Civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Western Balkans face significant challenges in monitoring and evaluating reform processes. A lack of capacity, tools, and resources prevents them from effectively ensuring oversight, identifying deficiencies, and advocating for necessary changes within reform agendas. This problem is further exacerbated by the challenges of economic and social convergence of the Western Balkans with the European Union. Currently, the region reaches only 35% of the EU’s average economic level, which negatively impacts internal reforms, reduces fiscal capacity, and encourages emigration.
Context of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans
In order to bring the region closer to the EU and reap the benefits of membership before formal accession, the European Commission introduced the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans on November 8, 2023. This plan includes four key pillars:
- Increasing economic integration with the EU’s single market, aligning with EU standards and regulations.
- Strengthening regional economic cooperation through the Common Regional Market (CRM).
- Accelerating key reforms focusing on fundamental clusters of the accession process.
- Increasing financial support for reforms through the Reform and Growth Fund for the 2024–2027 period.
The plan foresees that each Western Balkan country will develop a Reform Agenda based on existing European Commission recommendations. Disbursements from this fund will be conditional on progress in areas such as macroeconomic stability, transparent public financial management, and good governance. Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet agreed on the Growth Plan and Reform Agenda, primarily due to political conditions related to ensuring the functionality of the Constitutional Court of BiH and the ethnic veto in the Competition Council and the State Aid Council of BiH.
Role of CSOs and the Need for Monitoring and Evaluation
In implementing the Growth Plan, CSOs play a critical role in ensuring transparency and accountability. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) emphasized that CSOs and social partners must be involved in all stages of development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of reform agendas. Additionally, the EESC proposes the establishment of national monitoring committees that would include CSOs to strengthen coordination and effectively monitor reform processes.
EU experiences, such as the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM), highlight the need for objective and transparent monitoring systems. These systems should include mechanisms for feedback and revision, allowing CSOs to effectively track progress and ensure that reforms meet the needs of citizens.
The Importance of Strengthening M&E Capacity
Effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) enable CSOs to provide evidence for advocacy, oversee policy implementation, and encourage government accountability. However, many organizations in the Western Balkans lack the necessary skills and tools to perform these functions. Without robust M&E capacities, CSOs cannot adequately track the achievement of reform goals or point out areas that need improvement.
Strengthening the capacity of CSOs through training and the adoption of standardized M&E tools is crucial for the long-term success of reforms. In addition to technical knowledge, it is essential to develop mechanisms that ensure that the voices of CSOs and citizens are heard in decision-making processes.
Conclusion
The Western Balkan countries have the opportunity to make significant progress in EU convergence through the Growth Plan. However, the success of this plan depends on dedication of the countries and effective monitoring and evaluation, with key actors being government institutions as well as civil society organizations. Empowering CSOs and involving them in all stages of the reform processes is crucial for transparency, accountability, and achieving goals in the best interest of all citizens of the region.