Throughout 2013, the European Year of Citizens Alliance (EYCA) demonstrated the capacity of the intermediary bodies which are the associations to speak on behalf of citizens in a participatory democracy where debate can flourish.
More than ever, especially following the 2014 European elections, there is a clear need for institutions to establish a permanent dialogue with networks which bring citizens together.
A strong civil society platform, alongside the European representation of social partners, linked to the civic movements at national and regional level aims at becoming a strong voice for effective advocacy in Civil Society Europe (CSE).
CSE enables 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
act for change around the shared values expressed in its Manifesto