisations, and constrained funding opportunities at both national and EU level. Its horizontal nature, developed across the European Commission rather than within a single Directorate-General, is a positive step towards a more systemic approach to engaging civil society across policy areas. The Strategy also usefully recognises civil society as a partner in governance and emphasises the need for an enabling, safe and supportive environment, as well as for more sustainable and transparent funding.

However, the Strategy remains limited in terms of concrete new measures. Much of its content builds on existing instruments and initiatives, offering a useful framework and guiding principles, but

relatively few genuinely new commitments. While new platforms, networks and knowledge hubs are proposed, it remains unclear to what extent Roma civil society will be meaningfully included, particularly smaller, grassroots and minority-led organisations. There is a real risk that larger, more established organisations will continue to dominate participation and agenda-setting.

The Strategy does not place civil society on an equal footing with social partners. While trade unions and employers’ organisations benefit from institutionalised and, in many cases, mandatory consultation mechanisms, no equivalent legal obligation exists for civil society participation. Strengthening civil dialogue to the same level as social dialogue remains a crucial advocacy demand, not only in terms of recognition but also as a pathway to more stable and adequate funding. 

Overall, we consider the EU Strategy for Civil Society a welcome and necessary initiative, but not yet a sufficiently strong instrument. Continued advocacy towards its implementation will be needed to ensure that Roma organisations are genuinely included, and that civil society participation becomes not just a guiding principle, but a structural reality in the EU.

For more information about our work on Roma digital inclusion, please contact Amana Ferro (a.ferro@ergonetwork.org), Senior Policy Adviser with the ERGO Network staff team.