News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted its opinion on the European Commission’s proposals for the 2028–2034 AgoraEU and Justice Programmes with near-unanimous support. The EESC strongly endorses the Commission’s ambitions and urges the European Parliament and Council to maintain the proposed budget, emphasizing that democracy, rights, and the rule of law must remain
Read more →Our member, Građanske Inicijative (Civic Initiatives), was presented with this year’s Lala Human Rights Award by Ambassador Martijn Ehlersma of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Serbia. The award, granted annually by the Dutch government for courageous and tireless work in advancing human rights, recognized Civic Initiatives for its long-standing, constructive, and
Read more →The European Parliament has adopted its position on the draft Directive on Transparency of Third-Country Interest Representation, intended to expose lobbying on behalf of non-EU governments while excluding normal civil society work, research, media, and general foreign funding; however, European CSOs warn that vague definitions, unclear safeguards, and new terms such as “third-country sponsor” leave
Read more →The BCSDN released its 16th annual analysis, “Civic Space as a Credibility Test,” for the 2025 EU Enlargement Package, assessing the environment for civil society in the Western Balkans and Türkiye (WBT). The report highlights a critical structural gap: governments can advance accession while simultaneously restricting civic space—which, along with media freedom and democratic institutions, remains the weakest area across
Read more →Over 30 CSOs, coordinated by Transparency International EU and joined by the European Civic Forum, have signed a joint letter urging pro-democracy MEPs to boycott the European Parliament’s newly created Scrutiny Working Group on NGOs (SWG). The CSOs warn that the SWG is the product of politically motivated attacks by the European People’s Party and far-right groups, designed to
Read more →Albania’s draft law “On Lobbying” is viewed as a positive move toward enhancing transparency and integrity in public decision-making. However, experts warn that several provisions risk placing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the same regulatory regime as commercial lobbyists. The main concern is the broad definition of lobbying, which could classify ordinary public-interest activities—like consultations,
Read more →The European Commission has proposed mandatory national transparency registers for lobbying on behalf of third countries, aiming to counter foreign interference across EU democracies. This draft legislation, part of the 2023 ‘Defence of Democracy’ package, would require all Member States to establish harmonised registers and empower authorities to investigate and impose sanctions for non-compliance. In
Read more →The European Ombudswoman has found that the European Commission committed maladministration in preparing the Omnibus I on sustainability and the 2024 CAP “simplification.” This decision validates long-standing concerns raised by civil society that the Commission bypassed crucial impact assessments, restricted public participation, and favored industry interests. The ruling marks a significant win for NGOs and
Read more →The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) has welcomed the EU’s first-ever Strategy for Civil Society, praising the inclusion of civil society input and recognition of enlargement countries as part of a shared civic space with EU Member States. The network called for stronger commitments to align the strategy’s goals with accession contexts. BCSDN highlighted
Read more →The European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Communication presents accession as increasingly attainable but shows that persistent weaknesses in the Rule of Law, democratic institutions, and fundamental rights continue to hinder progress. While some candidates have advanced in key reforms, the report highlights ongoing political polarization, weak oversight, and limited public consultation across much of the region.
Read more →At the 2025 Democracy & Rights Conference in Copenhagen, the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) led an interactive Skill and Capacity Lab titled “From Civic Space Struggles to EU Impact: Advocacy Pathways and Alliances for Civil Society in Europe.” The session, facilitated by Maja Stojanović of Civic Initiatives (Serbia) and Simona Mladenovska from BCSDN,
Read more →Investigative journalism across the Western Balkans was recently recognised through awards in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, celebrating impactful reporting on corruption and public-interest issues. In North Macedonia, 360 stepeni journalists won for uncovering abuses in national security. Albanian reporters from Amfora.al were awarded for exposing coastal development threats to cultural heritage. Montenegro’s top
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