About 60 representatives of civil society organisations participated in the consultations on the programming of the IPA III Civil Society Facility for 2026-2027 held online on 20th September 2024.
The online consultations were opened by Mr. Steffen HUDOLIN, the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, followed by Ms. Irena Ivanova, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation. Irena Ivanova gave overview of the consultation process, focusing on the main programme objectives, the total allocations of funding under IPA III CSF 2026-2027 and potential areas of cooperation.
After the presentations, the CSOs were invited to give their comments, proposals and contribute in the programming of IPA III CSF for 2026-2027.
Some of the challenges faced by organisations are related to the irresponsible digital transformation; the increasing consequences of low-quality content in the media, the increasing polarization and hate speech in the online space, the spread of illegal content and cyber security. EU should prioritize empowering citizens with the necessary knowledge, tools, and platforms to engage in transparent governance that addresses their needs. This is crucial for fostering informed citizens’ participation. Furthermore, the EU should contribute to responsible digital transformation by implementing regulations and standards that promote accountability in digital spaces.
The discussion also focused on economic topics, including labour market dynamics, state aid and the informal economy, to address pressing economic challenges facing citizens. Other priorities that were mentioned are related to food security and scientific cooperation, digitisation in the tourism sector, commitment to social policies and meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, etc.
Representatives of the local organisations called for the introduction of measures to simplify access to projects for small organisations, especially those dealing with local issues, in order to strengthen their engagement.
The consultations were organised within the EU-funded project “EU support of the Civil Society Resource Centre – phase 2”, implemented by the National Civil Society Development Foundation, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation, Media Plus, Stip and Association for Democratic Initiatives – ADI, Gostivar.
