Specific Objectives:

1. Enhance institutional knowledge and regional cooperation by delivering a series of workshops and webinars that bring together state aid authorities, competition commissions, and expert institutions from all six Western Balkan economies.
2. Build a shared understanding and consensus on key state aid reform prioritiesthrough joint discussions, selection of critical thematic areas, and collaborative development of methodology for short regional position briefs and a roadmap for improved transparency and EU acquis alignment.
3. Increase public and institutional awareness of transparent state aid governancethrough visibility activities, tailored communication materials, and promotion of regional cooperation outcomes across media and stakeholder networks.
4. Strengthen the role of the WEBECON Network in regional monitoring and dialogue on state aidby actively involving WEBECON members in data validation, facilitation of stakeholder engagement, and joint reflection on state aid practices, thereby enhancing

Donor: Western Balkans Fund

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To address these challenges, the project will focus on the following specific objectives:

• Developing a comprehensive web platform to facilitate open dialogue and access to state aid data and evidence information.
• Building consensus among stakeholders on strategic directions for state aid policy and practice (deepening the engagement with stakeholders that was successfully initiated in the previous phase)
• Advocating for improved state aid governance through a regularly updated database, targeted briefings, and public engagement.

Donor: Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans

The post Establishment of a Platform for Dialogue and Transparency of State Aid Policy in the Western Balkan-6 first appeared on Finance Think.

The post Establishment of a Platform for Dialogue and Transparency of State Aid Policy in the Western Balkan-6 appeared first on Finance Think.

The general goal of the project is to promote deliberative democracy in reforms in key development areas (socio-economic, education and health) with a focus on youth and women, through the engagement of various stakeholders in the process of prioritizing reforms and encouraging political accountability through monitoring the fulfillment of political promises.

Specific objectives include:

• To identify to what extent policy-defined priorities are in accordance with citizens’ priorities
• To create evidence of gaps between political promises and needs, and gaps in the realization of political promises
• To encourage political responsibility and strengthen citizens’ awareness, by monitoring the implementation of political promises using the Economic Compass as a digital tool

Donor: Civica Mobilitas

Finance Think is supported by Switzerland through Civica Mobilitas.

The post Citizen oversight: Bridging the gap between policy promises and delivery in four development areas first appeared on Finance Think.

The post Citizen oversight: Bridging the gap between policy promises and delivery in four development areas appeared first on Finance Think.

Donor: The World Bank

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The overall objective is broken down to the following specific objectives:

1. To identify (map) state aid programs and key measures and relate it to measurable indicators of effectiveness,
2. To produce evidence on the state aid granted to foreign companies in view of its effectiveness and of support to the regional integration,
3. To increase public awareness at regional, national and local level by influencing public discourse on the importance of state aid transparency and alignment with the EU requirements, and as a promotor of regional integration

Donor: Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans

The post State aid and foreign direct investment in the Western Balkan countries: Fostering transparency and generating space for regional coordination of investment policies first appeared on Finance Think.

The post State aid and foreign direct investment in the Western Balkan countries: Fostering transparency and generating space for regional coordination of investment policies appeared first on Finance Think.

Donor: International Labor Organization

Duration: September – December 2023

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The specific objectives include:

• To employ and empower the WEBecon network with respect to the national and regional policymaking processes on food- and energy-related policies, by generating evidence on the effects of the crisis on the WB economies and on the regional integration,
• To enhance the policy dialogue and cooperation on energy and food supply security, by creating space for wide stakeholders’ consultations and networking at the regional level,
• To increase the public awareness for the importance, consequences of and solutions to the food and energy crisis, including through regional approaches.

Donor: SMART Balkans Project

Duration: January 2023 – January 2025

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The post The perfect storm: Food and energy insecurities threaten the economies of the Western Balkan appeared first on Finance Think.

The specific objectives include:

1. To analyze and monitor budget spending for existing anti-crisis measures, in three segments: 1) measures to protect the standard of citizens, at the national and local level, 2) measures to help companies, 3) measures in the area of agriculture and security food, and in the context of effective and efficient spending of public money;
2. To make proposals for the modification of existing and new measures, based on the need for their targeting and for the rationalization of budget spending in conditions of “expensive money”;
3. To raise public awareness of the need for fiscal consolidation and rational spending of public money in the face of multiple crises.

Donor: Civica Mobilitas

Duration: January – October 2023

The post Action on the move: Monitoring, assessment and proposals for anti-crisis measures in conditions of a tight budget first appeared on Finance Think.

The post Action on the move: Monitoring, assessment and proposals for anti-crisis measures in conditions of a tight budget appeared first on Finance Think.

Donor: UNICEF

Duration: December 2023 – March 2024

The post Knowledge, measures and policy dialogue for child protection from the food and energy crisis first appeared on Finance Think.

The post Knowledge, measures and policy dialogue for child protection from the food and energy crisis appeared first on Finance Think.

Client: Agence Française de Développement

Partner: GFA Consulting Group

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The post Scoping study to investigate the demand for green and social financing in North Macedonia appeared first on Finance Think.