Over 500 organisations call for a stronger AgoraEU in the next EU budget
End FGM EU joins more than 500 organisations from across Europe and beyond in calling on EU policymakers to strengthen the AgoraEU programme in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028 to 2034.
This coalition of signatories, bringing together civil society, cultural actors, and media and journalism organisations, has signed a joint letter addressed to key EU decision makers, including the Presidents of the European Commission, European Council, and European Parliament, as well as Commissioners and Member States’ representatives. We join voices today to echo a clear message: AgoraEU must be adequately funded to match the scale of the challenges facing democracy in Europe.
AgoraEU brings together support for culture, media, and civil society under one framework, recognising their role in defending fundamental rights, democratic participation, and social cohesion. This also means supporting organisations working on gender equality and ending practices such as FGM, which rely on strong, sustained civil society action.
At a time when civil society organisations are facing increasing pressure and funding gaps, the need for strong and stable EU support is more urgent than ever. Many organisations working on fundamental rights, including those advancing gender equality, are already struggling to sustain their work. According to the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (2024), 85% of civil society organisations working on fundamental rights fear that funding shortages threaten their work — a 10-point increase year-on-year.
We call on the Council and the Commission to work with the Parliament to ensure that the final envelope enables effective and inclusive implementation across all Member States
