“Social Protection in the Western Balkans” analyzes the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, that interrupted the marginal but positive socio-economic progress that was underway in the region, and the governments’ responses to it. From its onset, this pandemic was bound to be the most significant negative shock since the global financial crisis, ultimately affecting quality of life and putting the social protection systems around the world to a stressful test. The weakening of all main economic indicators will result in additional pressures on the society and increasing inequalities.
There is already a strong need to discuss and promote alternative systemic measures to strengthen existing safety nets and ensure resilience of social protection systems to potential crises. This regional analysis of the Western Balkans assesses the existing responses to the COVID19 crisis, focusing on the specificities and challenges in these countries. It offers possible measures both to ensure the future improvements to the social protection systems, and to facilitate the transition out of the crisis for the citizens of the Western Balkans.
This rapid overview evaluates the current social protection policies and measures in the Western Balkans, and the systems’ resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes with possible measures as a policy response to the need for a stronger safety net during the times of crisis. Download publication
In the Western Balkans, the COVID-19 pandemic has been met by already weak social protection systems. The broader social impacts are likely to be both severe and long-lasting. Some positive lessons can be drawn from the initial social policy response by regional governments, including changes to non-contributory cash benefits and insurance-based schemes, which have contributed to reducing income shocks. At the same time, investments were overall modest, some especially vulnerable groups were not targeted, and the effect of one-off measures must remain limited.
The EU-summit on May 6, 2020, will confirm the good news for the Western Balkans: the European Commission will start accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. The bad news is: if talks and negotiations follow “the business as usual” path we cannot expect a lot to change. The European project so far did not deliver social change in Western Balkans countries.
The Social Dimension of Enlargement Policy lays out the key findings from the study Enlargement Policy and Social Change in the Western Balkans , focusing on the interaction between EU institutions and WB governments in processes of strategic social reform, mechanisms deployed by the EU in the social policy realm in the region and reforms pursued by WB governments to improve the social outcomes. Recommendations are offered on how to deepen the social dimension of accession.
The countries of the Western Balkans (WB) are facing enormous social challenges, including poverty and inequality, widespread joblessness and precarious employment, as well as a poor quality of crucial services. EU integration should not only be about institutional and economic transformation, but also social convergence. To effect social change, further paradigmatic shift is needed in enlargement policy: people need to be placed at the heart of the process. This document provides recommendations on how to achieve such a shift.
On the 15th of January, 2020, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Dialogue Southeast Europe signed a Cooperation Agreement with the European Fund for the Balkans and Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund in Belgrade. The partners stated they were looking forward to continuing and deepening their collaboration on social policy development and raising awareness in that field.
On 13th of December, Karl Renner Institute in Vienna hosted a round table titled “European Integration – An update on the Western Balkans”. The event gathered representatives from the Party of European Socialists, European Union, experts and organizations working in the region.
On the 20th of November, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Dialogue Southeast Europe together with FES Brussels, in cooperation with the Initiative for Development and Cooperation and Center for Social Studies, organized an expert discussion on the topic of Enlargement Policy and Social Change in the Western Balkans.
Has the European project in the Western Balkans delivered social change? Mass emigration and declining population rates, democratic backsliding, growing economic and social inequalities as well as social exclusion suggest otherwise. Correspondingly, the citizens of the region perceive that their interests and social rights have so far not been at the heart of the EU’s transition efforts.
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Download the PDF file containing visual representation of some of the key messages and findings on the Social Protection in the Western Balkans. (Infographics)
»Social Dimension Initiative« aims to raise awareness for advancing social policy within the accession process of Western Balkan countries to the European Union.
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