Civil Society Europe - a new network of NGO networks

More than thirty European Networks[1] of civil society supported the creation of Civil Society Europe on 16^th December 2014 in Rome. Civil Society Europe will work towards regenerating the European project around the shared values of Equality, Solidarity, Inclusiveness and Democracy expressed in its Manifesto. (EPA is linked to the new network through EUCIS-LLL and the Social Platform.)

Civil Society Europe will enable horizontal exchanges between civil society organisations and movements across Europe, providing a common and permanent space to share experience and knowledge, scale up campaigns and other forms of collective action, strengthen the capacity of its members to connect people in the diversity of their democratic forms of expression and act for change around the shared values expresses in its Manifesto.

Civil Society Europe aims to be influential in shaping the agenda on transversal issues of common interest for citizens and their organisations, to nurture a vibrant European democracy grounded on civic participation, safeguarding the full respect of the freedom of expression, information, assembly and association across Europe, to ensure that people’s aspirations guided by the values we share are heard and responded to. Throughout its activities, Civil Society Europe will strive for the full implementation of Article 11 of the Lisbon Treaty on civil dialogue.

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[1] Association of Local Democracy Agencies, ATD Quart Monde, Balkan Civil Society Development Network, Central and Eastern European Citizens’ Network, Concord Europe, EUROCLIO, European Alternatives, European Association for the Defense of Human Rights, European Citizens Action Service, European Civic Forum, European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning, European Disability Forum, European Forum of Muslim Women, European Foundation Center, European Humanist Federation, European Movement International, European Network for Education and Training, European Network of National Civil Society Associations, European Public Health Alliance, European Students’ Forum, European Volunteer Center, European Youth Forum, European Women’s Lobby, Greenpeace, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Social Platform, Solidar, Volonteurope.