However, it was the dramatic events of the Arab revolutions that provided the new impetus. In extreme situations such as the Arab Revolutions or Euromaidan in Ukraine, pro-democracy actors, individuals or groups, emerge spontaneously. They are not officially registered, have no coherent organisational structure, and no previous experience in accessing donor funding. In countries with repressive regimes, the security or freedom of potential grantees, or simply the difficulty of operating as a pro-democracy assistance provider severely limit the support that the EU can offer.

These changes in the EU Neighbourhood redefined the needs of local actors of democratic change and acutely highlighted the limitations of the existing instruments to react in fluid environments and deal with evolving challenges.