The European Union's Civil Society Strategy: a welcome milestone that now requires sustained operational support

The European Commission's first Civil Society Strategy (2025) marks a significant step toward strengthening democratic resilience in the EU, with important implications for the health sector. Civil society organizations (CSOs) are central to advancing health equity, countering commercial determinants of health, and supporting evidence-informed policymaking. The Strategy's priorities-protecting civic space, ensuring sustainable funding, and enhancing participation in EU decision-making-recognize civil society as essential to effective governance. Yet, recent funding decisions in key sectoral programmes-made jointly by sectoral Directorates-General and Member States-recognize civil society as essential to effective governance. The discontinuation of operating grants in the EU4Health 2025 Work Programme, alongside reduced structural support in the LIFE Programme, weakens the independence and continuity CSOs need to contribute to public health, environmental action, and democratic processes. While project-based funding supports valuable activities, it cannot replace the long-term functions enabled by core funding, such as policy monitoring, community engagement, and sustained dialogue with institutions. These capacities were especially visible during COVID-19 when CSOs played a crucial role in reaching underserved populations and combating misinformation. Ensuring alignment between the Civil Society Strategy and sectoral funding decisions-including reinstating operating grants-is essential for maintaining resilient health systems, advancing public interest objectives, and realizing the promise of a more participatory and equitable Europe.