News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Criminal defamation and insult provisions in Albania’s draft Penal Code have raised serious concerns over potential threats to freedom of expression and media independence. During the 10th Thematic Working Group on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists, the Center Science and Innovation for Development (SCiDEV) presented its independent legal analysis of the draft code,
Read more →EU enlargement continues to be one of the European Union’s most powerful instruments for shaping the future of the continent. Rooted in the Treaty on European Union and guided by the Copenhagen Criteria, enlargement is conditional and merit-based, relying on the commitment of candidate countries to implement reforms while navigating a complex institutional framework that
Read more →International research and innovation cooperation has become a strategic pillar for strengthening research and innovation ecosystems in the Western Balkans, the EU Member States and beyond. By connecting researchers, institutions and governments across borders, this cooperation facilitates knowledge exchange, builds institutional capacity, and fosters scientific progress that no country could achieve alone. Bilateral partnerships in
Read more →The Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs has launched a new study on “Recent national developments that actually or potentially undermine the ability of NGOs to operate”. CSOs across Council of Europe member States and Kosovo are invited to contribute by filling out a short questionnaire on the situation in their
Read more →The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe has established the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor which aims at providing information on the status of transposition and implementation of European instruments on SLAPPs at national level. It will track the progress of European Union and Council of Europe member states in transposing and implementing the Anti-SLAPP Directive and the CoE Recommendation.
Read more →New EU anti-money laundering regulations, set to take effect in July 2027, pose a significant threat to the enabling environment for civil society organizations (CSOs) by targeting a vital fundraising tool: crowdfunding. Despite being a crucial and low-cost way for CSOs and informal groups to mobilize resources, platforms like North Macedonia’s Op-Op and Slovakia’s Donio
Read more →In a move to empower civil society actors, the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) has released a new guide on how to use EU law to challenge restrictive national legislation. This resource provides a practical, step-by-step approach for organizations facing unlawful or limiting measures, clarifying legal avenues at both the national and EU levels.
Read more →Across the Western Balkans, the last decade has witnessed a deepening of democratic backsliding, marked by the rise of competitive authoritarian regimes and the growing use of nationalism and religion as political tools. While the formal mechanisms for EU integration remain intact, the underlying commitment to democratic reform appears increasingly compromised. Key institutions are frequently
Read more →The European Union System for an Enabling Environment for civil society (EU SEE) project has released the first batch of its Country Focus Reports, offering detailed, evidence-based insights into the conditions in which civil society operates across 86 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas and the Caribbean. Rather than
Read more →Between April and June 2025, key developments took place in North Macedonia related to the rule of law and its EU accession process, particularly within the areas of democratic institutions, public administration reform, and Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights. In April, the Council for Cooperation between the Government and Civil Society held its
Read more →The European Commission has opened a public consultation seeking input on the “retention of data by service providers for criminal proceedings”, inviting civil society organisations and individuals to share their views on how such rules may impact fundamental rights. This move comes as part of broader plans to introduce legislative and non-legislative measures at the
Read more →In June 2025, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) introduced a new procedure intended to mitigate the unintended consequences that its standards can have on non-profit organizations (NPOs). While the measure aims to ensure that rules on combating terrorist financing are applied proportionately and without suppressing legitimate civil society activity, leading UN Special Rapporteurs have
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