Understanding the EU’s Global Gateway: Why Civil Society Must Pay Attention

by | Sep 16, 2025 | Civil society, Development Cooperation, Financing / funding for sustainable development, Financing for Development, News

When the European Union launched its Global Gateway in 2021, it presented the initiative as Europe’s bold answer to today’s shifting geopolitical landscape. Designed as a strategic framework rather than a funding instrument, Global Gateway has as an objective to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments by 2027 across sectors such as digital, climate and energy, transport, health, and education – with a strong focus on Africa which is to receive €150 billion.

But for civil society organisations, the big question is: what does Global Gateway mean for people and communities on the ground?

As large-scale projects roll out, often involving private finance and cross-border infrastructure, there is a risk for the voices of local communities and grassroots organisations being sidelined over genuine development outcomes.

It is against this backdrop that CONCORD and Forus convened a webinar on 26 August 2025 entitled “Understanding the Global Gateway – What It Is, How It Works, and Why Civil Society Should Engage.” The event brought together 238 participants from across the globe, with simultaneous interpretation in English, French, and Spanish.

The goal: to unpack the Global Gateway and to reflect on how civil society can shape its trajectory.

Global Gateway 101: Europe’s answer to a shifting world?

The EU conceived Global Gateway partly in response to current conflicts, ongoing supply chain disruptions, and to reclaim influence, as explained by Pauline Véron from ECDPM. Unlike traditional aid programmes, Global Gateway bundles together different instruments such as the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus, member state contributions, and private sector finance – with a Team Europe approach with the European Commission, European External Action Service (EEAS), EU Member States, as well as with financial institutions, the private sector and other non-governmental organisations – “to facilitate full-scale mobilisation of political stamina, technical expertise and financial resources”.

The EU describes Global Gateway as a “360-degree” model and as of 2025, various flagship projects are in motion, in areas of digital, climate and energy, transport, health, education and research.

Global Gateway seeks to offer a visible and values-based alternative to other global infrastructure finance models but as partners in the Global South ask: is this a new funding model, or merely repackaged EU aid?

Where Is Civil Society?

Jaimie Just from CONCORD stressed that civil society’s role in the Global Gateway remains limited. Despite EU rhetoric on inclusive governance, engagement has been inconsistent, especially for women’s organisations, youth groups, grassroot movements, and CSOs in the Global South.

Lack of transparency around funding flows, project pipelines, and monitoring undermines accountability. Governance structures lean heavily towards the private sector and development finance institutions, often leaving civil society at the margins. This raises risks: over-reliance on “bankable projects” could fuel debt burdens in partner countries, while sidelining local priorities and rights.

To counter this, proposals on the table include:

  • Revamping the Civil Society & Local Authorities Advisory Platform to give CSOs a “real voice”.
  • Establishing structured consultation mechanisms with local actors at every stage of project design and monitoring.
  • Strengthening EU delegations’ capacity (human & financial resources) to engage CSOs meaningfully.
  • Creating public portals with clear indicators on gender, inequality, human rights, and Environmental, Social, and Governance – ESG – compliance.
  • Allocate part of Global Gateway flagship resources directly to civil society and community-based initiatives.

Civil society involvement in the strategy has been formalised only recently. In late 2023, the Commission established the Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Advisory Platform, intended as a forum for dialogue and consultation. However, engagement on the ground – and even withing the platform – remains ad hoc and uneven.

Regional Lessons: Kazakhstan, Chile, and Kenya

Case studies from three regions highlight both opportunities and concerns.

In Kazakhstan, the EU has invested in mega-projects such as a €50 billion green hydrogen plant, large-scale lithium and rare earth mining, and infrastructure upgrades on the Trans-Caspian route. Yet poor consultation, and environmental risks loom large. Local CSOs, as explained by Kaisha Atakhanova of ARGO, are pushing back by forming coalitions that “demand transparency, regulation, and job creation”—calling for Environmental, Social, and Governance – ESG – safeguards and just transition measures.

In Chile, Global Gateway is funding renewable energy and digital infrastructure. Francis Valverde of ACCIÓN welcomed modernisation opportunities but warned of “insufficient consultation and weak integration of social and environmental standards”. Civil society oversight, he argued, is essential to ensure communities’ can actually benefit.

In Kenya, the META initiative has shown how civil society can lead. Esther Nyawira from FEMNET described how META has strengthened coalitions and amplified women-led organisations’ voices. Still, challenges persist: CSOs lack timely information about project pipelines, and EU delegations must engage more systematically with grassroots groups.

What’s Next for Civil Society?

Looking ahead, the future of the Global Gateway will be shaped by the EU’s next budget cycle, beginning in 2028. The European Commission has already signaled that the initiative’s core approach is likely to continue beyond 2027.

The success of the Global Gateway will depend on whether it can truly benefit the communities it seeks to serve, with infrastructure investments that are socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable and aligned with local priorities. For civil society, it means having the possibility to shape the agenda through data & evidence, advocacy and coalition-building.

The conversation doesn’t end here. On 29 September 2025, CONCORD will launch the Meaningful Engagement Platform, an online hub to promote knowledge-sharing between CSOs, monitor the quality of EU consultations, and build evidence-based recommendations. CSOs worldwide are encouraged to register by 22 September and join this growing effort to make sure their voices shape the future of Global Gateway.

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