The training was led by CEP’s Lead Researcher, Marko Todorović, who presented the project methodology and codebook to research teams from the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) Montenegro and the Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) Bosnia and Herzegovina. The session focused on the practical application of the methodology, including hands-on coding, standardised data collection, and ensuring consistent quality control across the three participating countries.

The RADAR project aims to provide a systematic and comparable overview of radicalising content on TikTok encountered by young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. Rather than measuring the overall prevalence of extremist content, the research focuses on mapping narratives and trajectories that may contribute to the early stages of radicalisation among youth, using a structured analytical framework and protocol.

The training marks an important step in ensuring a harmonised research approach and high-quality data collection across the region.

The project “Radicalisation Analytics in Digital Algorithmic Realms (RADAR)” (December 2025 – November 2026) is funded by the Directorate General for Europe and International Trade Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.

Članak CEP organises RADAR methodology training for regional research teams se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The info-session will take place on 31 March 2026 at 12:00h via Zoom.

You can find the call and more info about the Small Grants Facility “Re-from for Growth” on the link. You can register for the info-session on the link.

Članak Info-session for the ”Re-form for Growth” Small Grant Facility se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The objective of this Call is to empower civil society organisations to provide independent monitoring, advocacy, and sector-specific perspectives on the implementation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (GPWB).

A total amount of EUR 314,620 is allocated to the SGF to support up to 20 grants, with an implementation period of 10 to 12 months per action. The financial framework for the grants is as follows:

• Maximum Grant Amount: EUR 16,000
• Indicative Average Grant: EUR 15,730

The indicative regional distribution is planned as follows:

In order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must:

• Be a legal entity;
• Be non-profit making;
• Be a civil society organisation whose activities are implemented at national and/or local level (i.e. within one or more local self-government units);
• Demonstrate active engagement and relevant experience in one or more thematic areas relevant to this Call for Proposals, through its mandate, previous or ongoing activities, research, monitoring or advocacy work;
• Be registered in one of the following countries: North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Kosovo, at least six (6) months prior to the publication of this Call for Proposals;
• Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action, and not acting as an intermediary;
• Have sufficient operational and financial capacity to carry out the proposed action;

Not be a beneficiary of funding under the EU Civil Society Facility (CSF) and Media Programme (Reference No. EuropeAid/179703/DH/ACT/Multi) for the same implementation period of the proposed action.

Thematic Priorities of the CfP 

1. Integration with the EU Single Market;
2. Regional integration through the Common Regional Market;
3. Priority Areas of the Reform Agendas;
4. Implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility;

For more details about this call, please read carefully the GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS.

Submission and Deadline

Applications must be submitted electronically with the following completed documents:

• Annex 1: Application Form
• Annex 2: Project Budget (Excel)
• Annex 3: Summary of the Proposal in English

Submission Deadline: 06.05.2026 until 17:00h CET

Applications shall be sent to: 

reform-monitor@epi.org.mk; 

cc: angela.delevska@epi.org.mk 

with the subject: “CfP: Re-form for Growth – (Country)_Application”.

Application package

Information Sessions

Information sessions for interested applicants will be organised online (via Google Meet or Zoom) during the week of 25 March-1 April 2026. 

The sessions will be organised by the respective implementing partner in each country:

• North Macedonia – European Policy Institute (EPI), Skopje
• Serbia – European Policy Centre (CEP), Belgrade
• Montenegro – Institute Alternativa (IA), Podgorica
• Albania – Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), Tirana
• Kosovo – Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS), Prishtina
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH)

The sessions will provide guidance on the thematic priorities, eligibility criteria, application requirements and evaluation process.

Detailed information on the exact dates, time slots and registration process will be published in due time on:  www.reform-monitor.org

If needed, further information can be obtained by sending the question to: reform-monitor@epi.org.mk; cc: angela.delevska@epi.org.mk, no later than 6 April 2026.

Članak Re-form for Growth: Small Grant Facility se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

On Tuesday, 23 December 2025, in Podgorica, an Inter-Municipal Cooperation Agreement was signed to ensure joint access to the Unified System for Electronic Data Exchange (JSERP), enabling access to Montenegro’s state electronic data exchange service (Government Service Bus – GSB) through a shared access point. As electronic data exchange between public authorities is one of the key prerequisites for performing the responsibilities of local self-government units through information and communication technologies, the purpose of the Agreement is to provide access to municipalities that are currently unable to independently secure such access due to financial, human-resource, technical, or other constraints, in line with prescribed conditions and technical requirements. Under the Agreement, a joint platform for accessing the GSB is established and provided by the Capital City of Podgorica, which has the necessary resources and has already secured access in accordance with the required standards.

