EU enlargement is a two-way process. The new member states benefit from being part of the world's largest trade bloc, with more than 500 million consumers. On the other hand, the EU benefits from expanding into new territories, accepting new cultures and connecting with new markets. Recently, this process has taken on new dimensions as the EU begins to integrate countries on its eastern borders. Many countries have had to undertake major reforms - economic, political and social - in order to meet EU membership criteria. Although these reforms bring prosperity at the national level, they also impose costly domestic investment and present challenges on the road to EU accession. In order to facilitate the accession process, the EU has created various types of assistance, both financial and technical.

Decentralization of power means the release of the central government from part of its competencies and their transfer to the local level, to the municipalities and the City of Skopje. With the decentralization of power, many of the issues that are extremely important to citizens have gained local significance. In that way, the citizens got the opportunity to directly participate in the organization of the most vital areas of their lives.

Во последните дваесет години во нашата држава значително се зголемува улогата на граѓанските организации во процесот на развој на демократското општество, унапредувањето на нивото на демократија и квалитетот на животот на локално и национално ниво. Нивната успешност во реализирањето на овие цели во голема мера зависи од соработката со локалните власти и поддршката што ја добиваат од нив.