As the EU prepares to renew its anti-racism strategy and continues to grapple with shrinking civic space, it is essential to integrate ground-level insights from grassroots CSOs and ensure that sufficient resources, legal protections, and meaningful avenues for participation support policy frameworks.
The MARIO project, a collaboration between PILnet and Minority Rights Group Europe (MRGE), is dedicated to supporting grassroots civil society organisations (CSOs) that represent and advocate for minority groups across Central and Eastern Europe. In October 2025, as the project nears its conclusion, grantees gathered in Brussels for a comprehensive conference to learn about European Union (EU) advocacy, connect with policymakers and legal experts to promote minority rights, and understand the essentials of advocacy pitching. These sessions equipped grantees with essential tools for navigating the complex landscape of EU decision-making, the minority rights framework, and crafting compelling pitches for policymakers.
The conference, just as in the previous years, began with a warm welcome from Pascale Biver, Task Manager at the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, who stressed that now, more than ever, defending minority rights in Europe is essential as many countries are shifting towards governments that do not promote an open civic space.
Key Takeaways:
Shrinking Civic Space: Understanding Threats and Building Resilience: Kerttu Willamo from the European Civic Forum outlined concerning trends affecting civil society across Europe, including the rise of far-right movements, hostile legal and funding environments through SLAPPs and defunding efforts, criminalization of solidarity work, and reduced opportunities for meaningful civic participation in policymaking. An important point of discussion centered on how civil society organizations should claim space and, now more than ever, present themselves as essential actors whose role in democracy and the rule of law deserves recognition and protection.
Anti-Racism Advocacy in the European Parliament: Jelena Jovanovic, Coordinator of the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI), shared insights on keeping anti-racism high on the political agenda and bringing the voices of affected communities into EU policymaking. The session discussion addressed the impact of representation gaps, such as the current absence of Roma MEPs, and ARDI’s work on bringing the voice of communities who experience racism to the European Parliament to encourage action.
Strategic Minority Rights Advocacy: Tools and International Mechanisms: Neil Clarke, Head of Legal Programmes and EU Advocacy at MRG, provided an overview of advocacy strategies and tools available to minority rights organisations in the EU. Clarke outlined why organizations might use international advocacy: to gain legitimacy for rights claims, to seek accountability when domestic channels are blocked, to leverage pressure from international bodies, to access technical support and expertise, and to increase visibility that strengthens national-level solidarity. However, he also candidly addressed challenges: long and delayed processes, expensive participation that may not be the most effective use of resources, and risks of non-implementation even after favorable court decisions. Clarke emphasized the principle of subsidiarity, that the most important duty bearer for minority rights is often the one closest to the community.
European Commission Perspectives: Anti-Racism and Social Inclusion: Representatives from the European Commission’s DG Justice Anti-Racism team highlighted challenges in addressing anti-Muslim racism, including the phenomenon of underreporting documented in the 2024 FRA Report on Being Muslim in the EU. They emphasized the need for strong and trusted institutions at the member state level and called on grassroots organizations to encourage communities to report discrimination, as better data is essential for effective policy implementation.
Building European Networks and Advocacy Capacity: Kateryna Haertel from the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) presented the organization’s work as an umbrella network of over 100 minority organizations across Europe and beyond. Haertel discussed the Minority SafePack initiative, which collected one million signatures but was rejected by the Commission due to political sensitivity and budget concerns. While it didn’t succeed with its proposals to strengthen minority protection at the EU level, it significantly raised the profile of minority issues. She noted a double standard: EU candidate countries face criteria on minority protection, but once they join, protection often decreases. Haertel emphasized that for national minorities, the key question is not WHO they are, but HOW they should be protected.
Building Blocks of Effective Advocacy through Pitching
PILnet, in partnership with Covington & Burling, executed a pitching session, emphasizing that successful advocacy requires careful preparation across three dimensions: knowing your audience, picking your battles, and seizing the right moment. The workshop positioned civil society organizations as subject matter experts with trusted voices and first-hand experience, uniquely positioned to contribute expertise to EU policymaking. The session also covered critical EU transparency rules that advocates must navigate, including mandatory registration in the Transparency Register, disclosure of funding sources and areas of focus, signing the Code of Conduct, and strict gift policies (only symbolic gifts under €50 are accepted without authorization).
The workshop culminated in a hands-on group exercise where participants prepared five-minute pitches and received peer feedback. One Hungarian grantee reflected: The Brussels pitching session put things more into perspective and broadened the focus of a successful pitch/engagement dialogue. The hands-on approach helped participants move from theoretical understanding to practical application.”
Grantee feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants appreciating how the session was both engaging and highly practical. The workshop’s focus on “soft skills” resonated strongly with participants who recognized these elements as essential but often overlooked aspects of effective advocacy.
PILnet, in partnership with MRGE, remains committed to strengthening the legal capacity of CSOs, enabling them to navigate the complexities of advocating for minority rights in an evolving and increasingly challenging civic landscape.
-Wendy Otieno
PILnet Communications