Civil society organizations and media outlets were part of the workshop “What is the EU Digital Services Act and Why is It Important?

On 16 January 2025, in Skopje, organized by the Metamorphosis Foundation for Internet and Society, the workshop “What is the EU Digital Services Act and Why is It important?” was held for civil society organizations and media outlets, as part the project “Ensuring the Integration of the Western Balkans into the Digital Single Market.”

In the Western Balkans, aligning with the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) is crucial for creating a safer online environment. Countries are already making strides toward alignment, and it is essential for governments, civil society, and technology companies to collaborate in developing a regional approach that strengthens digital rights and upholds democratic value.

Speakers Danche Danilovska-Bajdevska, Program Director at the Metamorphosis Foundation and Despina Kovachevska, Media Monitoring Specialist, gave an overview of the European Digital Services Act, talked about its role in protecting fundamental rights and combating hate speech and disinformation, but also about the impact of the law on civil society organizations and the media.

“It is a set of rules that protect users, foster democratic progress and strengthen trust in digital services. With this law, the European Union sets a global standard for a fair and secure internet for all. According to some politicians in Brussels, the DSA will bring order to the digital ‘Wild West.’ It is therefore crucial to understand the contents of this EU law,” the workshop speakers stressed. The event also presented the findings of the analysis on the impact of the EU Digital Services Act on the legal framework in North Macedonia.

According to the analysis, the most important national document clarifying the alignment of national legislation with EU regulations and policies is the National Programme for Adoption of the Acquis Communautaire (NPAA).

To comply with the DSA, however, will require coordinated work of several ministries and harmonization of several Macedonian laws, such as the laws on audio and audiovisual media services, on media, on electronic communications, on protection of personal data, on electronic commerce, on prevention and protection against discrimination and many others.

The project “Ensuring the Integration of the Western Balkans into the Digital Single Market” aims to advance digital rights standards in the Western Balkans region and contribute to its successful integration into the Digital Single Market. This initiative represents a joint effort to address the unequal standards for digital rights in the Western Balkan countries through a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve meaningful change. This project is funded by Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, implemented by Partners Serbia (Serbia), the Metamorphosis Foundation (North Macedonia), Why Not? (Bosnia and Herzegovina), NVO 35 mm (Montenegro), Women in Tech Kosovo (Kosovo) and Institute for Democracy and Mediation (Albania).

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