In line with the EC Communication on the Western Balkans of 5th March 2008, the Directorate General for Enlargement of the European Commission launched a new strategy towards civil society - the “Civil Society Facility” (CSF). This initiative foresees support both at national and multibeneficiary levels and consists of three strands, which together aim to strengthen civil society's role in the democratic process:

1. support to civic and capacity-building initiatives to enforce the role of civil society at national level;
2. a People 2 People programme supporting visits to EU institutions and bodies to exchange experience, know-how and good practices between beneficiaries, EU and Member States Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); and
3. partnership actions carried out between beneficiary and EU CSOs, leading to a transfer of know-how and the realisation of innovative trans-national projects. In designing the new facility various stakeholders, including beneficiaries, Member States, donors, CSOs and other EC services, have been consulted in order to construct a useful tool responding adequately to the needs of civil society in the region.

The CSF consists of national components falling under individual country IPA allocations, and a multi-beneficiary component managed directly by the DG Enlargement. The national components are administered mainly through calls for proposals and will correspond to locally identified needs, while the latter, will provide multi-country and exchange opportunities. TACSO is funded through IPA 2008 Multibeneficiary programme.

TACSO is the regional project on Capacity Building of the Civil Society in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Its purpose is to increase the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and to strengthen their role within a participative democracy. TACSO is funded through IPA 2008 Multi-beneficiary programme. Its regional Project office is in Sarajevo. By the end of 2011, TACSO will have implemented more than 200 courses at the regional and national level.

For more information on CSF and TACSO, and support in the application process you can contact the helpdesk. You can find news and opportunities on the EC pre-accession financial instrument (IPA) CSF also here.