News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), at its 600th plenary session, adopted an opinion emphasizing that EU enlargement is a value-driven process. The opinion stresses that social partners and civil society organizations (CSOs) are essential for advancing democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in candidate countries. The EESC calls on the European
Read more →The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has launched the Human Rights Structures Navigator, a comprehensive new tool designed to support the enabling environment for human rights protection across Europe. The Navigator provides a centralised overview of major human rights institutions and structures across EU Member States and candidate countries. Designed for practitioners, EU
Read more →Disinformation surrounding youth protests in Serbia is being deployed to suppress civic engagement and undermine trust in democratic institutions. Following a “historic day of anger” in mid-March 2025—sparked by the tragic collapse of the Novi Sad railway station canopy and student demands for accountability—pro-government media quickly moved to reframe the demonstrations. Instead of addressing the
Read more →The Institute of Communication Studies in Skopje, North Macedonia, launched Kairos – Journal of Media and Communications Review in 2022. This open-access platform aims to foster knowledge exchange among academics, researchers, and professionals in media and communications. Kairos focuses on contemporary issues and future developments across interdisciplinary discussions, empirical research, and the interaction of expertise
Read more →Bulgaria’s parliament has set up a commission to investigate alleged influence by NGOs and companies linked to George Soros and his son, a move driven by pro-Russian, nationalist parties and by Delyan Peevski’s New Beginning. GERB lawmakers mostly abstained or voted against. Although presenting himself as pro-Western, Peevski has increasingly used anti-Soros conspiracy rhetoric common
Read more →WHAT TO FIX, along with 125 CSOs, has expressed serious concerns over the EU Digital Omnibus proposals, warning they could dismantle key protections for personal data, AI oversight, and digital rights. The coalition argues that under the guise of “technical streamlining,” the proposals risk weakening the ePrivacy framework, the GDPR, and AI regulations, potentially exposing
Read more →Civil Society Europe has raised concern over the European Commission’s plan to withdraw the European Cross-Border Associations (ECBA) Directive from its 2026 Work Programme. The proposal, developed by the now-dismantled social economy unit in DG GROW, was expected to create a long-awaited European Association Status, enabling non-profit organisations to operate more easily across borders. With
Read more →Independent civil society organisations across Europe are warning of growing pressure that threatens democratic accountability and public-interest protections. Once key partners in shaping policies on health, the environment and social rights, many groups now face defunding, smear campaigns and shrinking civic space. Recent EU funding cuts have forced health NGOs to scale back, while environmental
Read more →Visa systems in Europe’s Schengen area create major barriers for human rights defenders (HRDs) from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, preventing their participation in key decision-making forums, Amnesty International said in its new report Closing the door? How visa policies in Europe’s Schengen area fail human rights defenders. The report shows that HRDs from
Read more →At the OGP Global Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, BCSDN urged stronger action against tactics undermining democracy in the Western Balkans. Executive Director Biljana Spasovska warned that civil society faces restrictive laws and covert attacks, including smear campaigns and arbitrary inspections, draining resources and chilling civic space. She stressed that “performative participation” turns civil society involvement
Read more →A coalition of NGOs, including the European Civic Forum and FIDH, has condemned the violent repression of peaceful protests supporting the Global Sumud Flotilla and the Palestinian people. They called on EU leaders to protect the fundamental rights to assembly, association, and expression ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 20 October. The groups
Read more →The Internal Market (IMCO) Committee has voted on the proposed Foreign Interest Representation Directive, which aims for transparency in lobbying by non-EU countries. Civil Society Europe (CSE) has cautiously welcomed the outcome, noting that the draft included improvements, such as strengthened protections for academic and media freedom. However, for CSOs, key issues remain. CSE warned
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