The European Union must ensure development cooperation, poverty alleviation and human dignity are at the centre of EU external action, as three CONCORD members take on the latest EU Presidency Project (EUPP6).
The project brings together CONCORD’s member organisations representing the current and upcoming Presidencies of the Council of the European Union.
Dóchas, the Irish Network of Development and Humanitarian Organisations, launched the project in Dublin last week. The sixth EU Presidency Project will see discussions among civil society, EU officials and policymakers around the issue of development cooperation, and the role of civil society.
Over the course of the Irish Presidency, Dóchas will bring key stakeholders together on critical issues including the role of civil society in international cooperation, financing for the future of sustainable development cooperation, and climate and food security. Conferences on the issue of food security and climate will take place later in the year.
Europe’s approach to the world is at a crossroads. In the coming months, decisions will be taken that will shape the European Union’s external action for the next decade: its long-term budget will define ultimately about the kind of global actor the EU wants to be.
Those decisions are taking place against a backdrop of profound geopolitical uncertainty. Conflicts are proliferating and becoming more protracted. Humanitarian needs continue to rise while aid budgets shrink.
This is the context in which Ireland will assume the Presidency. During the next six months, Ireland will be called upon to act as both a strategic leader and an honest broker, helping to build consensus among Member States on the European Union’s long-term priorities, which will be reflected in negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework, which is far more than a financial exercise. It is the clearest expression of the Union’s political priorities and will determine how operationally Europe engages with the world for the rest of the decade.
In a world marked by instability, conflict and growing fragmentation, principled partnership is not a luxury. It is the foundation of Europe’s credibility, its resilience and its lasting influence in the world.
During Lithuania’s Presidency, the Lithuanian NGDO Platform will spotlight the EU’s role as a global partner for peace, solidarity, and sustainable international cooperation.
It will focus on Ukraine’s recovery by strengthening ties between European and Ukrainian civil societies, highlighting the power of small civil society actors, whose agility, innovation, and local expertise make them indispensable partners in delivering meaningful global impact. Building on Lithuania’s experience, it will promote resilience through cooperation, capacity-building, and shared learning to help societies respond to crises and counter disinformation.
The decisions we make today about the future of the European Union and its international partnerships will define our ability to meet tomorrow’s challenges. As reflected in the priorities of EUPP6, stronger partnerships depend on meaningful engagement with civil society, local communities and strengthening resilience. By making our partnerships more inclusive, the EU can develop more effective policies, reinforce solidarity, and create lasting impact both within Europe and around the world.
CONCORD will pursue two strands of work under EUPP6: strengthening civic space and raising awareness of the EU budget. With the next Multiannual Financial Framework being negotiated between July 2026 and December 2027, CONCORD
will bring together civil society to discuss the EU budget’s role, build common positions, and run workshops to boost national platforms’ capacity to engage – while also supporting an enabling environment for civil society worldwide through joint analyses, peer learning, and knowledge exchange with regional partners.
As the EU negotiates the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the Global Europe Instrument, the choices made now will reverberate for years to come – so civil society has to be part of making them. CONCORD is proud to stand behind EUPP6 because this moment demands a genuine partnership.
On January 1, 2027, Lithuania will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. July 1, 2027, marks the start of the Greek Presidency, which will be overseen by CONCORD’s member Hellenic Platform for Development.
The EU Presidencies under EUPP6 are taking place against a backdrop of profound geopolitical uncertainty. Conflicts are proliferating and becoming more protracted. Humanitarian needs continue to rise. Climate change is accelerating and compounding fragility. Food insecurity is worsening. Civic space is shrinking in many parts of the world and in Europe. At the same time, many governments are reducing aid budgets and increasingly framing development cooperation through the lenses of security, migration and strategic competition.
The next 18 months will be a key period for the Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU’s budget for the next decade. Within that is the Global Europe Instrument, which will dictate how the EU spends its money on external action.