News and updates from BCSDN and the region
BCSDN together with NALAS organized a workshop which gather at one place 30 representatives of EU Institutions, representatives of Local Authorities and Local Authority Associations and CSOs from the WB countries to discuss a bottom-up approach to EU Enlargement and the new Instruments for Financial support for the benefit of its future and current citizens.
Read more →The EC presented updates on the progress made by Albania and North Macedonia in further addressing rule of law related reforms. Both countries have delivered further tangible and sustainable results and Commission’s recommendation to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia remains valid. In the case of Albania, the update outlines progress in the
Read more →BCSDN’ s Policy and Advocacy Officer Biljana Spasovska participated at the panel discussion “Future of Europe” during the second day at the Western Balkans Think Thank Forum, hosted by Institute for Democracy ‘Societas Civilis’ Skopje. The event is an integral part of the 2020 Berlin Process Co-Presidency programme hosted by the governments of the Republic
Read more →The objectives of the Western Balkans CSO Summit were to make possible to increase awareness on the importance of nurturing regional cooperation and to promote people to people links through fostering dialogue between WBF’s stakeholders. Introducing the WBF CSO Summit as a potential tool to enhance cooperation and reconciliation, WBF as a civil society pillar
Read more →An independent assessment of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) reports submitted to the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) commissioned by civil society in 2019 is out. The fourth in a regular series, the assessment notes positive trends in reporting on leaving no one behind and stakeholder engagement, but highlights the continued silence of UN Member
Read more →BCSDN is looking for a consultant to perform a mid-term evaluation for the project “Protecting Civic Space – Regional Civil Society Development Hub” financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The assignment will include evaluation of the Project’s initial setup, the establishment of the Regional Hub including all respective entities and the procedures
Read more →As the EU debates its new post-2020 funding instruments, EU civil society support faces a pivotal moment. The union has been fine-tuning this support in recent years and is now contemplating further reforms. Civil society around the world is undergoing far-reaching changes as new types of informal activism emerge, governments try to constrict civic activity,
Read more →Cooperation between Montenegrin CSOs and the Government of Montenegro is an important precondition for progress towards the EU. Having in mind the political situation in the country where rule of law needs to be improved and corruption tackled, concerns are raised whether CSOs can really make a difference and have their voices heard or their
Read more →The authors of the article state that the first overall impression of the document of the new EU methodology is that it is a small masterpiece of European compromise. The EC has managed to put together a sensible, even innovative, proposal, while at the same time not aggravating any of the member states. It uses
Read more →‘Shrinking civil space’ was one of the new terms we all had to learn in the past half-decade. Threats to the free, independent and autonomous operation and indeed to the sheer existence of CSOs is by now not something that only happens in faraway, exotic countries with little or no democratic traditions, but occurs within
Read more →The highlights of the document include clustering the negotiating chapters in thematic areas, the possibility for rewarding the reforms with more funding and phasing-in of candidates to individual policies, but also sanctioning lack of progress by putting the negotiations on hold in certain areas, or in the most serious cases, their overall suspension. The Commission
Read more →Seven of the leading Serbian think tanks and CSOs have joined the discussion on how to best reform the EU enlargement process in anticipation of the European Commission’s proposal this week by publishing their own set of recommendations to EU institutions in a document titled: “Integrating the Western Balkans: Completing Future Europe”. The organizations have
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