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“Our partners have done important work in Ukraine”
In our Public Interest program, we saw promising developments in the field of European legislation. Moreover, our partners did important work in and for Ukraine. Program managers Ebru Akgün and Martijn Roos tell us about the most important developments in the program.
What is your impression of 2022? Our program focuses on an open, democratic and just society – a topic that was dominated by the war in Ukraine throughout 2022. Through our extensive network, we were able to support a number of NGOs doing important work in and for Ukraine. For example, our journalism partners investigated war crimes and sanctions. Among other things, they exposed how European companies were still trading with Russia.
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What are essential developments in your program?
The European Union has taken important steps to curb the power of Big Tech. The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) were approved, which will have a significant impact on digital platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, the Netherlands witnessed breakthroughs in the area of governance with integrity, such as the lobby ban, which means that former ministers may only return to their departments after a period of two years. There are also indications that a national citizens’ assembly on climate will soon be set up in the Netherlands. Lastly, important steps have been taken to protect journalists in Europe. Together with other foundations, we fund advocacy on the anti-SLAPP Directive and other initiatives that counter SLAPPs. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation: arbitrary lawsuits that aim to silence journalists. Negotiations on the Directive are currently taking place in Brussels. If this legislation is adopted, journalists and whistleblowers will be protected better.
Can you give us an indication of what we can expect from the program in 2023?
Our partners will follow up on last year’s major developments, for example by ensuring that the aforementioned DSA and DMA will be implemented and enforced effectively. We also have plans to activate the Democracy Network for European for funders, aiming to make more resources available for initiatives seeking to protect our democracy and rule of law.
In the Netherlands and in Europe, we see that journalism is under increasing pressure. Because we want journalists to be able to continue to produce relevant stories, we will continue to invest in organizations that safeguard and foster the role of journalists.


