The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO)

What The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) does

The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) is a Brussels-based civil society network founded in 2001 that coordinates more than 50 European peacebuilding and conflict-prevention organizations. It serves as the principal liaison between these member organizations and EU institutions on peace, security, and conflict-sensitivity policy, particularly through the EU co-funded Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN). The current CSDN V phase covers 2023-2026 and underpins EPLO's structured dialogue, policy analysis, training, and joint advocacy activities across geographies including the Sahel, Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, Sudan, Somalia, Mozambique, Venezuela, Moldova, and Central Asia.

EPLO's core product is the CSDN programme, which convenes civil society input into EU foreign and security policy and produces outputs such as policy briefs, consultation reports, and convening events. Beyond CSDN, EPLO runs joint advocacy coalitions, notably with CONCORD and VOICE, and supports its members through Steering Committee governance, working groups, and training. Operating with a small staff of 1-10, it has recently adopted a new 2026-2030 organisational strategy and approved nine new member organizations.

EPLO's business model is a membership-based non-profit: member organizations pay dues and contribute in-kind expertise, while the operating budget is sustained primarily through EU grants (chiefly the CSDN co-funding arrangement) and project-based funding. Revenue is therefore grant-cycle dependent and concentrated on EU institutional funding, with member fees providing a smaller but more diversified base.

Name

The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO)

Legal name

European Peacebuilding Liaison Office

Website

http://eplo.org/contact-us/the-eplo-office/photo-sonya-reines-djivanides/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent civil society platform of European NGOs & think tanks committed to peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EPLO is an independent civil society membership organization that coordinates policy advocacy and dialogue between European peacebuilding NGOs, NGO networks, and think tanks and EU institutions. Its flagship activity is the Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN), a co-funded platform with the European Commission and the European External Action Service that organizes dialogue meetings, policy consultations, training seminars, and publications on EU peacebuilding and conflict prevention frameworks.

Product overview

EPLO is a civil society network organization (not a technology product company) offering the Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) as its primary platform for facilitating dialogue between peacebuilding NGOs and EU policymakers. The organization provides publications (meeting reports, background papers, discussion papers, country briefings), training programs, Brown Bag Lunch sessions for expert exchanges, and membership services to its network of 50+ peacebuilding organizations across Europe. The CSDN operates in phases (currently CSDN V for 2023-2026) and organizes meetings across geographic and thematic areas including Africa, Western Balkans, Sahel, and thematic focus on climate security, gender, and fragile contexts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN): A platform for dialogue between civil society and EU policymakers on peace and conflict, co-funded by the EU and managed by EPLO in cooperation with the European Commission and EEAS. Established in 2010, CSDN V (2023-2026) is the current phase.