The Agreement was signed by 25 local self-government units, with the support of the Ministry of Public Administration and the UNOPS programme. Expert support for its preparation and implementation is provided by BELIT and the Centre for European Policy within the project “Digital Transformation of Local Self-Governments in Montenegro.” The text of the Agreement was drafted by Dušan Protić, Programme Manager for the Internal Market and Competitiveness at CEP. The next phase of the project will include activities to monitor and support implementation, provide model internal acts to local self-government units necessary for establishing e-government and delivering e-services, as well as other activities aimed at ensuring the digital transformation of municipalities in Montenegro in the near term.

Članak An Inter-Municipal Agreement on Joint Access to the GSB Signed in Montenegro with the Support of CEP se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The workshop was designed in several parts: an introductory lecture, followed by two interactive group works. During the first group work, the participants identified the biggest challenges facing the EU enlargement policy, the neighborhood policy and the European integration process of the candidate countries. The second group work was devoted to the formulation of specific recommendations, which the students presented through short presentations, emphasizing the importance of inclusive educational programs, greater involvement of institutions and a more active role of civil society in bringing the EU closer to citizens.

The participants showed a high level of pro-European orientation and expressed interest in political processes. Naturally, the discussions were permeated with current political events in Serbia, including student protests against corruption. This context did not limit the discussion, on the contrary, it contributed to the additional engagement of the participants and indicated that young people in Serbia see the European Union as a relevant political actor and an important reference point in thinking about the country’s future.

Članak Event “Laboratory of Ideas: Youth for the Future of Europe” was launched se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Representatives of state authorities of the Republic of Serbia presented an overview of reform steps with a deadline for implementation set for December 2025, along with an assessment of which steps can be completed by the end of the year and which will enter the grace period. The meeting did not address activities for which the Government of Serbia has already submitted funding requests, i.e., those it assessed as completed by June 2025.

Since the Government of Serbia has so far not published any reports on the implementation of the Reform Agenda, civil society representatives did not have access to concrete information on the implementation of the steps previously reported by the Government to the European Commission, while information on activities related to the new steps was presented only orally during the meeting. The NCEU representatives therefore insisted on the following:

• that preparatory materials be distributed to all Committee members before technical meetings are held, in order to enable quality and well-argumented participation and equality of all members, including the member representing civil society;
• that all reports submitted by state authorities to the European Commission as part of the funding requests also be submitted to the National Convention, for the purpose of carrying out its oversight and monitoring function.

Representatives of the NCEU explained that, without access to the complete set of data and reports submitted by the Government to the European Commission as the basis for drawing funds, it is not possible to ensure adequate monitoring of the implementation process of the Reform Agenda.

Representatives of the European Commission supported the reasonableness of these requests, while representatives of the Government stated that they would consider possible ways to fulfil them.

The National Convention recalls that transparency is the fundamental prerequisite for a credible, effective, and accountable process of implementing the Reform Agenda. Without timely access to information on the activities declared as completed, civil society cannot fulfil the role formally assigned to it, as an independent and constructive monitoring partner.

For more than a year, Serbia has been shaken by a political and social crisis whose resolution requires reducing mistrust between the authorities and citizens, while civil society should serve as a bridge. The first step in this regard must be a radical increase in the transparency of reform processes, beginning with civil society. Otherwise, both civil society and EU institutions risk further increasing citizens’ mistrust. It is crucial that the measures declared as fulfilled be based on verifiable data so that the citizens of Serbia can have full insight into the conditions under which EU funds are drawn and the manner in which the undertaken reform commitments are truly implemented.

In this context, NCEU representatives once again expressed concern during the meeting regarding instances where legislative initiatives launched within the implementation of the Reform Agenda were used to introduce additional amendments not described in that planning document, and which, according to NCEU analyses, may potentially undermine the achieved level of human rights, as well as institutional transparency and openness.

The delegation of the National Convention was led by Milena Mihajlović Denić from the European Policy Centre, a member of the Committee and coordinator of the NCEU Multisectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia. The Convention was also represented by the coordinators of the subgroups for thematic areas under the Reform Agenda: Mihailo Gajić (NALED) for the business environment and private sector development; Damir Dizdarević (BFPE) for green transition; Kristina Obrenović (Partners Serbia) for digital transformation; Nataša Vučković (FCD) for human capital; Zlata Đorđević (Transparency Serbia) for rule of law and fundamental rights; and Lazar Ivanović (CEVES) for monitoring the financial and budgetary implications of the Reform Agenda.

