On 22 and 23 of September 2025, the working group on civil society participation (GT-CS) met in Strasbourg to complete the discussion on the updating of Recommendation CM (2007)14 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the legal status of non-governmental organisations in Europe.

Participants welcomed and reviewed the feedback to the draft text received from 29 organisations during the public consultation held over the summer. Many organisations welcomed the updating of the Recommendation from 2007 which now provides an updated framework to encourage and support an enabling environment for civil society organisations (CSOs) and recognises new development such as the existence of informal or online-only CSOs and specific measures for foreign organisations and those forced to relocate or in exile. An Explanatory Memorandum will accompany the Recommendation to guide its implementation.

The new recommendation will be finalised by the end of 2025 and submitted for adoption by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in early 2026.

The GT-CS is a working group of experts from member states of the Council of Europe created under the authority of the Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM) to enhance the meaningful participation of civil society in democratic life.