YOU can help strengthen the rule of law in Malta. Here’s how

Every year, the European Commission invites civic contributions to its Rule of Law Reports. This process allows the Commission to monitor the health of democracy in every EU member state and identify where reforms are needed to conform to the EU’s values and rules. Thanks to civil society contributions, the Commission is able to check claims made by governments about the state of the rule of law in their countries.

However, participation in the reporting cycle has sometimes been limited and restricted to specialised actors. In Malta, for example, only three or four NGOs regularly contribute to the Commission’s rule-of-law report on the country.

Repubblika is now leading an EU-funded project to increase participation in the annual rule-of-law reporting cycle in Malta and across Europe. The project is called STAKEHOLDERS (Mobilising Citizens as Stakeholders in the Protection of the Rule of Law in Europe). It will strengthen democratic participation by linking citizens and civil society organisations more directly with the EU’s Rule of Law process.

STAKEHOLDERS aims to make the process accessible, understandable, and relevant to a wider public. It focuses particularly on grassroots civil society organisations, young people, and underrepresented communities—groups that are often most affected by governance failures but least able to influence formal decision-making processes. By equipping these actors with knowledge, tools, and opportunities to participate, the project enhances both the quality of civic input and the legitimacy of democratic oversight mechanisms.

The STAKEHOLDERS project operates across multiple European countries, bringing together partners with expertise in anti-corruption, civic education, public policy, and community mobilisation. Through a combination of training programmes, public conferences, communication campaigns, and collaborative platforms, the project builds national capacity while fostering a shared European civic space. Participants learn not only how the Rule of Law cycle works but also how to contribute effectively—transforming lived experience into structured, policy-relevant input.

A key feature of the project is its focus on dialogue and co-creation. National civic conferences will provide spaces for citizens, civil society organisations, journalists, and experts to share perspectives on rule-of-law issues in their countries. These discussions contribute to a broader European process, culminating in a joint civil society contribution that reflects cross-border insights and common concerns.

Beyond immediate outputs, STAKEHOLDERS aims for lasting impact. It creates practical resources—such as training materials and toolkits—that organisations across Europe can reuse and adapt. It also enhances networks of cooperation, ensuring civic engagement in the Rule of Law process continues well beyond the project’s duration.

Ultimately, STAKEHOLDERS contributes to a more participatory and resilient European democracy. By empowering citizens to transition from observers to active participants, it helps bridge the gap between institutions and society, ensuring that the protection of the rule of law becomes a shared responsibility across Europe.

Follow the project updates here: https://linktr.ee/StakeholdersProject

How to take part

Online Event – 8 June 2026 | 3:30–5:30 PM (CET)

NGOs can find out more about the project by joining an online event called “Empowering European Civil Society for the Rule of Law”. The event will introduce the project and bring together civil society representatives, EU institutions, and experts to discuss challenges, good practices, and engagement in the Rule of Law process in Europe.

The highlight of the event will be the presentation of the good practices toolkit, “From Good Practices to Impact: A Practical Toolkit for Engaging in the Rule of Law Process”, showcasing the tools developed by the project to strengthen civic participation. The toolkit collects concrete experiences from civil society organisations working in areas such as transparency, democratic accountability, anti-corruption, fundamental rights, social and climate justice, women’s rights and LGBTQIA+ rights, as well as from media and journalism involved in safeguarding the rule of law.

From 16:00 to 16:35, there will be a panel discussion by representatives of European civil society organisations featuring experts and practitioners from organisations that have already participated in Rule of Law processes at the EU level, who will share their experiences and provide partners and stakeholders with practical insights into effective engagement practices. Speakers include Vanja Mladineo (Centar za demokraciju i pravo Miko Tripalo), Frixos Stephanides (Oxygen for Democracy), Daniela Mineva (Center for the Study of Democracy), and Riccardo Rossella (Civil Society Europe). The discussion will provide a space to exchange views and experiences on challenges, lessons learned, and strategies for participation in the Rule of Law processes.

This will be followed by a presentation of national events organised by project partners, offering further opportunities for local engagement in Malta, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Belgium.

The event will take place on June 8, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM (CET) via Zoom (registration required). There will be live interpretation in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, and Dutch, ensuring broad participation across Europe.

See the event agenda

Partners:

REPUBBLIKA (Malta) Coordinator
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNICATION AISBL (Belgium)
LIBERA – ASSOCIAZIONI, NOMI E NUMERI CONTRO LE MAFIE (Italy)
ASOCIATIA PENTRU COOPERARE SI DEZVOLTARE DURABILA (Romania)
ENTRETODOS – ASSOCIACAO PORTUGUESA DE PARCERIAS PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO SOCIAL (Portugal)
BELGIAN ANTIMAFIA STEPS TOWARDS AWARENESS (Belgium)
FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION APLICADA EN DELINCUENCIA Y SEGURIDAD (Spain)
MAFIANEINDANKE EV (Germany)

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.