EN cooperation, european and euro-atlantic integration in south east europe

RCC members “Helping prosperity and  Our Mission growth through regional Albania*  The Regional Cooperation Council action in South East Austria* Europe, while supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina* promotes mutual cooperation and European and Euro-Atlantic Bulgaria* integration, is what the Canada European and Euro-Atlantic integration Regional Cooperation Council of Europe of South East Europe in order to inspire Council of Europe Development Bank Council is all about. We

development in the region to the benefit © Photo: OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev Croatia* see our region as a place Czech Republic* of its people. of dialogue, freedom and Denmark mobility, rich in cultural heritage, where each person feels safe and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development protected by the rule of law. Our work reflects the readiness and the European Investment Bank ability of the people of South East Europe to take responsibility for European Union (EU), represented by a representative of the High their future, and to create conditions for an overall progress in a Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security climate of tolerance and cooperation.” Policy and a representative of the European Commission* Goran Svilanović Federal Republic of Germany* Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Finland* Cooperation, European and Euro-Atlantic France* Integration in South East Europe Greece* Hungary* Organization overview International Organization for Migration The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) was launched on 27 Ireland* February 2008, as the successor of the Stability Pact for South Italy* Latvia* Eastern Europe. Moldova* The RCC is an operational arm of the South-East European Montenegro* Cooperation Process (SEECP) and functions as a focal point for co- North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation in South East Europe (SEE) through a regionally owned Norway* and led framework that also supports European and Euro-Atlantic Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development integration. It acts as a forum for the continued involvement of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe international community engaged in the region. Poland Romania* The organization encourages SEE countries to better use the support Serbia* available for regional cooperation, primarily through the EU’s Multi- Slovakia beneficiary Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (MB IPA), by Slovenia* being active participant in MB IPA Strategy Working Groups. South East European Co-operative Initiative Spain The work of the RCC focuses on the following priority areas: Sweden* Switzerland* ƒƒ economic and social development The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat ƒƒ infrastructure and energy Turkey* ƒƒ justice and home affairs United Kingdom Trg Bosne i Hercegovine 1/V ƒƒ security cooperation United Nations 71000 Sarajevo ƒƒ building human capital and parliamentary cooperation United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina United Nations Development Programme In addition, media development activities of the RCC, overarching United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Tel. +387 33 561 700 by nature, seek to foster development of free and professional (UNMIK) on behalf of Kosovo in accordance with United Fax. +387 33 561 701 media in SEE, given their role in shaping democratic, pluralistic and Nations Security Council Resolution 1244* E-mail: [email protected] inclusive societies in the region. United States of America* World Bank www.rcc.int The main operational document guiding the RCC work is the Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, endorsed by the SEECP *members of RCC Board twitter.com/rccint Summit held in June 2010 in Istanbul. cooperation, european and euro-atlantic integration in south east europe

