The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is a multi-layered regional civil society platform that promotes European values and agenda in the Eastern Partnership countries. The Forum brings together Civil Society Organisations from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine and EU. Over one thousand Civil Society Organisations have taken part in the work of the Forum since its establishment in 2009. The Forum has a specific role in the Eastern Partnership: to serve as a civil society and a people-to-people dimension that will contribute to democratic and economic transformation in the region. The forum is a trusted partner of the EU institutions, EU member states and most of the Eastern Neighbourhood governments that enriches the policy by providing civil society perspective and bringing European and democratic values closer to the ordinary people. Advocating, awareness raising and promoting European values and standards and providing monitoring and expertise are among priorities for activities of the National Platforms in the six Eastern Partnership countries. The Forum works in 5 thematic areas: Democracy, Human Rights, Good Governance & Stability, Economic Integration and Convergence with EU legislation, Environment, Climate Change & Energy Security, Contacts between People, Social & Labour Policies and Social Dialogue. The Forum advocates broader Civil Society Organisation involvement in tripartite dialogues in Eastern Partnership countries by bringing together government representatives, EU Delegations and Civil Society Organisations and strives to provide oversight on how EU budgetary support is spent in the Eastern Partnership countries. The Forum facilitates reforms in the region and facilitates a more participatory policy-making and increased participation of civil society actors through contribution to effective policy outcomes and concrete policy changes in the EU and the Partner countries.
