The Conference of INGOs (CINGO) will hold its Spring Session in a hybrid format from 14 to 17 April 2026. It will open with various meetings of its working bodies (its thematic committees, the Task Force on civic space monitoring) and the standing committee.
During the public sessions of the General Assembly open to CoE member States, CINGO will on 15 April:
- Hold an exchange on current developments concerning the Democratic Pact for Europe presented by a member of the NDP Team of the Council of Europe
- Hold exchanges of views with special guests - Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the UNECE Aarhus Convention, Tonje Meinich, Chair of the Steering Committee on Human Rights (CDDH) and hear about the priorities of Monaco’s upcoming presidency of the Committee of Ministers (May - November 2026) from Ambassador Gabriel Revel, Permanent Representative of Monaco
For 17 April morning in its public session open to member States, the following items are on CINGO’s draft agenda:
- Current trends regarding the civic space in the light of recent work of the Expert Council on NGO Law, presented by its President Jeremy McBride
- Consideration of CINGO reports following the fact-finding visits on civil participation to Serbia (9-11 September 2025) and to Greece (12-14 November 2025).
- Exchange of views on 2026-2027 projects and 50th anniversary of the CINGO
Among the highlights in the other part sessions (restricted participation), CINGO will inter alia hold a thematic debate with a focus on anti-semitism and hate towards LGBTI communities, and consider a series of draft statements and recommendations on climate justice, the protection of vulnerable populations and social cohesion in the face of energy instability and international climate disengagement; the need for a platform for Interreligious and Interconvictional Dialogue within the Council of Europe; and Israel’s recent death penalty legislation.
In the framework of CINGO’s Youth Programme and general self-commitments, a special thematic session will be devoted to the subject of “Enabling Youth Employment Through Civil Society and Participation”.
