For the 4th consecutive year, BCSDN prepared background analysis on how civil society development (CSDev) in treated and what progress (or lack thereof) has been noted form the past year in Enlargement countries. The Analysis notes that overall, the Commission has maintained its focus on the issues pertinent to involvement of civil society in policy and decision making, administrative capacity of state institutions to draft and adopt quality legislation through an inclusive process and on the mechanisms that stimulate funding of CSOs. However, the most crucial areas for consolidating the enabling environment for CSDev in the mid-term such as tax regime, state support and human resources issues are insufficiently addressed. The greatest novelty this year is a recognition that “more enabling environment and the conditions for improved policy dialogue [need to be]put in place”, steaming from the Commission Communication “The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe’s engagement with Civil Society in external relations” published on 12th September, which for the first time since the Enlargement Strategy 2007 recognizes the need to combine both financial (IPA CSF) and political means (monitoring via Progress Reports) to tackle strengthening the democratic institutions and process in Enlargement countries. The full Analysis is available here, while the previous analysis can be read here.