Članak Tripartite Meeting Held within the Multisectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Within the scope of the EU Enlargement Forum 2025 Conference in Prague, organized by Europeum Institute, Dušan Protić participated at the table on the topic of EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 in light of the next enlargement, where he presented the main findings of the latest CEP study “What does the Western Balkans cost me?” providing that overall cost of integrating the whole Western Balkans would be marginal relative to the EU’s total financial capacity.

Protić said: “EU can comfortably finance the Western Balkan enlargement within its existing fiscal capacity without raising member state contributions or significantly reducing current commitments, since the average cost of the membership of Western Balkans six would amount up to €5 per EU citizen per year. Bottom line is – Western Balkans annual price of EU membership per capita would be pretty much equivalent to a cup of espresso.”

This discussion attracted a lot of attention of the participants and the expectation that such exact data will additionally help in the argumentation of the request for the acceleration of the accession process of the entire region.

Članak Conference “EU Enlargement Forum 2025” was Held in Prague se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Winter School in North Mitrovica: Bridging the Gap between Serbia and Kosovo

Dates: 8–10 December 2025

Place: North Mitrovica, Hotel Ador

List of selected applicants:
1. Dragana Vasiljević-Valent

2. Dajana Božović

3. Dejana Cvetković

4. Ana Jakovljević

5. Nebojša Đerić

6. Alsea Ymeri

7. Eriona Hoti

8. Violeta Blakqori

9. Refik Tupella

10. Yllnora Elshani

11. Ermal Boshnjaku

12. Dardane Alimusaj

13. Gentiana Shala

14. Gramoz Shala

15. Gentrit Krasniqi

The European Policy Centre (CEP) and Sbunker invite civil society representatives, young professionals, journalists, researchers and other interested stakeholders from Serbia and Kosovo to apply for a three-day Winter School dedicated to strengthening capacities for monitoring the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue.

The Winter School is organised within the project Supporting the EU Enlargement through the Normalisation Process between Serbia and Kosovo: Civil Society as a Driver of Progress, supported by the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation within the “Think Tanks for the Future of EU Enlargement Program” (TFEP). The project highlights the essential role of civil society in contributing to the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, an issue central to regional security, minority rights, cooperation, and EU integration. By fostering collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs) in both communities and strengthening their capacity to monitor the dialogue, the initiative aims to support transparent, constructive engagement with the EU-facilitated process. The project is implemented by CEP (Belgrade) and Sbunker (Pristina), in collaboration with Carnegie Europe (Brussels).

About the Winter School

The Winter School will gather 15 participants from Serbia and Kosovo for an intensive programme consisting of thematic lectures, practical exercises, visits to international organisations, and facilitated group work. Participants will gain deeper understanding of the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and reconciliation, and the role of civil society in monitoring agreements and promoting accountability.

The Winter School offers participants four thematic sessions with accompanying exercises. First, it will delve into normalisation dialogue under the EU auspices on Day 1 of the event. On Day 2, participants will have the chance to visit UNMIK and OSCE regional offices in Mitrovica and attend the thematic session on journalists’ perspectives on normalisation of relations. Finally, during Day 3 of the Winter School, participants will have the chance to hear and learn more about the international missions and Kosovo Albanian and Serb CSOs in Kosovo on two separate thematic sessions.

This three-day workshop will also contribute to the project’s upcoming Shadow Report on the state of the normalisation dialogue.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• be residents of Serbia or Kosovo,
• be active in civil society, media, youth initiatives, academia, or public institutions,
• demonstrate interest in EU integration, security, dialogue processes, or related fields,
• be able to attend the full three-day programme (8–10 December 2025)
• have working proficiency in English (the working language of the Winter School).

Application Deadline

November 26, 2025

Selection Process

Participants will be selected by CEP and Sbunker based on:

• Motivation letter (clarity of motivation, relevance of interests, and potential to apply acquired knowledge),
• Curriculum vitae,
• Demonstrated interest or experience in topics related to the dialogue, EU enlargement, civil society, peacebuilding, or regional cooperation,
• Balance considerations, ensuring representation across gender, ethnicity, communities, sectors, and geography.

