EU4Health Civil Society Alliance: joint statement on sustainable funding for health CSOs

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the EU are facing barriers in the implementation of their activities, as outlined in the 2022 and 2023 European Commission’s rule of law reports, and a European Civic Forum report.

Despite calls for stronger funding mechanisms being part of the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance manifesto and the one from Civil Society 4 EU, EuroHealthNet along with 30+ fellow CSOs signatories call for further action to ensure sustainable funding of civil society across sectors. This includes:

• The European Commission Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) to reinstate a multiannual framework for Operating Grants for health CSOs to correct the current
  imbalance health CSOs are facing compared to other sectors.
• The European Commission to take clearer and more coherent action to support civil society in accessing sustainable funding, and to protect civil society from existing threats. For the future
  of democracy, Operating Grants must be secured and improved to strengthen civil dialogue and representation, including that of citizens, patients, and marginalised groups.
• The European Commission to organise a dialogue between different DGs, the European Parliament and civil society to discuss and review the funding programmes, with the aim of
  breaking silos and supporting CSOs with more sustainable funding.

Read the full joint statement.