Team Europe Democracy Network Annual Meeting 2026

Strengthening Governance, Defending Democracy
 

The 4th Annual Meeting of the Team Europe Democracy Initiative will convene over 120 TED Network Members in Brussels – bringing together representatives from EU institutions, member states, civil society, academia, and private sector – to reaffirm democracy as a core pillar in international cooperation.

In the context of new global challenges to democracy but also opportunities, the event will provide a platform for comprehensive discussion on international democracy support and partnership-building. Faced with global democratic backsliding, shrinking civic spaces and increasingly complex information ecosystems, defending democracy requires collaboration that reaches beyond siloed approaches.

Now more than ever, we must forge alliances for democracy support beyond traditional development as demands for democratic governance and accountability are rising. The EUs Global Gateway strategy, that shapes EU and Member State (MS) engagement, presents an opportunity to engage and position the private sector as central partner for capital, expertise and innovation. At the same time, ensuring that Global Gateway projects support conditions for sustainable economic development, as well as democratic values and high standards.

Bridging the sectors and closing the narrative gap requires structured dialogue and practical collaboration across EU, MS, private actors, DFIs, civil society and media. 

The TED Network Annual Meeting will present a platform to convene stakeholders, ensuring European investments remain value-based and sustainable.

The meeting is designed to achieve four key goals: 

1. To facilitate exchange and harnessing synergies on challenges and responses in democracy support, bringing renewed commitment to the rule of law and transparency, civic space, citizens participation and a strengthened information environment;
2. To strengthen collaboration and build coalitions among democracy actors;
3. Identify approaches to foster democratic resilience and shape new democracy narratives and messaging;
4. To generate actionable outcomes, including joint commitments, pilot collaborations, and a clear set of follow-up activities with defined ownership and timelines (TED Overarching Work Plan).