Welcome to the March edition of EED News.
On 17 March, I was delighted to launch the EED Annual Report 2025 in an annual exchange with the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament (AFET Committee). This year’s EED Annual Report is built around six impact briefs on key contexts where EED works: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Albania, Turkey and Syria. The impact briefs focus on the tangible achievements of EED’s partners, many of whom work in the most difficult of contexts, and are included below.
At a time of growing geopolitical pressure, EED's annual report sends a clear message: local democracy actors are delivering. but they and they need sustained European support to continue doing so.
To date EED has supported over 3,300 democracy initiatives in the European Neighbourhood and beyond for a total funding budget of over €300,000. In response to US funding cuts, EED immediately stepped up its support to civil society and independent media in the Neighbourhood by providing 62 percent more grants in 2025 than the previous year, with 34 percent additional budget.
I also spoke about the recent Joint Communication on the European Democracy Shield that highlighted EED's work It is clear that in today's rapidly changing and technological environment, we need an “active shield”, that does not just blocks threats, but positions the EU as a proactive force capable of shaping its neighbourhood and securing its democratic future.
Finally, I emphasised that effective democracy support requires adequate and flexible funding in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). While the Democracy Shield sets Europe’s ambitions, the MFF must provide the architecture. It is crucial to provide adequate, flexible and threat-responsive funding under the Global Europe instrument.
Six Impact Briefs
In Moldova, the impact brief demonstrates how long-term investment in the democracy eco-system was instrumental in safeguarding the country’s European future during the 2025 elections.
In Ukraine, the impact brief shows how civic activism remains robust even in wartime, and civil society is continuing to demand accountability and transparency, as witnessed during last July’s “cardboard revolution”.
In Syria, EED’s partners were already working when the Assad regime fell in late 2024, thanks to EED’s consistent support over the past decade.
In Belarus, the impact brief describes the extraordinary audiences that independent media continue to reach inside the country despite intensifying repression, breaking the information blockade.
In Albania, the impact brief noted that EED investigative media partners are exposing corruption and forcing state institutions to respond.
In Turkey, EED support to Kurdish cultural and language initiatives has provided vital spaces for enabling public expression.
External Dimension of European Democracy Shield
It is clear that in today's rapidly changing and technological environment, we need an “active shield”, that does not just blocks threats, but positions the EU as a proactive force capable of shaping its neighbourhood and securing its democratic future.
Building resilient pro-European societies in the EU Neighourhood is a security imperative. Resilient democratic societies are the most durable shield against hybrid attacks by autocratic regimes, FIMI and external coercion. When resilience has been built, it holds, as we saw in Moldova.
Today, it is clear the existential democratic frontline is situated in our neighbourhood - in Eastern Europe and Western Balkans. We must learn from those who are defending their democracies with much less resources and innovating and experimenting under enormous pressure. We also need early warning mechanisms, shared intelligence between civil society and state institutions, and genuine partnership that leads to whole of society approach.
Democratic survival requires innovation, rapid response and constant adjustments. The newly established European Centre for Democracy Resilience must engage closely with the existing pro-democracy eco-system as well as civil society organisations across the Neighbourhood.
