Civil Society’s Role in Supporting Reform under the Growth Plans for the Western Balkans and Moldova, as well as in Ukraine’s Reform Path

Practical information:

Composition of the Study Group

Administrator in charge: David HOIĆ  Assistant:  Nadja KAČIČNIK

European Commission:

• Press release: 2025 Enlargement package shows progress towards EU membership for key enlargement partners; COM(2025) 690 final 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy and country reports (4 November 2025)

• COM(2023) 691 on the New growth plan for the Western Balkans (8 November 2023) and Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans (14 May 2024)

• Growth Plan for the Western Balkans - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (website)

• COM(2024) 470 on the Moldova Growth Plan (9 October 2024) and Regulation (EU) 2025/535 establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova (18 March 2025)

• The Growth Plan for Moldova - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (website)

• Regulation (EU) 2024/792 establishing the Ukraine Facility (29 February 2024); Ukraine Facility Plan and Commission endorses Ukraine Plan

• Ukraine Facility - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (website)

European Economic and Social Committee:

• REX/595 Moldova Growth Plan (26 March 2025)

• REX/581 New growth plan and Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans (24 April 2024)

• REX/591 Paving the way to EU accession for the Western Balkans (18 September 2024)

• REX/598 The importance of institutionalising civil and social dialogue in EU candidate and partner countries (17 July 2025)

• REX/605 Strengthening European values in candidate countries by supporting the public service sector and empowering social partners and civil society organisations (21 October 2025)

• ECO/639 The role of cohesion policy in upcoming rounds of EU enlargement (30 May 2024)

• SOC/840 EU strategy to support, protect and empower civil society (17 July 2025)

• Enlargement Candidate Members (ECMs) Initiative

• Final Declaration of 10th Western Balkan Civil Society Forum (13-14 May 2025)

• Conclusions of the High-Level Civil Society Conference on Continuing the success story of EU enlargement by bringing benefits to the Western Balkans in advance of accession (24 May 2024)

• Permanent group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law: reports on Moldova, Serbia and Albania

European Parliament:

• State of play: EU support to Ukraine | Think Tank | European Parliament (7 November 2025)

• Ukraine Facility: State of play | Think Tank | European Parliament (16 July 2024)

• Study: Future outlook of EU-Moldova trade and investment relations | Think Tank | European Parliament (24 September 2025)

• EU-Western Balkans relations: Macroeconomic situation and EU financial support | Think Tank | European Parliament (8 April 2024)

• EU enlargement and the post-2027 Multi-Annual Financial Framework | Think Tank | European Parliament (31 October 2024)

Other sources:

• "WB Reform and Growth Monitor" launched to track national Reform Agendas - European Western Balkans

• Open Society Foundation: One year after the adoption of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: Where do we stand? - Open Society Foundations Western Balkans (April 2025)

• Atlantic Council: Zeneli-et-al-Growth-Plan-for-the-Western-Balkans-H.pdf (2025)

• Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) Policy Brief: Why Civic Space Must Be an EU Accession Priority (February 2025)

• European Policy Center (EPC): Thinking Enlarged: Civil Society’s Role in Preparing for EU Enlargement (October 2025); The-Potential-of-the-Growth-Plan-for-the-Western-Balkans_Recommendations-for-Its-Implementation-and-the-Role-of-Civil-Society.pdf (February 2024)

• Ukraine Facility Plan (website of the Ukrainian Government)

• ESI: Offer the four freedoms to the Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova for a merit-based EU accession process with a credible goal

• CIF WB6: New Growth Plan – Opportunities for the Western Balkans Business Sector (December 2023)

• RCC: Common Regional Market

• Cooperation & Development Institute (CDI) Albania: Study on the state of affairs of engagement of Civil Society Organizations in the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans – Part I (October 2023) and Part II (December 2023); Albania’s Reform Agenda: First RGF Monitoring Report Highlights Progress and Next Steps CDINSTITUTE (Octobre 2025); Reform Tracker - CDINSTITUTE

• EPC/CEPS: A Template for Staged Accession to the EU (October 2021); Template 2.0 for Staged Accession to the EU (August 2023)

• European Policy Institute (EPI) Skopje: Reform Agenda Monitor North Macedonia - EPI (February 2025)

• European Policy Centre (EPC) Belgrade: Reform Agenda Update - Pilot Reform Monitor - European Policy Centre (26 August 2025); Behind the Curtain: Examining the Adoption and Content of Serbia’s Reform Agenda - European Policy Centre (February 2025)

• Group for Legal and Political Studies Kosovo: GLPS-Policy-Brief-Kosovo-RA-gaps-and-challenges-in-implementation.pdf (February 2025)

• The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF): Report Local Stakeholders and Ukraine’s Resilience: A Survey of Community-Level Engagement During the War | German Marshall Fund of the United States (April 2025)

• Position of Ukrainian civil society on the adopted Ukraine Plan – Ecoaction