Dublin, Friday, 26 September 2025 – European Movement Ireland (EM Ireland) has today published a new policy briefing, Budgeting for Democracy: Ensuring Civil Society’s Place in the EU’s Long-Term Budget.
The publication comes in response to the European Commission’s draft proposal for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), released in July. At a time when civil society organisations (CSOs) face mounting political pressure and shrinking space across Europe, European Movement Ireland is calling for the EU to prioritise and expand funding for civil society as a cornerstone of democratic resilience.
Noelle O Connell, CEO of European Movement Ireland, said: “As Ireland prepares to take on the Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026, our role in these negotiations will be critical. Supporting civil society is not just about funding, it is about democracy itself. At a time of a growing divergence from values-based policymaking in the EU, Ireland must champion a budget that protects civil society. A secure Europe also means that citizens needs are met, and rights are protected and defending democracy starts with defending civil society.”
The briefing highlights how the European Commission’s proposed AgoraEU programme, could represent an important step forward. The programme brings together existing support for culture, media, and civil society. However, EM Ireland warns that civil society funding risks being diluted unless dedicated resources are safeguarded and significantly increased.
Key recommendations of the briefing call for a stronger financial commitment to the CERV+ strand of AgoraEU, with an increase to at least 0.45% of the total MFF and a transformational rise to 0.6%, alongside ensuring civil society’s active role in shaping the priorities and implementation of the new programme. EM Ireland also highlights the need to protect existing EU funding streams for civil society, including LIFE which, under the 2028 MFF proposal, has been removed. The organisation calls for the new Global Europe instrument, the EU’s external action funding stream, to preserve the quality of ODA, ensuring that it is not used as a tool to further the EU’s migration agenda. Importantly, civil society actors and human rights defenders must be protected from political attacks during negotiations. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026, at a crucial stage in the MFF negotiations. European Movement Ireland stresses that Ireland has a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to act as an “honest broker” and ensure that EU democratic values are not weakened.
Áine Gourley, Policy Manager at EM Ireland and author of the briefing, stated: “When democracy is in crisis, CSOs are often the first to arrive and the last to leave. Yet across Europe, space for their work is shrinking. The EU has a responsibility to ensure that funding for civil society remains a priority, and that the next long-term budget truly ‘budgets for democracy’.”
The policy briefing is available to download on the EMI website: https://www.europeanmovement.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BUDGETING-FOR-DEMOCRACY-ENSURING-CIVIL-SOCIETYS-PLACE-IN-THE-EUS-LONG-TERM-BUDGET.pdf