News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Civic Forum’s 2024 Civic Space report highlights concerning trends in civic freedoms across the EU and Western Balkans. Despite EU commitments to democracy, there is a decline in civic space, with restrictions on protests and civil society initiatives. The report notes challenges such as legal harassment, funding limitations, and a lack of dialogue
Read more →The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association is calling for inputs on stigmatizing narratives and their impact on these rights. This input will inform the thematic report to the UN General Assembly’s 79th session. The report aims to analyze the spread of negative narratives against civil society and
Read more →The 2024 EU Elections Manifesto outlines six progressive proposals aimed at facilitating a just transition towards a more equitable and sustainable future in Europe. It emphasizes the critical point at which Europe finds itself, advocating for transformative policies to address ongoing crises in climate, health, socio-economic inequality, and migration. Key proposals include prioritizing a socially
Read more →The European Commission is preparing rule of law reports for EU member and candidate countries, set to be published on 3 July, though this date may change. The reports will use the same methodology for both groups to provide a clear comparison. President Ursula von der Leyen announced this initiative to help candidate countries progress
Read more →The Council of the European Union has approved a Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (2024-2027), offering up to 2 billion EUR in grants and 4 billion EUR in loans. Beneficiaries must meet preconditions like democratic governance, free media, rule of law, and alignment with EU foreign policy, including measures against Russia. They must submit
Read more →The European Commission has moved ahead with the “Directive on Transparency of Interest Representation on Behalf of Third Countries” despite fierce opposition from European civil society since its unveiling in 2023. Despite claims that it aims to increase transparency, critics argue it resembles foreign agent laws seen elsewhere, posing a threat to civil society and the media
Read more →On 11-12 June, in Istanbul, Turkey, TUSEV and STGM, with EU support, will organize the International Conference on Freedom of Association “Strong Civil Society”. Convening CSOs from Türkiye and abroad, the Conference aims to address challenges to civic space and strengthen NGOs as pillars of democracy. Discussions will highlight innovative strategies to safeguard human rights
Read more →The European Parliament finalized a legislation as they strive to secure final votes on several laws ahead of recess and the June EP elections. This includes the AI Act, the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the anti-SLAPP Directive, as well as the contentious Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). While most texts reached an agreement
Read more →The Civil Society Europe “Introduction to Civil Dialogue” manual addresses the lack of a legal framework for implementing the EU’s commitment to open dialogue with civil society, outlined in Article 11 of the Treaty on the European Union. Developed within the ‘EnTrust’ project, the manual aims to cultivate a culture of civil dialogue among EU
Read more →The ALL DIGITAL Weeks 2024 campaign, running from May 13-31, emphasizes digital skills for inclusion and employment across Europe. Organized by the ALL DIGITAL Network since 2010, it has aided 1.5 million individuals in gaining or improving digital skills. Supported by the European Commission, this year’s edition urges European citizens to enhance their digital proficiency,
Read more →One of the entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska is moving ahead with its controversial “foreign agents” law despite domestic and international pressure and CSOs’ concerns. These worrisome developments, following examples of narrowing civic space in the country, reflect a broader pattern of suppressing dissent. We reassert our concerns about the implications of the law – jeopardizing civil
Read more →The European Parliament approved the legislative resolution for the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, known as the Growth Plan allocating 6 billion EUR for 2024-2027. Beneficiaries must meet conditions including democratic mechanisms, media freedom, rule of law, and alignment with the EU’s foreign policy. Each must submit a Reform Agenda, reflecting assessments
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