The two‑day event, organised by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, ECNL and Free Press Eastern Europe in Sofia on 1-2 October, 2025, united civil society actors, lawyers and media professionals from Romania and Bulgaria. The event included lively discussions on legal advocacy, collaborative group work and hands‑on exercises on media engagement and protection of civic space.
In a new integrated approach, the workshop combined ECNL's knowledge of EU law, FPEE's expertise in media engagement and participants’ understanding of the country context to discuss strategies for carrying out human rights work. Bringing in media organisations to strengthen their role as defenders of the space for civil society is essential. Through the event we supported journalists in understanding the legal frameworks that protect fundamental freedoms, while helping civil society actors communicate more effectively with the press.
ECNL was pleased to contribute with specialised expertise on how civil society can benefit from protections under the EU law, tackling topics such as:
- Why EU law is relevant to national civil society organisations;
- How the EU and its institutions are covered by the media, including common misconceptions;
- In what areas the EU has competence to legislate, and how this can be used to protect civic space at the national level.
Do you also want to learn how to use EU law to enforce your rights and protect your civic space? Visit the ECNL Learning Center or explore this overview of resources from ECNL and relevant institutions.
The Catalyst of Change project is funded by the European Union. It is implemented by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee in cooperation with ECNL