Annual insight on EU rule of law 2023

EPI’s work is focused on the needs and constraints of North Macedonia, a country that awaited the start of the accession negotiations for more than a decade while experiencing a decline in support for European Union membership and political instability in recent years. Within its rule of law programme, it closely monitors the level of [...]

Shadow report for Chapter 23 for the period between October 2022 and September 2023

This Shadow Report brings together in a single coherent whole all the findings, conclusions and recommendations that resulted from the monitoring in the areas covered by Chapter 23 – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights. This is the eighth such report published by the European Policy Institute (EPI) - Skopje, taking into account the comments and opinions [...]

Out With the Old, in With the New: Reform Initiatives for Functioning Rule of Law in the EU

This brief delves into the critical juncture facing the European Union as it grapples with challenges to the rule of law amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics and discussions on future enlargement. Recent proposals from the Franco–German expert group and the European Parliament aim to bolster enforcement mechanisms and streamline decision-making processes to address the rule of [...]

Event report: Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: how to make it work for all?

On December 21, 2023, the European Policy Institute – Skopje (EPI) hosted this hybrid event, conducted both in Skopje and via Zoom. It served as a culmination of EPI’s coordination efforts within the working group on access to the European Union’s (EU) single market for the Western Balkan countries, part of the Berlin Process Civil [...]

Infosheet: Key positions on EU enlargement and reform (September-October 2023)

In the past year, Europe has witnessed a renewed push for EU enlargement, driven by factors like geopolitical significance and the pursuit of peace and stability. The EU recognizes the importance of readiness before welcoming new member states. This impetus for reform comes from collaborative efforts by France and Germany, as outlined in their expert [...]

Converging futures: Economic integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union

This paper is based on inputs from three regional online consultation events and one hybrid public event of the Thematic Working Group “Access to European Single Market” organised between June and September 2023. The thematic working group led by the European Policy Institute, Skopje gathered more than 65 experts from civil society, academia, private sector, [...]

Negotiations’ Fundamentals Shaken

Brief analysis of the EC North Macedonia 2023 Report The key points of this year’s Enlargement Package are the conditional recommendations for the start of negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the candidate status for Georgia, as well as the growth plan announced by the Commission. The analysis of the Commission’s assessments for [...]