The EaP Civil Society Summit 2025 will take place in Brussels, Belgium from 2 to 4 December 2025.
The EaP Civil Society Summit 2025 will take place in Brussels, Belgium from 2 to 4 December 2025.
The EaP Civil Society Summit 2025
The Eastern Partnership region is experiencing profound transformations, shaped by Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine and geopolitical fragmentation. Russia continues to be the main threat to the Eastern Partnership countries, has intensified its hybrid attacks, and maintains its military occupation of parts of Georgia’s and Moldova’s territories. In this challenging environment, civil society acts as a frontline defender of democratic values and societal resilience, shaping policy debates, holding governments accountable, and ensuring that reforms are pursued despite mounting security and political pressures.
The Civil Society Summit 2025 of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) will bring together over 250 representatives of civil society, decision-makers from the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries. Among its central aims, the Civil Society Summit seeks to set the agenda on critical themes within the key EaP priorities for regional cooperation, including democratic and societal resilience, sustainable economic development, security and regional connectivity. Importantly, the event will give high-level visibility to the work conducted by civil society organisations across the region, including in restrictive environments.
Beyond showcasing civil society’s work, the event will serve as a valuable platform for dialogue between CSOs, EaP governments, EU Member States, and EU institutions. It will allow participants to exchange perspectives on strengthening democratic governance, protecting civic space, countering disinformation, and addressing hybrid threats. The participants will also be asked to reflect on innovative approaches to cross-border collaboration and resource mobilisation, and on how to ensure stronger alignment with broader EU strategies, including the enlargement process and the new strategic approach to the Black Sea.
The event takes place against the backdrop of diverging democratic trajectories among the three candidate countries, with Ukraine and Moldova advancing reforms despite challenges, Georgia’s ruling party pursuing a political route towards autocratisation that undermines the European aspirations of its citizens, and Armenia deepening its strategic orientation towards the EU. Azerbaijan and Belarus continue to restrict civic freedoms and target independent voices and human rights defenders, highlighting the severe challenges faced by civil society actors in these countries. A balanced focus on these diverse situations will underpin discussions at the Summit.
Agenda
Up-to-date as of 20 October 2025. All times are in Central European Time (UTC +01:00).
Tuesday, 2 December 2025
See the separate 2025 EaP Civil Society Award programme.
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
8:45 – 9:00 – Plenary Room
Welcoming
09:00 – 09:05 – Plenary Room
Introduction to the Civil Society Summit
09:05 – 09:30 – Plenary Room
Keynote Speeches
Keynote speeches will be announced closer to the date of the event.
09:30 – 11:15 – Plenary Room
Post-2027 EaP Policy: Repowering the Eastern Partnership
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is increasingly going multi-speed. Ukraine and Moldova are advancing their shared path towards EU accession, Georgia is facing challenges in both its domestic governance and its external relations due to intensified democratic backsliding and shifting regional dynamics, while Armenia is actively increasing convergence towards the EU. In this context, the post-2027 EaP policy should redefine the EU’s engagement with the EaP countries and adapt to the varying speeds of European integration, acknowledging their diverse paths and aspirations as well as strengthening cooperation on security, hybrid threat resilience and connectivity.
What visions and instruments will guide the next chapter of the EaP policy? How will the EaP adapt to shifting current geopolitical challenges while remaining a credible pathway for advancing reform and European integration and strengthening resilience?
11:15 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:45 – Plenary Room
Protecting freedoms in restrictive environments: The Eastern Partnership Index 2025 in focus
Drawing on the findings of the Eastern Partnership Index 2025, this panel will explore the evolving landscape of fundamental freedoms across the region—covering freedom of expression, association, and assembly, as well as the broader context of justice and democratic governance. The discussion will engage with the complex reality that, while some countries are making strides toward reform, others—such as Azerbaijan and Belarus—remain closed to meaningful change, placing civil society under severe pressure. The panel will also discuss the case of Georgia, where the introduction of repressive legislation over the past two years has led to an escalating crackdown on civil society and independent media, threatening to close its previously vibrant civic space.
What concrete steps can international partners take to protect civic space under pressure? How can civil society be supported to remain resilient, connected, and safe?
12:45 – 14:15
Networking Lunch
14:15 – 16:00 – Plenary Room
Black Sea, Eastern Partnership: Strengthening security and connectivity
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Black Sea region has re-gained strategic geopolitical importance. In a context where Russia is intensifying its efforts to undermine security in the whole region, the stability of the Black Sea became critical for the security of Europe as a whole. The Black Sea and the Eastern Partnership share common interests across key areas, including boosting connectivity and strengthening security resilience. The recent European strategic approach to the Black Sea highlights the interconnection with the Eastern Partnership to foster stability, prosperity and security while building a more resilient and thriving region.
At the same time, critical questions remain about how this strategic approach will address persistent inequalities, ensure inclusivity, and meaningfully integrate civil society into its design and implementation. How can the EU address shared challenges between the Eastern Partnership and the Black Sea? What opportunities will the EU explore to reinforce engagement with the Black Sea region by leveraging the Eastern Partnership initiative?
