1. 2015 Regional Report on the Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development in Enlargement Countries
7th September, Brussels
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3. Regional Report 2015 General characteristics:
3rd annual comprehensive report on the policy and legal framework for CSOs in the WBT region
Analysis of 7 countries
Objective:
To identify commonalities among the countries and highlight regional trends compared to 2 previous monitoring years
Provide recommendations for common action on regional and EU level
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4. Regional Report 2015 Methodology
Assessment vis-à-vis all 24 MM standards as well as corresponding objectives of the EU Guidelines for Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement Countries
Developed based on 7 country reports and complemented with the reports on specific rights in the countries and other comparative information
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5. Key Findings General issues
Still relatively young sector- connection to many challenges, including the stigmatization of CSOs
Lack of conclusive data does not fully enable a comprehensive analysis of the sector
2015 Findings similar to those from 2014 and 2013: highlight the continuous need for more enabling regulation and proper implementation of the legal guarantees

6. Key Findings 2015 findings Same as in 2014 & 2013
Continuous challenge to implement the existing legal guarantees of basic freedoms
Repetitive crackdowns on the exercise of freedom of assembly and breaches of the legal guarantees
Fiscal environment remains rather unfavorable

7. Key Findings 2015 findings Same as in 2014 & 2013
CSOs continue to struggle to financially sustain their everyday operation
State-CSO partnerships remain to be inefficient
CSOs continue to be regarded as social service providers, their capacities in other areas remain to be overlooked

8. Key Findings 2015 Positive developments
Several countries announced drafting of social entrepreneurship laws (Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo)
Grants, donations and membership fees are finally tax exempt in all countries (following the amendments in BiH)
New PDCs adopted or being drafted (Albania, Montenegro)

9. Key Findings 2015 Worrisome trends
Launch of initiatives to review CSO framework laws, some of them signaling restrictions (BiH, Montenegro, Serbia)
Worrying regulation on police providing more rights to police officers in the course of assemblies (Macedonia, Turkey)
Deterioration compared to 2014 in relation to the CSO involvement in decision-making (Macedonia, Montenegro, BiH)

10. for National Institutions
Key Recommendations
for National Institutions
Legal guarantees for freedom of association and other related freedoms to be preserved and properly implemented in practice
Fiscal regulations on the CSO income and tax incentives for donors need to be revised to provide supportive tax treatment for CSOs.
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11. for National Institutions
Key Recommendations
for National Institutions
Public funding mechanisms need to be reformed and their rules properly implemented to ensure relevant, transparent and accountable redistribution processes
Mechanisms for CSO-state cooperation need to be made functional through sufficient allocation of financial and human resources with adequate capacities.
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12. for National Institutions
Key Recommendations
for National Institutions
CSOs to be regularly involved in decision and policy making processes at all levels, including effective access to information and inclusion in early stages of the process.
Involvement of CSOs in provision of services on behalf of the state need to be increased also in areas beyond social services.
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13. Key Recommendations for EU Institutions
Participation of the civil society in the EU accession processes to become obligatory
The EU to prioritize the enabling environment in the negotiation processes
The EU funds to be distributed transparently and in a depoliticized manner
The EU to support diversification of CSO financial resources
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14. Thank you!
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