The Task Force on Civic Space Monitoring was created at the outcome of the 2024 spring session of the Conference of INGOs (Strasbourg, 8-10 April 2024). At the initiative of the European Social Action Network (ESAN), an informal meeting had been held during the session on the topic of ‘Violations of the rights and freedom of associations in Europe’, in which several organisations participated. The meeting provided an opportunity to recall the diversity of obstacles to the organisation and functioning of associations: from the multiple stigmatisations highlighted by the recent reports of the Conference's Expert Council on NGO Law, to the attempts to ‘commodify’ their activities to transform them into market enterprises, through all sorts of initiatives - unfavourable legislation, financial and fiscal measures, etc. - impacting their capacity for action and their independence.

The Conference therefore decided to set up a Task Force to continue this work and discussions with all interested INGOs, with a view to preparing the possible establishment of a monitoring and alert observatory that would complement the activities of the Conference and submit proposals to it in due course.

Person in charge: Jean Louis Drouhin, European Social Action Network (ESAN)

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