The project, co-financed by InCE – Central European Initiative and by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, explores the role of civil society and youth organisations in the process of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans by analysing the developments starting from the 2017 Trieste Forum organised within the framework of the Berlin Process.

Civil society can play a central role in relaunching the European integration process of the Balkans, which for years has languished not only because of the political difficulties of the countries of the region, but also because of the dynamics within the EU itself.

The negotiations for European integration foresee a close dialogue between the European institutions and the governments of the countries involved. Faced with the difficulties that have emerged in recent years, the EU is trying to involve civil society, the media, and other local actors in the hope that they can help consolidate the functioning of the democratic institutions of the Western Balkans. The Berlin Process itself has recognised the role of civil society only since its second edition, further broadening its gaze in the third by involving also youth organisations.

The project is conducted in partnership between OBC Transeuropa and CeSPI and involves the implementation of four activities:

1. draft of a research report on the involvement of civil society and youth organisations in the enlargement process in the Western Balkans, with particular attention to the opportunities and challenges that European integration entails for these actors;
2. organisation of a webinar to present the results of the study during which a discussion will be opened between representatives of Italian civil society and the Western Balkans on the ability to contribute to the European integration process and on the importance of the growth of transnational relations between civil society actors of member countries and candidate countries;
3. creation of an online dialogue forum FVG-WB with plans to create a workshop with some high schools in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Trentino, and the Western Balkans on the topic of youth, active citizenship, and SGDs for the European integration of the Western Balkans;
4. organisation of a final public event during which the results of the activities will be presented to the representatives of the CEI parliamentary commission and to the representatives of the parliaments of the EU and Balkan countries.