EU Civil Society Guidelines

The DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement region outline the results towards which EU support to civil society in the enlargement region will aspire in the period 2021 – 2027. EU support to civil society will continue to focus on strengthening participatory democracies and the EU approximation and integration process in the Western Balkans and Turkey through a strengthened contribution by civil society.

The guidelines are anchored in a solid set of standards. These are based on the EU Rule of law Acquis (Chapter 23 “Judiciary and fundamental rights” and Chapter 24 “Justice, freedom and security”) and other relevant international and European standards. They are furthermore aligned with recommendations, opinions and guidelines adopted by international organisations and inter-governmental fora. They apply standards developed by civil society for civil society at the global level.

These Guidelines are for EU staff, civil society in the Enlargement region and IPA beneficiary policymakers and officials.

The Guidelines are published officially on the website of the European Commission, DG NEAR, here.

DG NEAR will periodically commission an assessment against the Guidelines. These assessments will provide evidence on the current state of civil society and a time series of data that will indicate positive or negative trends against the indicators.

Country Analysis North Macedonia/Анализа На Земјата Северна Македонија

Извештај за проценка 2021 и 2023

Country Analysis Serbia/Analiza Zemlje Srbija

Извештај о процени стања за 2021 и 2023 годину

 

One page summary DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement region 2021-2027

DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement Region 2021-2027

The first version of the “Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in Enlargement Countries”, 2014-2020 (EUCSG) was developed during 2013 through a consultative process involving key stakeholders from the region. This present revised version is based on lessons learned and feedback received from representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), public institutions and other stakeholders on various occasions – in particular the Western Balkans and Turkey Civil Society Forum held in Skopje, North Macedonia on 22 and 23 January 2020; on-line consultations carried out over 2020; and consultations in each IPA beneficiary in February and March 2021. This revised version also takes into account the findings of the 2017 evaluation of the Civil Society Facility and the findings of the Evaluation of the EU’s engagement with Civil Society in the enlargement, neighbourhood regions and Russia 2007-2018.

DG NEAR Guidelines Presentation

DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement Region 2021-2027

DG NEAR Guidelines Podcast with Richard Allen, Team Leader EU TACSO project