The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

This project is funded by the European Union. This project is implemented by FCG SIPU International and consortium partners.

TACSO BIH and TACSO VESTA organised one day conference U organizaciji TACSO BiH i TACSO VESTA održana je jednodnevna Konferencija„EU Guidelines for civil society 2014-2020, Introduction to monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina“ on 28th October 2015. in Sarajevo. The conference was attended by 67 participants, among which were the officials of the European Union, representatives of state and entity governments, Brcko District Government, relevant government institutions and agencies in BIH, civil society organizations (CSOs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and also the representatives of international organizations and projects. The conference contributed to:

Establishing a platform for unique harmonized message about the importance of the process and validation of sources to be used by 2020.

Estimation of changes in environment in next two years period of what can be measured and how.

Providing unique learning opportunity for key stakeholders and CSO environment related to EU Guidelines framework.

Key expectations of the Conference were focused on recognizing and understanding of the document “Guidelines for EU support to civil society in enlargement countries, 2014-2020“ at all administrative levels in BIH and intro-duction to all key stakeholders, civil society organizations and governmental institutions of the monitoring process of the EU Guidelines for support to civil society 2014 - 2020. In the first part of the Conference, information and introduction to regional and national importance of the Guide-lines were provided, as well as the basic preconditions needed for the start of monitoring in BIH. Second part of the Conference was workshop which gave insight to participants into the defined targets and bench-marks of the Guidelines and benchmarks for Western Balkans and Turkey, as well as the group assessment of the posibility of monitoring in the next two years in BIH. Participants marked their observations and later on reported about the results.

Conference on Guidel ines for EU support to civil society in enlargement

countries, 2014 -2020: Introduction to monitoring in Bosnia and

Herzegovina

Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organisations - TACSO

September –November 2015.

Issue 9

Inside this issue:

Conference on Guidelines for EU support to civil society in enlarge-ment countries, 2014-2020: Intro-duction to moni-toring in BIH

1-2

Technical assistance to civil society organisations

2-3

Consultation meeting about Civil Society Facility („Civil Society Facility CSF 2016-2017“)

3

Regional meeting of LAG (Local Advisory Group) held in Becici

3

Bosnia and HerzegovinaNewsletter Volume 2

A newsletter published by TACSO Bosnia and Herzegovina. A multi-country project funded by European Union.

A newsletter was prepared by TACSO VESTA.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

This project is funded by the European Union. This project is implemented by FCG SIPU International and consortium partners.

The key messages expressed in the evaluation of the Conference are:

Conference is rated as exceptional and above-average in terms of understanding of the “Guidelines for EU support to civil society in enlargement countries, 2014-2020“, recognizing the importance of the process of monitoring benchmarks as well as identifying potential challenges in the process of monitor-ing,

Government representatives stated they will collect and provide data relating to the indicators in the monitoring process of the EU guidelines for the development of civil society for the purpose of contrib-uting to Progres report of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and CSOs will provide information relating to the assessment of the capacity of CSO,

Participants believe that the Conference can initiate changes of policies and procedures in collecting data for creating an enabling environment for the development of civil society in BIH.

Full Report of the Conference is on this link.

Page 2

TACSO BIH in cooperation with TACSO VESTA implemented the one day trainings and consultations on „Organizational development with focus on accountability and transparency“ in Visoko, Trebinje and Siroki Brijeg for 15 CSOs, in period October – November 2015. The approach which has been applied was adapted to a small number of users (mainly two representatives from one organisation) and did include direct conslutation. The goal was to improve the competence of CSOs in the management of organisation, understanding the developing concepts and using the most appropriate models for their own organizational development. Training and direct consultations have been implemented as part of technical support of TASCO BIH to civil society organizations specifically designed to meet the challenges of civil society organizations when it comes to transparency and accountability of the various stakeholders: employees, engaged staff, volunteers, beneficiar-ies, target groups, donors, the community in which the organization operates. Training is based on findings from the Report Needs assessment of CSOs in BIH for the period 2013 -2015, TACSO BIH Work plan for 2015, as well as the EU Guidelines for support to civil society 2014 - 2020.

Technical assistance to civil society organisations

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

This project is funded by the European Union. This project is implemented by FCG SIPU International and consortium partners.

According to participants evaluation, the training has resulted in a high level of fulfilled expectations at the level of acquired:

knowledge of the internal and external factors and stakeholders relevant to organizational development,

competence in understanding the criteria of accountability and transparency,

skills of recognition and application of the model for assessing and improving the results of each individual organization.

All consulted organisations analyzed their own organisational model and defined priorities which they have to implement in order to increase transparency and accountability. The key findings from the training and consulta-tion will be presented in the Report on implemented technical assistance which will be finalized in December 2015.