The selection process will be completed by 28 November, and the list of selected participants will be published on the CEP and Sbunker websites on the same date.

Costs

Accommodation, meals, local transport during the programme, and organised visits are fully covered by the organisers. Travel arrangements will be communicated to selected participants.

How to Apply

Please submit your application through the following online form: Google Form link

For any additional questions, please contact:

• CEP: ljubica.kovacevic@cep.org.rs
• Sbunker: hana@sbunker.net

Članak Winter School in North Mitrovica: Bridging the Gap between Serbia and Kosovo se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Across the Western Balkans, public administration reform is essential for building open, transparent, and accountable governments aligned with European Union values. The regional WeBER initiative, predominantly funded by the EU, has been supporting the participation of civil society and citizens in public administration reform since 2015, with a focus on public-facing aspects of administration—transparency, openness, inclusiveness, and accountability. In Serbia, as part of the ongoing WeBER 3.0 project, CEP organized this event to bring together civil society organizations, institutional representatives, the media, and the donor community in a shared dialogue on inclusive, citizen-centered reforms.

Throughout the two previous WeBER cycles, each lasting three years, one key lesson emerged: the need for visible national platforms that highlight the perspectives of citizens and civil society in public administration reform. The “Citizens First” conference directly addresses this gap by giving visibility to reform efforts from the local to the central level and showcasing local innovations developed through the small grants program, one of the core pillars of the WeBER 3.0 project.

In her opening remarks, Milena Mihajlović Denić, WeBER Project Team Leader and Program Director at the European Policy Centre (CEP), recalled the original idea behind the WeBER initiative—to maintain pressure on authorities to continue administrative reforms by strengthening civil society and empowering citizens, even after EU enlargement, when the leverage of EU conditionality weakens and the SIGMA-OECD mandate ends. She also highlighted examples of effective cooperation between civil society and professional public administration across the region through the WeBER Policy Lab, a collaborative format between public institutions and civil society that applies human-centered, design-thinking methods to solving real-life citizen problems. In Serbia specifically, this process led to the joint development of prototypes for an integrated service for changing surnames and personal documents after marriage or divorce—an issue that currently requires visits to multiple institutions, numerous separate procedures, and significant costs for citizens. This initiative is also gender-sensitive, recognizing that the burden of these administrative procedures disproportionately affects women and that solutions must be designed to address their specific needs.

H.E. Pernille Dahler Kardel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to the Republic of Serbia, emphasized that the progress achieved with Montenegro is clearly visible in the case of Albania as well, and expressed hope that the same trend will be seen in Serbia. She noted that significant work remains in the areas of the rule of law, media freedom, and freedom of expression, but expressed confidence that Serbia can remain firmly committed to this process. She added that public services still do not fully meet citizens’ expectations, highlighting the fundamental importance of building and maintaining basic trust between citizens and institutions.

Črtomir Peter Fisinger, Head of the Political Section at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, pointed out that public administration reform is one of the key pillars of European integration. It encompasses strengthening governance at all levels, including equality and accountability, increasing professionalism, depoliticization, transparency, as well as issues related to recruitment and dismissal in the civil service. If the purpose of public administration is to serve citizens, then citizens must be included in this transformation. He stressed that this is precisely the essence of this EU-funded project—to promote a public administration that is centered on citizens.

Članak National “Citizens First” conference: Towards citizen-oriented public services in Serbia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The Convention requested full participation in the Committee’s work, including voting rights and the ability to express dissenting opinions. An Intersectoral Working Group was established to monitor the implementation of reforms and to inform the public about progress and challenges.

The first meeting focused on the following areas: business environment, green and digital transition, human capital, and rule of law. The Convention criticized the practice of using reforms as a pretext for adopting regulations that distance Serbia from the EU — specifically highlighting changes to criminal legislation that undermine human rights.

The Convention insisted on transparency and the inclusion of civil society throughout the process, along with the right to comment on government reports before they are reviewed by the European Commission.

Participation in this mechanism does not imply the Convention’s return to other government-led processes where there are no conditions for genuine democratic influence.

Članak Statement of the Multisectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

In an era where the global order is regularly being upturned, with adversarial powers such as Russia continuing to engage in existential military and hybrid threats to European countries, longstanding allies such as the United States turning their backs on Europe, and rising powers such as China repositioning themselves in the midst of this, the European Union’s (EU) need for resilience has never been greater or more immediate. EU enlargement to candidate countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, countries in the Western Balkans, and beyond, is a crucial tool for staking Europe’s claim in the geopolitical order.

