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Europe Dialogues

Europe webinar series (Presentation) (1)
Online

Europe Dialogues is a series of webinars designed for the European open government community, aiming to connect EU and wider European regional policy priorities with national OGP processes and stakeholders.

June 4, 2026, 3-4:30 pm CET | European Democracy in Decline? Solutions to a Decade of Civic Space Backtracking

Civic space is a fundamental foundation for economic growth, social progress and democratic health. Civic space refers to the freedom of citizens, civil society organisations, journalists and others to operate, assemble, participate and express themselves freely, without fear of censorship, reprisal or oppression.

In Europe civic space has consistently shrunk over the past decade and this has accelerated since the late 2010s. According to the CIVICUS Monitor the share of the population in Europe who live in countries rated as ‘open’ or ‘narrowed’ has decreased from 58.3% in 2019 to just 26.5% in 2025. The European Civic Forum similarly concludes that civic freedoms have deteriorated or continued to shrink across the EU in recent years. The European Centre for Not-for-Profit Law notes that restrictions are no longer limited to Central/Eastern Europe but now affect older, established democracies as well. In summary, Europe has moved from having largely “open” to increasingly “narrowed” or “obstructed” civic space, including in major democracies.

Amidst this gloomy picture, civil society continues to mobilise and vociferously push back against these restrictions. EU institutions and some national authorities increasingly recognise CSOs as essential watchdogs for democracy and fundamental rights. Bright spots include the EU’s Civil Society Strategy, and equivalents at national level, as well as institutionalised spaces for civil society engagement with government, including OGP national Multi-Stakeholder Forums. European countries have also used OGP to co-create reforms to strengthen civic space and the enabling environment for civil society, with a total of 79 commitments being made across 23 countries since 2011.

With contributors from the EU, national governments and civil society, this OGP Europe Dialogues webinar will:

  • Provide an overview of the current state of civil society in Europe, situating it in longer term 10-15 year trend of decline
  • Identify some of the key drivers of this decline and highlight possible solutions, focusing on those that are realistically achievable in the current political environment and drawing from key reports from FRA, ECNL and others
  • Provide exemplars of ‘bright spots’ – policies and actions being taken by the EU and national governments to address some of the key challenges – including the EU Civil Society Strategy and examples of OGP commitments and wider civic space / civil society strategies in OGP members
  • Explore with participants where there might be potential for future actions and how OGP can support those, including through OGP’s Civic Space Lab

Register here

May 12, 2026, 3-4:30 pm CET | Trustworthy Information in the 21st Century: Fantasy or Reality?

At a time of algorithm-driven amplification, increasingly realistic AI-generated content, and coordinated foreign information manipulation, the integrity of our information space has become a defining governance challenge for European democracies. Disinformation can no longer be dealt with as an isolated issue; rather, it increasingly tests the resilience of electoral processes as well as influences public debate and institutional trust.

At the same time, the EU and governments face a delicate balancing act: how to counter harmful information practices without undermining freedom of expression, media pluralism, and open democratic debate.

This discussion brought together policymakers, researchers, civil society, and practitioners to explore whether trustworthy information in the 21st century is an attainable reality and what it takes to get there.

The webinar:

  • Examined new EU-level initiatives such as the European Democracy Shield and the European Centre for Democratic Resilience and their implications for Member States and beyond;
  • Explored what evidence tells us about effective policies and interventions to counter disinformation. 
  • Highlighted practical open government approaches to strengthen information integrity.

Speakers included:

  • Marie-Helene Boulanger, Acting Director, DG JUST, European Commission
  • Uldis Elksnitis, Strategic Communications Officer, DG COMM, European Commission
  • Katharina Zuegel, Policy Director, Forum on Information and Democracy
  • Ana Petrusheva, Director, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) Macedonia
  • Ihor Samokhodskyi, Founder, Policy Genome

March 12, 2026, 3-4:30 pm CET | Simplification and Open Government Agenda: Friends or Foes?

A growing number of governments across Europe are advancing “simplification agendas” to reduce red tape, improve public service delivery, and restore public trust in institutions. But there is a fine line between simplification and deregulation. From the United States to the EU, controversies have sparked over risks of lower transparency, accountability, and public participation. 

How can simplification and open government agendas work together? This is what this webinar explored, drawing on concrete national experiences from OGP members. Speakers shared practical examples of how transparency, digitalization, open data, and public participation can support simplification goals. 

November 19, 2025, 3-4 pm CET | Creating Access: Tools and Pathways for Transparency in Defence

Defence and security are often among the least transparent areas of government, with significant implications for accountability, public trust, and the risk of corruption. This panel will present and discuss a new practical toolkit—developed from comparative research—that offers concrete measures to improve access to information in the defence sector.

Following a brief introduction to the toolkit by Transparency International Defence & Security and to the Open Gov Guide by OGP, panelists shared their experiences, legal and policy innovations, and lessons learned in balancing transparency with legitimate national security needs.

Drawing on the Tshwane Principles and other international standards, the discussion explored practical ways to strengthen transparency in defence budgeting, procurement, and oversight, and to foster constructive collaboration between governments and civil society.

June 27, 2025, 10-11:30 AM CEST | Making Algorithm Registers Work for Meaningful Transparency

Algorithms, and algorithmic decision-making is increasingly shaping public policy and the delivery of services, from social welfare to education and justice. Recent high-profile controversies, such as Australia’s Robodebt scandal and the UK’s A-level grading controversy, underline the urgent need for transparent, accountable, and equitable uses of automated systems. Building robust algorithm transparency registers is increasingly being recognized by governments and advocacy organizations as a practical tool to restore public trust and protect citizen rights.⁠

The report titled “Making Algorithm Registers Work for Meaningful Transparency” was recently published by the CSO coalition IA Ciudadana, and provides an overview of the state of play of the usage of these tools, as well as recommendations on how governments can design, implement, and evaluate algorithm registers. It also provides an evaluation of the algorithm register required by the EU’s AI Act, with recommendations for governments on how to implement and supplement the new requirement.

This webinar was hosted in partnership with IA Ciudadana, and is held as an open meeting of the Open Algorithms Network.

March 18, 11-12:30 CEST | Advancing Civic Space and Media Freedom through Anti-SLAPPs Legislation

Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are used to censor, intimidate and silence critical voices, often amongst media and civil society,  by burdening them through litigation and requests for manifestly disproportionate remedies. Creating legislative protections against the use of SLAPPs can therefore help countries protect media freedom as well as civic space.

This practical webinar explored how national OGP processes could advance media freedom and civic space, specifically through legislative means to counter SLAPPs. The event is hosted in partnership with the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), a member of CASE.

October 24 | EU Digital Services Act and AI Act

In March 2024, the EU AI Act marked the start of a two-year implementation phase, adding to existing digital governance laws like the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act. These initiatives aim to enhance transparency and accountability online. During this webinar, co-hosted by OGP and the Centre for Democracy and Technology Europe (CDT), we explored how open government principles can shape the implementation of these new regulations.

Filed Under: Anti-Corruption and Integrity Civic Space Digital Governance Europe Media & Telecommunications Webinar