Products and services

• Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) A platform for structured dialogue between civil society organizations and EU policymakers on peacebuilding and conflict prevention, co-funded by the EU and managed by EPLO in cooperation with the European Commission and EEAS. It organizes dialogue meetings, policy consultations, and engagement activities for peacebuilding NGOs.
• EPLO Publications Publications including meeting reports, background papers, discussion papers, country briefing papers, joint letters, and annual reports covering EU peacebuilding policies, conflict prevention, climate security, Women Peace and Security agenda, and funding instruments.
• Policy Work Programs Thematic policy focus areas including EU Policies, Funding for Peace, Gender Peace and Security, and Climate Crisis and Peacebuilding, providing analysis and advocacy on these cross-cutting issues for member organizations and the broader peacebuilding community.
• Training and Capacity Building Training seminars such as 'Engaging with the EU on Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding' providing civil society practitioners with deep grounding in EU peacebuilding frameworks and engagement strategies.
• Brown Bag Lunch Sessions Informal exchange sessions with member organizations and experts on topics including mediation, humanitarian access, Women Peace and Security, regional conflicts, and peacebuilding approaches.
• Member Network Services Access to a network of 50+ member organizations, including EU policy monitoring, funding information, consultation participation, co-organized events, and communications amplification through EPLO channels.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CONCORDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026EPLO joined with CONCORD and VOICE to publish joint call urging EU to ensure Global Europe Regulation strengthens ability to address fragility. Three networks collaborated on advocacy for conflict prevention and peacebuilding funding.
• VOICEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026EPLO joined with CONCORD and VOICE to publish joint call on Global Europe Regulation and fragility. Collaborative advocacy on EU funding for humanitarian and peacebuilding contexts.
• European Union (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO cooperates closely with the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) is co-funded by the EU and managed by EPLO in cooperation with the European Commission and EEAS. This represents the core partnership enabling EPLO's primary activities of bridging civil society and EU policymaking on peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
• European Commission Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPI collaborates with EPLO on Funding Instruments Meetings under the Civil Society Dialogue Network, focusing on EU funding for peace, stability and conflict prevention under the NDICI-Global Europe instrument.
• Berghof FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member organisation and co-host of CSDN activities. Berghof Foundation contributes expertise in conflict transformation and supports EPLO's work in engaging with German peacebuilding community.
• International Crisis GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member organisation contributing expertise on conflict analysis and policy advisory. Cooperation includes Brown Bag Lunch events on topics such as the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
• Search for Common GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member organisation and co-host of Brown Bag Lunch events on peacebuilding topics including Venezuela, Central Asia, and broader mediation themes.
• Geneva CallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO co-hosts roundtable discussions with Geneva Call on humanitarian engagement with armed groups, de facto authorities, and civilian protection issues, particularly in contexts like Sudan and the Sahel.
• CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member and co-organiser of Brown Bag Lunch events on mediation and peace processes, including discussions on Sudan, Moldova, and other regions.
• Conciliation ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member organisation that collaborated on Brown Bag Lunch discussion on intersectionality in peace processes and women's meaningful participation.
• Nonviolent PeaceforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member organisation specialising in unarmed civilian protection. Cooperation on Brown Bag Lunch events discussing peacebuilding in emergency contexts.
• Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO member and co-organiser of roundtable discussions, including on Palestinian peacebuilding organisations and advocacy tours.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO collaborated on online discussion regarding IRC's report on negotiating humanitarian access through high-level diplomacy in conflict zones.
• Diplomeds - Council for Mediterranean DiplomacymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLO partnered with Diplomeds to convene roundtable on mediation, dialogue and peacebuilding in the Mediterranean, bringing together practitioners from across Mediterranean countries.
• Friedrich-Ebert-StiftungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated with EPLO on the Diplomeds Exchange on Mediation, Dialogue and Peacebuilding in the Mediterranean.
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International CooperationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated with EPLO on CSDN Member State Meeting Rome on building partnerships to secure peace, bringing together policymakers, mediation experts and practitioners.
• Spanish Ministry of Foreign AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated with EPLO on CSDN Member State Meeting Madrid focusing on strengthening inclusion and participation in EU peace mediation support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC): Global civil society network dedicated to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, with a membership of national and regional platforms. EPLO is itself a GPPAC member; the two are directly comparable as multi-stakeholder peacebuilding coordination platforms, though GPPAC operates globally while EPLO is Europe-focused.
• CONCORD (European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development): European confederation of NGOs and NGO networks working on development cooperation and humanitarian aid, including peacebuilding. Comparable as a Brussels-based EU-level civil society advocacy network that convenes members for joint EU policy engagement, recently co-signing advocacy letters with EPLO.
• VOICE (Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies): Brussels-based network of European humanitarian NGOs engaging with EU institutions on humanitarian policy and funding. Comparable as a membership-based advocacy platform operating in the same Brussels EU-policy space and recently co-advocating with EPLO on Global Europe Regulation.

Broad incumbents

• International Crisis Group: Major global think tank producing policy analysis on conflict prevention and crisis response. EPLO member organisation; comparable as a Brussels-active conflict-prevention actor, though Crisis Group operates globally and as an individual think tank rather than a coordination network.
• Berghof Foundation: Germany-based peacebuilding foundation specializing in conflict transformation and peace mediation research. EPLO member organisation; comparable as a European peacebuilding institution engaging EU institutions, though it operates its own programmes rather than coordinating a wider member network.
• Search for Common Ground: Largest dedicated peacebuilding NGO globally, operating conflict transformation programmes in dozens of countries. EPLO member; comparable as a European peacebuilding presence working on mediation and dialogue, though Search is primarily a field-operating NGO rather than a coordination platform.
• International Alert: London-headquartered peacebuilding NGO focused on security policy and peacebuilding practice across multiple regions. EPLO member; comparable as a European peacebuilding organisation engaging on EU peace and security policy, though Alert is a single operating NGO rather than a network coordinator.

Others

• Humanity & Inclusion (HI): Large international disability and humanitarian NGO with Brussels EU advocacy presence and listed as an EPLO member. Comparable as a Brussels-active NGO engaged in EU peace/humanitarian policy, though its core focus is disability inclusion and emergency response rather than peacebuilding coordination.
• HALO Trust: World's largest humanitarian mine action organisation with EU policy engagement on conflict-affected states. EPLO member; comparable as a Brussels-active conflict-response NGO, though its operational focus is demining rather than peacebuilding coordination.

Regional players

• European Peace Institute (EPI) / European University Institute related peace research centres: Academic and policy research entities in Europe focused on peace and security studies. Comparable thematically to EPLO's peacebuilding research and convening role, though operating as research/education institutions rather than civil society advocacy networks; included as adjacent European peace research peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eplo_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoBTmIFIqMQOgmYHnTcDD-Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/european-peacebuilding-liaison-office-eplo-101982736613925
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/european-peacebuilding-liaison-office-eplo
• Instagraminstagram.com/eplo_network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO)