The European Commission has published its 2026 Rule of Law Report, including country chapters for Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The report identifies persistent challenges affecting civic space, including pressure on civil society and journalists, SLAPPs, political interference, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, and limited access to information. It also highlights uneven public consultation practices, insufficient civil society participation in policymaking, and ongoing concerns regarding financial sustainability, media independence and the effective implementation of safeguards for democratic participation. While acknowledging progress in several reform areas, the Commission reiterates that protecting civic space and ensuring meaningful civil society engagement remain essential for democratic governance and a credible EU enlargement process. Find the report here. BCSDN will soon publish a comparative analysis of the Commission’s findings against evidence from BCSDN’s Monitoring Matrix on civic space. Follow our communication channels for updates.
Source: European Commission