Page 3

The Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina invited the representatives from all civil society organisations and interested individuals to provide comments on the draft project ideas which are proposed to be funded under the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) Civil Society Facility (CSF) 2016-2017. The consultation meeting was organized by TACSO BIH and implemented by TACSO by VESTA in coordination with the Delegation of the European Union to BiH on October 23, 2015. The open call for CSOs was published on TACSO web site. For CSOs which were not able to attend the meeting was given an opportunity to submit written recommendations on CSF 2016- 2017. By the set date, 23 CSOs have nominated representatives to attend the meeting. All applications were accepted and CSOs interested in consultation process were informed about the decision on October 22, 2015. The written Report containing the suggestion of CSOs is submitted to EUD BIH. The final document of CSF program for 2016-2017 will be published at the beginning of 2016.

Regional meeting of TACSO LAG (Local Advisory Group) was organized by Regional TACSO Office on 6th and 7th October, 2015. in Becici. Participants of the meeting were LAG representatives from all 7 beneficiary countries of TACSO project, representatives of CSO, government institutions and representatives of the EU Delegation. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Directorate for the neighborhood policy and enlargement negotiations (DG NEAR), TASCO resource centers, TASCO National and Regional Office. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the progress that the project is monitoring and the role of the LAG in the changed context and organizational structure that now includes selected resource centers. On the meeting were presented the achievements of the project, exchanged experiences and good practices and discussed challenges and expectations that are placed in front of the Local Advisory Group (LAG) in the future. Future TACSO activities, areas for improvement and the role of relevant stakeholders have also been the subject of conversation. The last part of the meeting was focused on the discussion of the role and responsibilities of the different actors, particularly LAGs and resource centers by the end of the project TACSO 2, as well as the perspectives after 2017. Given the role of the LAG, it was concluded that LAG should remain an advisory body to the project, as well as to resource centers and that it should not be a substitute for other existing or planned institutional mechanisms for dialogue between governments and civil society organizations, but complementary body. As for the structure of the LAG, it is recommended that in the future it ensure the participation of representatives of CSOs, government and donors, as well as taking measures to improve representativeness.

Consultation meeting about Civil Society Facility („Civil Society Facility CSF 2016-2017“)

Regional meeting of LAG (Local Advisory Group) held in Becici

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

This project is funded by the European Union. This project is implemented by FCG SIPU International and consortium partners.

Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organisations (TACSO) is a EU-funded project, which provides technical assistance and support to civil society organisations located in the IPA beneficiaries (Western Balkans and Turkey). The first phase of the TACSO Project began in August 2009, received an extension in 2011 and officially closed in August 2013. The TACSO 2 Project began in September 2013 and will be implemented until September 2017. TACSO’s mission is to increase and improve the capacity and actions of CSOs as well as their democratic role. Through TACSO’s capacity building activities, support and assistance the aim is to achieve a strengthened civil society and to stimulate a civil society-friendly ‘environment’ and culture. While TACSO 2 will continue to work along the same lines and actions as the past four years, there are four key issues that the project will centre its activities around: further strengthening civil society’s role in national democratisation and accession processes; increasing the communication and visibility of civil society’s contributions to society; supporting the discovery of new resource mobilisation strategies and approaches, which are needed to provide for civil society sustainability and development; and improving the legal and institutional framework for civil society actions. Two new aspects have been added under the TACSO 2 area of responsibility, the People 2 People (P2P) Programme and the gradual transfer of TACSO services to resource centres.

Project Consortium

Regional Office Potoklinica 16 71 000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina Ph. no: +387 (0)33 532 757

Sehit Halil Ibrahim Cad. 55/3

Istinye, Istanbul, Turkey

Ph. no: +90 212 277 8590

info@tacso.org Albania, Office Rr „Donika Kastrioti“, Kotoni Business Centre, K-2 Tirana Albania Ph. no: +355 (4) 22 59 597 info.al@tacso.org

Contact Details

FCG SIPU International www.sipuinternational.se

Intrac www.intrac.org

Partners Foundation for Local Development www.fpdl.ro

Ecorys International www.ecorys.com

Euclid Network www.euclidnetwork.eu

TACSO Project at a Glance

SMART www.smart.hr

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence

Montenegro Office

Dalmatinska 78 81 000 Podgorica, Montenegro Ph. no: +382 219 122/123 info.me@tacso.org Serbia, Office Španskih boraca 22b, stan br. 10 11 070 Novi Belgrade, Serbia Ph. no: +381 11 3131 300 info.rs@tacso.org

Turkey, Office Tunalı Caddesi 85/8 06680 Kavaklıdere / Ankara Ph. no: +90 312 426 4451 info.tr@tacso.org

Bosnia and Herzegovina Office Danijela Ozme 1 / I 71 000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina Ph. no: +387 (0)33 269 315 (0)33 269 316 info.ba@tacso.org

Kosovo*, Office Fazli Grajqevci 4/a 10 000, Pristina, Kosovo Ph. no: +377 38 220 517 info.ko@tacso.org

Macedonian Office Nikola Parapunov 41A 1000 Skopje Ph. no: +389 2 3225 340 info.mk@tacso.org