Research on European integration tends to assume that a larger membership weakens the legal system of the European Union (EU) through growing non-compliance with EU law. The main compliance theories expect this negative impact to be particularly salient if Enlargement adds new members that are big, poor, Eurosceptic, or have inefficient bureaucracies. Against these expectations, this paper shows that Enlargement has not led to a deterioration of compliance in the larger EU. In three of the EU’s four enlargement rounds, the New Member States comply better with EU law than the Old Member States. Only the Southern Enlargement of the…
Author: anja
TACSO Macedonia and MCIC (TACSO Resource Center) are organizing a training on “Public Relations for CSOs” from 8-10 June 2016 in Skopje. The training aims to contribute to increasing the knowledge and skills of elected representatives of CSOs in Macedonia on how to improve the image of their organizations and to develop public relations and media. The training will provide participants with methods, techniques and tools for successful planning and implementation of communication strategies and media and public relations in their organization. The training will cover such topics as developing a communication strategy, internal communication, preparation of promotional materials and…
The application process for this year’s “Balkans, Let’s Get Up!” program invites young people, aged 18-27 years, to participate in the educational programme intended for empowerment of young people for active and responsible participation in society, and to contribute to society with a civic initiative. The program consists of three parts: 1) Summer school on “How do we want to live together?” (2-10 July), discussing innovative approaches to sustainable forms of living, diversity and active citizenship, 2) Project management training (3-9 September), covering topics such as time management, team work, communication, public relations, and fundraising, and 3) Evaluation and Perspectives Seminar…
Within the framework of the Western Balkans CSOs for Global Development program, Pontis Foundation and Institute for Democracy and Mediation announce a call for research proposals in the area of global development agenda in the context of Albanian policies, in particular development cooperation policy and awareness raising. The main goal of the proposed activities is to stimulate a dialogue amongst Albanian policy analysts, experts, journalists and representatives of the civil society. It also aims to increase their ability and capacities to participate and contribute to policy making process through stimulating discussion on selected topics – in Albania and internationally. Applicants…
OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) supports initiatives aimed at enhancing livelihoods by addressing challenges in areas such as education, energy poverty, food security, public health, water supply and sanitation, which may not be directly funded through other financing windows. OFID’s grant program includes technical assistance for small-scale social schemes, sponsorship for research and other intellectual pursuits, and emergency relief aid. There is no set application deadline. Some of the smaller grants in support of research and intellectual pursuits are approved on an ad hoc basis. The larger technical assistance grant proposals are presented at OFID’s Governing Board meetings held…
Within the framework of the “In Your Focus” project, a program for support of local print and online media through allocation of small grants has been announced. The aim of the “In Your Focus” project is to contribute to improving the capacity of local journalists and media to produce investigative stories with the cooperation and support of experts and civil society organizations in the field of transparency of public financing and protection of human rights, with special focus on labor rights. The total funds available for the small grants programme are 40.000 EUR, while individual projects should range between 2.500 to 5.000…
In April 2016, the National Assembly of Slovenia passed the amendment on the Law on Administrative Taxes, according to which all public benefit organizations (PBOs) are now exempt from all administrative taxes. During August 2015, the Ministry of Public Administration drafted amendments to the Law on Administrative Taxes, with which associations, charities, foundations and institutions about people with disabilities, and which have the public benefit status, shall be exempt from administrative taxes. Centre for Information Service, Cooperation and Development of CSOs (CNVOS) proposed that the exemption is extended to all PBOs, regardless of the field in which they operate and…
On 9th May, more than 500 civil society activists came to St. Mark’s Square in Zagreb to urge the government to preserve the Croatian model for support to civil society development. Representatives of the “For Strong Civil Society!” initiative emphasized that the aim of the massive gathering is to attack the public institutions and the mechanisms for cooperation with civil society in Croatia. The Appeal – signed by 435 CSOs – has been written on the occasion of the adoption of the Decision of the Government related to the redistribution of financial resources within the budget line for income from…
Civil Society Europe and its working group on Civil Society Recognition has prepared an online questionnaire on an assessment of civil dialogue mechanisms open for both European and national NGOs and associations. The responses to the questionnaire as well as the results of interviews with CSOs and EU institutions will contribute to the preparation of a report on the State of the Union of civil dialogue in the EU to be issued in the autumn. This survey aims at analysing CSOs interaction with the different EU institutions and the possibility to share their expertise and influence decisions on EU policies…
The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Committee on NGOs (the Committee) considers applications by NGOs for ECOSOC accreditation and, as such, is a key gateway for CSOs to gain access to the UN. However, the Committee operates in a highly politicised manner, in particular regarding applications for accreditation from human rights organisations. The Committee uses a range of tactics—including repeated deferrals of applications, public stigmatisation and silencing of applicant organisations—to keep CSOs out of the UN. The practice of the Committee is reflective of growing restrictions on civil society globally, at the very time that restrictions at the national…