News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Philea welcomes the importance given in the State of Union (SOTEU) to the annual rule of law reports, which now include a strand on enabling frameworks for civil society including philanthropy. However, more can be done to increase the engagement of CSOs, including public benefit foundations, in the dialogues leading up to, and following up
Read more →The inappropriate use of AI systems could jeopardize fundamental democratic principles. Regulatory gaps, including exemptions for national security and law enforcement, could be taken advantage of to undermine democratic structures and procedures, as well as the rule of law. It is essential for the AI Act to establish a strong and secure regulatory framework that
Read more →The media does not report enough about NPOs and their activities, and when they report it is rare, scathing, insufficient, on a small scale, and without going into substance. This is how most organizations in the region, and beyond, will describe their relationship with the media. To overcome this problem, it is necessary that organizations
Read more →Advisory body of the Council of Ministers of BiH for cooperation with NPOs points out that the adoption of the Draft Law on Special Register and Public Work of NPOs, which was considered on September 26 at the session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, is harmful. According to the proposed legislation, CSOs in
Read more →BCSDN member Partners Albania for Change and Development published a Practical Guide to Prevent Potential Abuse of NPOs for Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing. The Guide provides an overview of the legal and regulatory framework for the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism applicable to NPOs, as well as some case studies to
Read more →European civil society calls for improved space and dialogue before the next European elections, with two key requests: a European Civil Society Strategy and an Interinstitutional Civil Dialogue Agreement. Philea actively supports the “Civil Society for EU” campaign, in conjunction with its work for philanthropic actors and the European Philanthropy Manifesto update. While shared issues
Read more →As the EU is at the final stage of negotiations on the AI Act, civil society is concerned about a major loophole to the high-risk classification process of the legislation that Big Tech and other industry players have lobbied to introduce. More than 115 CSOs urged MEPs to stand against the tech and industry lobby
Read more →The research, titled ‘Harassment of Fact-checking Media in Europe,’ shows that 9 out of 10 surveyed fact-checking organizations were exposed to smear campaigns, online harassment, and attacks by politicians and other public figures. Almost all European fact-checking organizations suffered attacks and smear campaigns by political actors and public figures aimed at questioning their credibility, often
Read more →The President of the European Commission, Ms. Von der Leyen during in her 2023 State of the Union Adress stated that EC will open the Rule of Law Reports to accession countries who get up to speed even faster, placing them on an equal footing with member states, supporting them in their reform efforts. This
Read more →The EU has expressed its concern about the enforcement of amendments to the criminal code of the Republika Srpska entity, which reintroduces criminal penalties for defamation. The EU’s position is that this legislation has come into force in the Bosnian Serb entity and that these legal changes impose unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on independent media
Read more →The CASE coalition, a network of organizations combating SLAPP lawsuits in Europe, has released an updated report detailing SLAPPs prevalence and impact. SLAPP suits are legal actions designed to intimidate media outlets and individuals into silence, rather than seeking legitimate legal outcomes. The report reveals that over 250 SLAPP cases were documented in the past
Read more →In Turkey, closure cases against associations are used to target individual organisations while exerting a chilling effect over civil society. The Observatory and their partner organisations in Turkey, the Human Rights Association and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey released a report documenting this practice and its adverse impact on CSOs and the communities they
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