To discuss these, and many more, open questions about the future of the European project, TEPSA organised “The Future of EU Enlargement: Building a Stronger and Safer Europe”, the InvigoratEU project’s Mid-Term Conference, which took place in Brussels on May 13th.

The conference started at 10:00 CEST sharp. Panel discussions focused on diverse topics relating to the future of EU enlargement, including the security and defence dimension, social cohesion and economic convergence, connectivity, democracy, and others. To learn more, please consult the agenda on the right side of this page.

To learn more about the InvigoratEU project, please visit its website, and follow the hashtag #InvigoratEU on Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter/X.

Članak “The Future of EU Enlargement: Building a Stronger and Safer Europe” | InvigoratEU Mid-Term Conference se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Opening the event, Simonida Kacarska, Director of EPI, emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative:

“This launch event aims to showcase what we have done so far, what is the focus in the next 30 months, and how we can foster partnerships—with institutions, civil society organizations, the European Commission, and other regional partners.”

Representing the European Commission’s DG ENEST, Olivier Lanoo, elaborated on the goals of Pillars 1 and 2 of the Growth Plan:

“Pillar 1 is about gradual integration of the region into the EU, covering priorities such as free movement of goods and digital market access. Pillar 2, on the other hand, focuses on creating a competitive and integrated regional market.”

Giorgio Zecca, Acting Head of Sector at DG ENEST, emphasized the role of civil society and transparency:

“The regulation explicitly states that the involvement of civil society organizations and main stakeholders is a guiding principle. We are committed to ensuring this happens throughout implementation.”

In a strong endorsement of the initiative, two national coordinators for the Reform Agendas provided remarks. The Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia, Orhan Murtezani and the Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro, Maida Gorčević shared their views.

“Clarity in reform monitoring is not a technical issue, but a strategic necessity… The Reform and Growth Monitor offers the possibility to integrate evidence-based reform tracking into policy planning, funding decisions, and accountability mechanisms” said  Orhan Murtezani, Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia.

He added that the national Reform Agenda reflects “a nationally driven platform of transformation,” grounded in consultation with civil society, line ministries, and development partners.

Maida Gorčević, Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro, praised the project’s timing and impact:

“Inclusiveness is not just a formality. It ensures expertise, strengthens institutions, and enhances predictability in managing EU funds.”

She also announced the planned establishment of a formal oversight committee that will include civil society, academia, and the expert community.

Stefan Ristovski, Lead Researcher on the project, presented the project’s goals and the new platform www.reform-monitor.org:

“The project is built around four pillars: monitoring, national consultation mechanisms, re-granting, and strategic communication… We aim to provide regular updates, comparative assessments, and data-based tools to track the implementation of reforms and conditionalities.”

The “RA Talks” panel, moderated by Aleksandar Ivković from European Western Balkans, brought together key voices from the region and the EU

Milena Mihajlović Denić, Programme Director at CEP (Serbia), emphasized the complexity of monitoring, stating that the reform agendas vary, not only in content, but also in methodology.

“The reform agendas vary not only in content but in methodology. It will be challenging to compare, but we are prioritizing reform areas that can offer regional benchmarks.”

Besar Gërgi, Country Researcher for Kosovo at GLPS, explained that the government cannot implement all the reform steps alone.

“The government alone cannot implement 111 reform steps. Civil society has a crucial role, yet we were not properly consulted in the design phase. We hope the implementation phase will bring more opportunities.”

Krisela Hackaj, Executive Director of CDI (Albania), shared encouraging news coming from Albania.

“The Albanian government has now included our recommendation to create an inclusive monitoring committee—this is a significant step forward.”

She added that to have a real dialogue, the civil society needs data and that’s why the reform trackers are important.

Matteo Vespa, Policy and Project Officer at Civil Society Europe, offered comparative insights from the EU’s Next Generation EU experience.

“Involvement of civil society in the EU’s national recovery plans was often promised but rarely delivered. The Western Balkans can do better—by building on structured models like the partnership principle from cohesion policy.”

The WB Reform and Growth Monitor project will support civil society in all six Western Balkan countries to engage in evidence-based monitoring, dialogue, and regional cooperation. Its goal: to ensure that reforms funded through the EU’s €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility are effective, inclusive, and transparent.

Članak Western Balkans Reform and Growth Monitor Project Officially Launched se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.