The European Commission presented its European Democracy Action Plan to empower citizens and build more resilient democracies across the EU. The contribution of the EU cohesion policy to this process is essential. In the Plan, the Commission encourages Member States to make best use of relevant EU structural and investment funds to support and reinforce civil society capacities at both national and local level and involve civil society organisations in the partnership with the different levels of public administration, including by building a deliberative democracy infrastructure.