Kosovo adopted a new, progressive NGO Law in April 2019. This law is a remarkable example of persistent effort of CSOs, diplomatic community and experts to ensure an enabling environment for CSOs – an important development when civic space is closing globally.
While the initial draft law had restrictive provisions, over 300 Kosovar CSOs joined efforts and successfully advocated for their withdrawal. ECNL supported the local partners by sharing arguments, international examples and facilitating dialogue with the state. One partner wrote
"As civil society here in Kosovo, we did our best in this very long and difficult process. Yet, it was our joint work with ECNL at the Government level that made the original version of the law the one to be worth this fight. Without your great support, everything would have been much harder, if not impossible.”
The new law is in line with best international standards and practices and with what the civil society sector asked for. It improves legal environment for NGOs by removing existing limitation for foreign residents to become founders, introducing a new legal form, shortening the time period for registration, extending the list of public benefit activities and by other means.