Mr Olivér Várhelyi addresses the participants of EESC's Western Balkans Civil Society High-Level Conference

EESC's Western Balkans Civil Society High-Level Conference

Dear President Röpke,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to address you today at this Conference to confirm the crucial role of civil society in the EU enlargement process – which, as you know, is back at the top of the European Union's political agenda.

The EU fully recognizes the role of civil society organizations in promoting inclusive and transparent policy- and decision-making and effectively reinforcing democratic institutions and processes. Therefore, we engage directly with CSOs in the consultation process of our annual Enlargement Package, where we assess each country's state of preparedness and progress on the fundamentals and EU acquis.

The rule of law and fundamental rights will always be the foundation of the European Union—thus, the relevance of a vibrant civil society to the EU accession process is unquestionable.

To this end, the EU has been a long-standing supporter of civil society organizations in the Western Balkan region. Between 2014 and 2020, we provided about EUR 330 million to civil society and media organizations through our dedicated Civil Society Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye. And we further increased our support under the current financial framework, as over EUR 350 million have already been allocated for the period 2021-2025 .

As you know, we are intensively working on the rollout and implementation of the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This Plan will contribute to accelerating fundamental reforms and the socio-economic convergence of the region with the EU and ultimately pave the way to EU accession. The Growth Plan also offers certain benefits of EU membership, such as closer integration with the EU's Single Market, already before accession.

The Plan is accompanied by an increase in financial assistance through the newly adopted Reform and Growth Facility, worth EUR 6 billion. To unlock funding under the Facility, our Western Balkan partners will have to implement far-reaching reform commitments set out in their respective Reform Agendas.

In this framework, the EU sees a specific role for civil society in helping governments prepare and monitor the implementation of these crucial reforms. In light of this, I express my gratitude to the European Economic and Social Committee for its continuous and invaluable efforts in promoting further engagement of civil society organizations in the enlargement process. Your work is instrumental in ensuring the active participation of civil society in this process.

Moreover, I am glad to see the Enlargement Candidate Members contributing to the work of the European Economic and Social Committee. Once again, we welcome this initiative, which aligns with the accelerated enlargement process we are pursuing with our closest neighbours.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I want to conclude by emphasizing that our joint actions and efforts can build more inclusive, democratic, and prosperous societies in the Western Balkans, thus paving the way toward a future in the European Union.

Thank you.