Severe violations of the rights of environmental activists are committed in a considerable number of upper middle-income countries. Civil society organizations in these countries are facing an ever-shrinking space in which to do their work legally and safely. These countries are no longer eligible for most European development support, as they are perceived to be ‘rich and developed’ enough to pay for their own development projects. However, experience shows that such simple economic indicators are unsuitable for determining the form of bilateral relationships.