Panel 8: Civil Society Ecosystems for the Rule of Law | Rule of Law Forum 2026

Panel 8 examined civil society as a central component of the rule of law and democratic resilience, particularly in the context of increasing pressures on civic space in Romania and across Europe. Panel coordinator: Luca Ciubotaru, Teaching Associate, Faculty of Law, University of Bucharest Speakers: Simona Constantinescu, Director for Development and Advocacy, Civil Society Development Foundation, Romania Márta Pardavi, Co-Chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Co-Leader of the Recharging Advocacy for Rights in Europe programme Maciej Nowicki, President of the Board of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland, and President of the Board of the European Implementation Network Goran Forbici, Director of CNVOS – Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Development of NGOs, Slovenia Iain Cameron, Member of the Venice Commission and Professor of Public International Law at Uppsala University Diane Angermueller, Rule of Law Expert, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission Drawing on experiences from Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia, the discussion explored regional practices for protecting civic space and strengthening cooperation between civil society and public institutions. The speakers examined how legal certainty, meaningful consultation, access to information, sustainable funding and independent institutions enable civil society organisations to hold public authorities accountable. Particular attention was given to public integrity, transparency, investigative journalism and the impact of restricted access to asset and interest declarations on civil society’s watchdog role. The panel also provided a structured exchange on consultation, oversight and institutional resilience, with a focus on recommendations relevant to European rule-of-law monitoring, including the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report and the work of the Venice Commission. This panel was organised with the support of the EEA Civil Society Fund Romania. 📍 Casa Europa, European Commission Representation in Romania, Bucharest 📅 21 October 2026 🔗 More information: https://www.rolforum.org/ #RuleOfLawForum #CivilSociety #RuleOfLaw #CivicSpace #DemocraticResilience #EuropeanCommission #VeniceCommission