EESC info: How can civil society accompany the process of negotiations and future integration of Western Balkan countries? In this context, what is the role of the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum initiated by the EESC?

Ionut Sibian: It is the strong belief of the EESC that civil society has to play an active role in the enlargement process, bridging the gap between politics and people, and helping to monitor whether fundamental principles such as freedom of speech, the rule of law, the independence of the media, equal treatment and the fight against corruption and preventing conflicts of interest are actually implemented in practice.

Our Committee has always supported a systematic involvement of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the planning, programming, implementation and monitoring processes related to accession reforms. This should be a principle that not only applies to and is expected from the governments of the Western Balkans but it also needs to be practised by the EU institutions themselves.

In our EESC opinion Enhancing the accession process - A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans, adopted in March 2021, we recommend to the European Commission that civil society should be better recognised in the context of the new methodology and be granted a greater role in the enlargement process. This would help in addressing not only political but also economic and social challenges. For that reason, building the capacities of social partners and other CSOs at national level, facilitating regional cooperation, as well as expertise exchange, should be maintained among the priorities for the EU funding.

Moreover, to keep a check on the transparency and accountability of Western Balkans political elites, we encourage the EU to commission regular "shadow" reports on the state of democracy from CSOs in the region. We also asked the Commission that the country reports within its' annual "Enlargement package" should follow a clear structure for monitoring how Western Balkans governments deal with civil society, in line with DG NEAR's Guidelines and Strategic Directions for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement Region for the period 2021-2027. This would provide a basis for responding with political actions where backsliding takes place, while progress would bring more tangible benefits for the countries in the enlargement process

In this context, what is the role of the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum initiated by the EESC?

The Western Balkans Civil Society Forum is part of EESC activities in the Western Balkans. It completes the existing bilateral work of the EESC with countries negotiating their EU accession through Civil Society Joint Consultative Committees (JCCs), established according to the legal basis provided for within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreements.

Organised every two years since 2006, the EESC's Civil Society Forum provides an opportunity to exchange views on the current situation of civil society in the region, its needs and its future development. It brings together CSOs from Western Balkan countries, members of the EESC, representatives of national Economic and Social Councils and similar institutions, representatives of EU institutions and of international organisations. The participants adopt recommendations addressed to national authorities and European institutions. This year's Forum in Skopje (30 September and 1 October) was held just before the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brdo, Slovenia, on 6 October, and the Final declaration of the Forum was distributed to all the stakeholders prior to the Summit. Also, the recommendations provide guidelines for the future activities of the EESC with the region.

Ionut Sibian, President for the EU-Western Balkans Follow-up Committee