Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news and publications.
We are experts on civil society law and policy. We co-develop locally-led responses with the goal to protect civic freedoms. We create knowledge, build networks and strengthen legal protections. ECNL is analytical, forward-looking and innovative.
Highlighted
ECNL Learning Center
Learn more about critical aspects that affect civic space.
CSO Meter
Assess and advocate for an improved civil society environment in the Eastern Partnership countries.
Updated Handbook on How to Use EU Law to Protect Civic Space
Research
In the Second Edition of our Handbook, you will find guidance on how EU law affects our fundamental rights, and why rule of law matters to civic space.
Focus areas
We are deeply commited to empowering civil society through creating enabling legal and policy frameworks. Explore our focus areas!
Protests and Assemblies
Image
Participation
Image
Funding and Philanthropy
Image
UN Standards
Image
European policies
Image
Action for Civic Space
Image
Monitoring Civic Spaces
Image
Climate Action
Image
News & Research
What's the latest in the field of civil society law and policy? Read our news and learn more about our analytical and research work!
Latest
View allTowards an AI Act that serves people and society
ECNL report commissioned by the European AI & Society Fund identifies strategic priorities for civil society and funders on the implementation and enforcement of the EU AI Act.
News
Civil society joint brief on the UN Global Digital Compact
ECNL joins Access Now and other CSOs to express our concerns regarding the state of the GDC from a human rights perspective.
News
Empowered for Action: CSO Meter opens its third phase
At the heart of the third phase is an empowered CSO Meter Hub, dedicated to advocacy actions that are based on responsive and comprehensive monitoring of the civil society environment in the Eastern Partnership.
News
Shrinking freedoms: The steady erosion of civic space and freedom of assembly in Slovakia
Following draft laws stigmatising foreign-funded CSOs and limiting access to information, a new draft “Assassination Law” is set to restrict freedom of assembly, as part of a larger trend to suppress civil society in the country.
News
Empowering CSOs in global internet governance: Launch of CADE
ECNL along with eight partner organisations have launched the Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE) project.
News
Election year 2024: Effects on civic space and an opportunity to protect democracy
Elections can put pressure on an already strained civic space. How can civil society still use them to mobilise and influence the public agenda?
News
Council of Europe AI Convention adopted: ECNL's reflections
Despite the recent approval of the CoE Convention on Artificial Intelligence, ECNL, representing the Conference of INGOs, remains critical due to the treaty's significant flaws and the unaddressed calls for comprehensive human rights protection.
News
How to respond to civic space restrictions: experiences from Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia
Civil society experts share strategies of how CSOs in Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia have countered harmful legislative proposals affecting civic space.
Research
Georgia: Overview of the Foreign Influence Law
To help organisations understand and navigate the law, the overview from ECNL and ICNL provides answers to the most frequently asked questions.
News
Impact stories
ECNL Portals
ECNL maintains several different websites, each with essential information but different civic space focus . Created with partners, these portals provide knowledge on the core civic freedoms of association, assembly and participation to support CSOs and civic groups open and defend their own spaces. Click here for for our learning center and a collection of websites to navigate the nonprofit laws around the world, assess civil society environment in the Eastern Partnership countries or track government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms.
Image
![hands connected with thread forming a light bulb](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-03/Homepage%20banner%201920x1080px.png?itok=7sU5MUtF)
Image
![Civic Freedom Tracker](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/images/COVID-19-Tracker-Graphic-v4.jpg?itok=-ZC3x2bh)
Image
![Global Nonprofits Guide, a tool for navigating the nonprofit laws around the world.](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2024-03/GNG%202.0%20web%20%285%29.png?h=67cebeba&itok=ENPYpBsY)
Image
![cso meter logo and url with the subtitle reading "Assessing the civil society environment in the Eastern Partnership countries"](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2021-04/CSOmeter%20banner%202021.jpg?h=8f829f20&itok=jBWjAb3v)
Civic space portals
Explore our diverse websites!
E-tools
Through research and analysis we provide digital tools on various civic space issues. Explore our online resources for accessible information on assembly rights in the digital space, nonprofit banking, international standards that protect climate activists and more!
Image
![a dark blue circle in the middle, in it there is a protester with headscarf with loudspeaker, smaller yellow circle on the left.](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2024-04/Protests%204.png?itok=TnCF91zm)
Image
![People walking in front of glass business building. The text: Nonprofit Banking in Europe](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-03/nonprofit%20banking%20metatag%20banner%20March%202023_0.jpg?itok=2lM7sCcI)
Image
![A woman of colour's hand holding 2 flowers that are white. In the background there's a black and white drawn globe with a turqoise shadow. The background is with watercolour (grey on leight beige backgrond).](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2022-01/Climate%20final%20COVER.jpg?itok=ZEtPRh9i)
Image
![A light grey watercolour background with centrally a yellow circle. In the circle are three old computer monitors and from one of them an arm and and arm emerge upwards. The hand hold a phone which shows an assembly of people. Two green triangles point at the phone. In the right upper corner are a blue circle and a small green circle.](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2022-08/Design%20Assembly%20Handbook%20Banner%20New%20version%20Changed.png?itok=OPhW6hmx)
Online resources on the ECNL website
Use these tools to analyse trends and advocate for better policies, laws and practices that affect civil society.
About us
ECNL is an independent and established European leader on law and policy that affect civil society. We create knowledge, empower partners and help set global and regional standards that create, protect and expand civic freedoms. We rely on our 20+ years of expertise to respond to trends with relevance, creativity and innovation. Get to know us!
Image
![ECNL staff group photo with 19 people standing or sitting in semi-circle](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2024-06/ECNL%20staff%202024%20Hague.jpeg?itok=UIHiwfB_)
Image
![20 people. ECNL staff, some sitting on a sofa, some standing behind them](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2024-06/ECNl%20staff%202023%20Haarlem.png?itok=njK54O-g)
Image
![12 people. ECNL staff, some sitting on a bench, some standing or sitting on the ground](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-03/Team%20Photo%20Adjusted%204.jpg?itok=WEvJy0EZ)
Image
![3 colleagues from ECNL staff, 3 women](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-06/digital%20team%20at%20rightscon%202023.jpg?h=e9e93640&itok=0LBAyTIi)
Image
![3 colleagues from ECNL staff, 1 man, 2 women](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-07/ECNL%20country%20team%202022_0.png?itok=cqOrRnp7)
Image
![ECNL staff, 13 people on zoom call](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-03/ECNL%20staff%20Feb%202022.jpg?h=9561c6d2&itok=apA8_8uq)
Image
![12 people, group photo around a staircase](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2023-03/Team%20Photo%20Cut.jpg?h=b6ab0a7d&itok=W_r8pHKP)
Image
![7 staff members from ECNL sitting and standing on a ship deck.](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/2021-04/2_staff.jpg?itok=ClrdRhHu)
Image
![ECNL staff members (10) in an office space.](/sites/default/files/styles/block_image_560x380/public/images/1_ecnl_staff.jpg?itok=SPKOZRiz)
This is us over the years
Get to know the people working to address critical civic space needs!
Contact
Use the form below to drop us an email and we will get in touch shortly!