The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), whose member is the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF), has submitted the letter signed by over 100 civil society organizations from the Balkans to the Economic and Social Council of the EU (EESC), with the request for the inclusion of Kosovo in the Enlargement Candidate Members Initiative (ECMI), as well as the continuation of this initiative even after the pilot phase.

At the beginning of this year, the Economic and Social Council of the European Union, as the responsible institution of the EU for the inclusion of social partners from the sector of employers, employees, and civil society organizations, launched this pilot project of the inclusion of representatives of these sectors from the enlargement countries which are not yet EU member states, leaving only Kosovo out of this initiative.

KCSF in a communiqué announces that it has closely followed the developments within this initiative and in April of this year it started the reaction within the BCSDN, after the Economic and Social Council decided to use the framework of the countries with the status of the country candidate as a basic criterion for the eligibility of inclusion in this initiative. This framework caused Kosovo to remain the only country with a perspective of EU membership that is not included in this initiative.

"Considering this decision of the Economic and Social Council as wrong and contrary to the values and principles promoted by this EU institution, KCSF together with other representatives of civil society and trade unions from Kosovo on May 24, 2024 held a meeting with the leaders of EESC, where the concern for non-inclusion of Kosovo was expressed and the correction of this decision was requested. In addition, the same request was repeated at the High Level Conference for civil society that was held in Brussels by the Economic and Social Council of the EU on October 24, 2024. KCSF assesses that Kosovo's inclusion in this initiative is essential for a stronger regional cooperation and to support our common path towards European integration", reads the communiqué.