In light of the consultations on the IPA III Civil Society Facility 2021-2023 Multi-Beneficiary (Regional), BCSDN has prepared comments on the Action Document, based on the positions of the network also presented in the BCSDN Opinion on the IPA III. Along with the lack of consultations on a national and regional level and limited access to information on the process, the document contains worrying and dissatisfying proposals that undermine instead of support CSOs in IPA beneficiaries. There is a lack of support for the enabling environment for CSOs, as the focus is greatly on freedom of expression and media, and the document does not address the importance of operational grants and the allocation of core and long-term support to CSOs. The EU plans to provide only 25 out of the 93 million EUR for grants to CSOs in the region, while the rest is to be implemented through direct contracts with UN Bodies, Member states, and international agencies, which jeopardizes the capacities and local ownership of CSOs of the processes. BCSDN is calling all interested regional networks and CSOs for contributions or endorsement to the document, available here. Please contact us at executiveoffice@balkancsd.net if you are interested to join the initiative. Read more here.
Source: BCSDN