Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Dialogue Southeast Europe

We invite you to join a feminist initiative that stands against patriarchal violence, exploitation, and authoritarianism, while promoting collective care and solidarity.

FEM FEStival 2026 is a traveling Balkan feminist festival, first held in Skopje in 2025. Sofia will host the second edition, which will bring together art and activism to promote gender equality and provide a platform for marginalized groups.

The call for applications is open to both artists and activists working on issues related to gender equality and social justice.

If these topics excite and inspire you, don’t hesitate to submit an artistic project or work. The deadline is May 25.

Check out FES Bulgria website for more details on the application process: https://bulgaria.fes.de/news/fem-festival-2026.html

What happens when global demand for critical raw materials meets local communities fighting to protect their land, water, and livelihoods?

Our new publication, Critical Raw Materials: Dispatch from North Macedonia by Davor Pehchevski, explores the growing pressure on North Macedonia to expand mining projects linked to Europe’s green transition — and the social, environmental, and political tensions that come with it.

The publication looks at:
✔️ the country’s evolving mining and legal framework
✔️ environmental and governance challenges
✔️ foreign investment and geopolitical interests
✔️ local resistance movements and referendums
✔️ alternatives such as circular economy approaches and stronger community protections

As debates around strategic raw materials intensify across Europe, this analysis raises important questions about democratic participation, sustainability, and who ultimately benefits from extraction.

📖 Read the full publication here: https://collections.fes.de/publikationen/download/pdf/1976585

If you are interested in raw materials mining in the Western Balkans and happen to be in Vienna next week, we have the discussion for you 💡

The global energy transition demands not just new technologies, but fair, transparent, and sustainable resource management. Yet, too often, local communities are left to bear the costs while benefits flow elsewhere.

Explore the current state of the mining affairs in the Western Balkans and how it fits into the EU enlargement agenda, decarbonization, and development plans.

Recent analyses from the region highlight growing local resistance and
environmental concerns over ongoing extraction projects, warning of the danger of authoritarian extractivism.

Join us for a dynamic discussion on resource management in the Western
Balkans, where we’ll explore:
• What we are extracting,
• Who benefits,
• Who decides,
• Who pays the price?

Panelists:
Ms. Frauke Seebass, SWP Brussels, Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG)
Ms. Pippa Gallop, CEE Bankwatch Network
Mr. Marko Kmezic, University of Graz, BiEPAG
Mr. Vedran Dzihic, Österreichisches Institut für Internationale Politik, BiEPAG

Moderation: Selma Sehovic, FES SOE

Curious to join? DM us by Monday the 18th!

After initial discussions and presentations in Brussels and Berlin — and following the debate opened through our article in EUobserver — our newest publication is now online and available to read.

📘 The Social Dimension of EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans, authored by Mirna Jusić, takes an in-depth look at how EU enlargement policies intersect with labor markets, education systems, healthcare, and social protection across the region.

At a time of demographic change, migration, climate transition, and economic uncertainty, the publication asks a central question: can the social dimension become a genuine pillar of enlargement policy rather than a secondary consideration?

📖 Read the publication here: https://collections.fes.de/publikationen/download/pdf/1975709

EU enlargement cannot be only about ticking institutional boxes while citizens continue to face inequality, weak labor protections, and shrinking social security.

Our latest contribution with EUobserver argues that the EU’s enlargement policy toward the Western Balkans still has a major blind spot: the social dimension.

If accession is to be truly transformative, it must go beyond formal reforms and place social justice, decent work, welfare systems, and equal opportunities at the center of the process.

A credible European future for the region depends not only on democratic institutions, but on whether people actually feel the benefits of European integration in their everyday lives.

Read more here:

The EU’s social blind spot in West Balkans enlargement The EU's enlargement criteria have long prioritised economic reform, rule of law and anti-corruption over social protection measures. A new study looks at what this means in practice for the western Balkans — and what needs to change.

A week after the 2026 in Barcelona, the discussions and connections made there continue to resonate.

The GPM Summit brought together progressive actors from politics, academia, civil society, and international organizations, creating a shared space to reflect, exchange, and coordinate responses to today’s global challenges.

As one of many offices within the global network of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, we were glad our Foundation contributed to this collective effort.

What remains most important now is what comes next:
👉 turning dialogue into cooperation
👉 ideas into policies
👉 and global ambition into real improvements in people’s lives

The work continues: across regions, partnerships, and communities.

📸Credits: FES - Per Jacob Blut

We are in Brussels today, advocating for an Enlargement for a New Generation at the third Progressive Enlargement Conference.

The conference brings together progressive partners, decision-makers, politicians, and experts from all ten candidate countries, alongside EU stakeholders, to discuss key priorities for the future of enlargement.

As a contribution from Southeast Europe, we presented the updated study on the Social Dimension of EU Enlargement. Presented by its author, Mirna Jusić, PhD, the study examines whether the EU and the Western Balkans have become more effective in addressing the complex challenges shaping social outcomes in the region.

Alongside the main findings, we shared a set of policy recommendations aimed at accelerating social convergence with the EU.

At FES, we remain committed to supporting a credible enlargement process—one that places democracy, social and labour rights, living standards, and working conditions at its core.

📊 The study will soon be available on our website and social media channels.

Photo credits: Christophe Licoppe/ BR&U

The conference is organised by FEPS, in cooperation with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Foundation Max van der Stoel - FMS Kalevi Sorsa Foundation, Olof Palme International Centre Karl-Renner-Institut CeSPI Društvo Progresiva and the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament within the framework of the FEPS Enlargement Programme.

Back in 2019, we published the study “Enlargement Policy and Social Change”, raising an important but often overlooked question: has EU enlargement in the Western Balkans truly delivered for citizens?

The findings highlighted a clear gap: persistent inequalities, social exclusion, and a widespread perception that social rights were not at the heart of the process.

Continuing to advocate for a stronger social dimension, we have prepared an updated study to reflect the latest developments in EU enlargement.

Today in Berlin, we presented “The Social Dimension of EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans” by Mirna Jusić.

Focusing on reforms from 2022 to 2025, the report revisits these questions and examines whether EU policies are addressing key social challenges and supporting real convergence in the region.

The message remains clear: European integration must work for people—not only on paper, but in everyday life. Strengthening inclusive growth, social citizenship, and equal opportunities is essential for rebuilding trust and legitimacy.

📢 The full report will be available soon on our website.

EU enlargement is back on the agenda, but what does that really mean for the Western Balkans?

A new briefing series from our office - Western Balkans and the EU: Keeping the Promise, Finishing the Job - takes a closer look at where things stand: real momentum in Montenegro and Albania, persistent political blockages elsewhere, and new ideas in Brussels that could reshape the path to membership.

Can renewed political will finally translate into real progress?

📘 Read the first edition by Harun Cero and Marco Schwarz and join the conversation: https://collections.fes.de/publikationen/download/pdf/1973627

We’re looking for experts!

FES SOE invites qualified professionals to contribute to the peer review and proofreading of policy analyses on critical raw materials (CRM).

If you have strong analytical skills and experience in editing or reviewing policy content, we’d love to hear from you.

🔗 More info: https://soe.fes.de/news/call-for-offers-crm-peer-review.html