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break
16:30 – 18:00 – Thematic Sessions – Rooms 1 to 4
All sessions are discussed under Chatham House rule
Room 1 – Voting in times of disinformation and propaganda
Electoral campaigns ahead of 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova and Georgia respectively have been marked by aggressive disinformation campaigns spread via diverse channels, including through online platforms and social media. Russia’s anti-EU campaigns in 2025 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova confirmed the importance of strengthening society’s resilience. Ahead of 2026 parliamentary elections in Armenia, Russia is ramping up efforts to reassert its influence in the country.
How can the EU strengthen societal resilience in the EaP countries amidst Russian propaganda? What role does media literacy play in fighting against disinformation and anti-EU rhetoric?
Room 2 – Local economic development through support of business
Sustainable economic growth in the Eastern Partnership countries depends on strengthening local businesses, particularly SMEs, rural entrepreneurs, and women-led enterprises. While trade, digitalisation, and connectivity offer new opportunities, persistent structural barriers and misaligned external support often limit their impact. Local civil society stresses the need for policies and financial mechanisms tailored to regional realities, as well as stronger coordination between local actors and national governments. This panel will explore how inclusive policy dialogue, better-targeted support, and collaboration between governments, businesses, trade unions, and civil society can foster competitiveness, resilience, and more equitable economic development across the EaP region.
How can policies and support mechanisms be better aligned with the specific needs of local businesses and entrepreneurs? What role can civil society, trade unions and local actors play in shaping more inclusive and sustainable economic development strategies in the EaP region?
Room 3 – Breaking the glass ceiling in the Eastern Partnership
Gender inequality remains a persistent challenge in the Eastern Partnership region despite progress in some areas. Structural barriers, traditional norms and policy gaps continue to limit women’s rights, especially in areas such as unpaid care work, political participation and economic opportunities. At the same time, civil society organisations working on gender issues face increasing restrictions, especially amid shrinking international support. In this context, the EaP Working Group for gender equality continues to be a valuable platform for sharing best practices and recommendations on gender-based violence, pay gap and women’s access to justice.
This session will explore how the gender impacts of democratic backsliding, where gains in equality are often among the first to be undermined. Participants will discuss strategies to strengthen gender-responsive policies, protect advocacy spaces, and address intersectionality and entrenched inequalities to advance a more inclusive and equitable future in the EaP. Participants will also be encouraged to reflect on success stories and positive examples from the ground that can inspire and guide future action.
Room 4 – How to survive amidst foreign agent laws and funding cuts?
The shrinking of civic space and the weaponisation of legislation against civil society organisations and independent media continue to undermine their work and effectiveness across the Eastern Partnership countries. Beyond these restrictive frameworks, CSOs are grappling with increasing operational and financial pressures due to significant funding disruptions, particularly the withdrawal of USAID support. This loss of funding has impeded project implementation, capacity-building programs, and community engagement activities, while also putting the retention of skilled personnel at risk.
What strategies help retain skilled personnel and continue community engagement despite shrinking capacity? How can regional collaboration and technology support safe and effective civil society work?
Thursday, 4 December 2025
09:00 – 10:00 – Parallel sessions led by EaP CSF delegates
The descriptions of the sessions are being finalised.
Room 1 – Ukraine’s Path Towards EU Accession
Room 2 – Safe Spaces and Youth Resilience: Building Peace and Democratic Readiness in the EaP
Room 3 – The Challenges and Opportunities in Armenia’s Path to EU Membership: Is CEPA Implementation the Prerequisite for Filing Armenia’s Application for EU Membership?
Room 4 – Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Development Potential and Structural Risks
10:00 – 10:30
Coffee Break
10:30 – 12:00 – Panels
Plenary Room – Supporting the Enlargement Agenda in the Eastern Partnership
2025 was a pivotal year for the EU accession negotiation of Moldova and Ukraine. Following the official opening of accession negotiations in June 2024, both countries advanced considerably on their shared EU path. The first-ever EU-Moldova Summit highlighted EU’s commitment to supporting Moldova on its reform path towards EU membership. Despite Georgia’s EU candidate status, the Georgian government suspended the accession talks with the EU and intensified repression of civil society and independent media. At the same time, Armenia adopted a law to launch EU accession process and established a legal framework for Armenia to move towards joining the EU.
In light of the sharp divergent democratic trajectories across the Eastern Partnership countries, how can the EaP effectively support Ukraine and Moldova, as well as Georgia should the country revert to the EU path and adopt democratic reforms, on their paths towards EU accession? What role does civil society play in supporting the EaP countries with European aspirations to advance reform in particular on the rule of law and fundamental rights?
Room 1 – Civil society at the forefront: Combating hybrid warfare and democratic erosion in the EU
Building on the EU’s initiatives, including the European Democracy Shield and EU Civil Society Strategy, the discussion will explore how civic actors can address challenges such as disinformation, political polarisation and social fragmentation while supporting democratic values and processes. The session will also enable the sharing of experiences and knowledge exchange between civil society organisations in the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries, fostering collaborative approaches to strengthen democratic resilience across the region.
12:00 – 12:15
Coffee Break
12:15 – 12:45 – Closing Session – Plenary Room
Reflection on the discussions held at the Summit and way ahead.
12:45 – 14:15
Networking Lunch and Departures
End of the EaP Civil Society Summit 2025
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank our generous donors for their continuous support towards the EaP Civil Society Summit. The content of the event is the sole responsibility of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.
