Unlocking Influence: Improving the EU-Civil Society Dialogue in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine

As Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine move forward on their paths toward EU accession, their civil societies are expected to play a critical role in monitoring reforms, promoting transparency, and ensuring democratic accountability. The EU recognizes the role of civil society in the accession process and has accordingly established several dialogue mechanisms to engage civil society organizations (CSOs). However, despite these efforts, the dialogue remains limited in impact, visibility, and inclusiveness. Many CSOs still lack a clear understanding of how these mechanisms operate, how their input is used, and how to access opportunities for meaningful engagement. Structural and political obstacles ranging from hostile domestic environments and resource constraints to a lack of transparency and communication from EU institutions and national authorities further hinder the dialogue. As a result, the dialogue mechanisms risk becoming underutilized, misunderstood, or even distrusted by the very organizations they aim to involve.

What is the current state of the EU–civil society dialogue in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine? How can existing mechanisms become more transparent, inclusive, and effective? What is needed to make the dialogue sustainable in increasingly challenging civic environments? How can the EU ensure that civil society contributions are not only heard but meaningfully reflected in policy decisions?

This panel will present and discuss the findings of a new paper examining the civil society dialogue between the EU and each of these three candidate countries from the Eastern Partnership. It will explore the evolution of formal and informal mechanisms for engagement, identify barriers to participation, and assess the inclusiveness and effectiveness of existing structures. Panelists will also reflect on how to improve transparency, build capacity, and strengthen the role of CSOs in shaping reforms throughout the accession process.
 
For more information, please contact Zsuzsanna Végh ([email protected]).

The event takes place in the framework of GMF's ReThink.CEE Fellowship program.

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a nonpartisan policy organization committed to the idea that the United States and Europe are stronger together.