The RCC membership consists of 46 countries, organizations The RCC supports these and other initiatives in joint efforts to ƒƒ combating organized crime (economic and financial), ƒƒ enhancing regional dialogue and cooperation mechanisms and international financial institutions. The RCC has a Secretariat develop sustainable and competitive market economies in SEE smuggling of drugs and trafficking in human beings. Attention on security and defence issues, including development of based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, headed by Secretary underpinned by fair and inclusive social systems. is also given to the regional dimension of anti-terrorism. common strategies, planning and coordination; General Goran Svilanović. Apart from the Sarajevo headquarters, Key role is played by South East European Cooperation ƒƒ developing regional approach to disaster risk reduction, Initiative Centre for Combating Trans-Border Crime, Police the Secretariat has a Liaison Office in Brussels with European and through participation in the European Commission’s Disaster Infrastructure and energy Cooperation Convention Secretariat, Southeast Europe Police Euro-Atlantic institutions. Risk Reduction and Civil Protection programmes, developing Chief Association, South East European Prosecutors Advisory The RCC focuses on energy and networks to fight forest fires, reducing fiscal liability to The RCC meeting format consists of the Annual Meeting and Group and Western Balkans Prosecutor’s Network, with RCC infrastructure as prerequisites natural disasters, and enhancing regional cooperation in meetings of the RCC Board, held thrice a year. The RCC Board support; for the overall economic, social dealing with hazardous materials. provides operational guidance to the organization. It comprises and environmentally sustainable ƒƒ fight against corruption, supporting activities of the Regional of those RCC members contributing to the budget of the RCC development, stability and Anti Corruption Initiative; Secretariat as well as the European Union (EU). prosperity. It works to: Building human capital and ƒƒ building capacity of the Migration, Asylum and Refugee parliamentary cooperation Economic and social development ƒƒ support implementation of Regional Initiative; the Treaty establishing the ƒƒ protection of fundamental rights as well as cooperation Building human capital Energy Community; The RCC promotes regional economic and social development in in private and civil law matters, including right to liberty is a fundamental factor of ƒƒ promote sustainable energy development in the region and SEE through coordinating, facilitating and supporting regional and security, access to long-term competitiveness transfer of knowledge from EU member States on sustainable social and economic initiatives and fostering dialogue between justice, right to fair trial of South East Europe energy projects; inter-dependent regional efforts. Key objectives include: and due process, free legal and successful European ƒƒ contribute to the preparation and implementation of Danube aid, alternative dispute integration, in line with ƒƒ enhancing investment climate and business enabling Region Strategy promoting the ‘bottom-up’ approach, resolutions, assistance and objectives of Lisbon environment in SEE; cooperating with local authorities, civil society and media; redress mechanisms for Strategy and Europe 2020 ƒ ƒƒ promote a multi-sector approach in addressing road safety ƒ improving access to finance for the private sector in the crime victims. strategy, which is why the issues; region; RCC: ƒƒ contribute to the development of air traffic links within the The RCC closely cooperates with ƒƒ mainstreaming employment and social agendas into region; relevant institutions such as EU ƒ economic reform deliberations; ƒ assists the regional Higher Education Structural Reform ƒƒ explore the potential to support inter-modality and agencies, Organization for Security project. Special emphasis is placed on ensuring synergy and ƒƒ promoting development of an information society in South interoperability of transport infrastructure; and Co-operation in Europe, avoiding overlap with EU education programmes, to further East Europe. ƒƒ support Danube Cooperation Process and International United Nations Office on Drugs integrate it with the European Higher Education Area; and Crime, Council of Europe, To achieve these Sava River Basin Commission. It also works with Regional ƒƒ contributes to development of Regional Strategy for INTERPOL and EUROPOL. objectives, the RCC Environmental Centre and focuses on Regional Environmental Research and Development for Innovation for the Western Secretariat partners Network for Accession (RENA) activities. Balkans, to identify existing research capacities and improve with a number of Participation in the International Financial Institutions (IFI) Security cooperation interconnections among Western Balkan institutes and important regional Advisory Group enables the RCC to serve as an interface between researchers; organisations, policy-makers, IFIs, business community and social partners. As In promoting security cooperation in South East Europe, the RCC is ƒƒ coordinates the new phase of Ljubljana Process as of 2011. initiatives and an observer in the Steering Committee of the Western Balkans mandated to: The RCC Task Force on Culture and Society has been networks. The established with a Secretariat in Cetinje, Montenegro, to Investment Framework (WBIF), the RCC plays an important role in ƒƒ establish sustainable, integrated, transparent, regionally- CEFTA 2006 has undertake project management, fund-raising activities and identifying projects eligible for the WBIF support and its subsequent owned cooperation mechanisms among relevant governmental established a free act as a counterpart to related national task forces. implementation. institutions; trade area and is working to deepen ƒƒ preserve and streamline effective initiatives and task forces In reaching the set objectives, the RCC fosters networking among it further. The RCC-managed SEE Investment Committee (SEEIC) Justice and home affairs which prove their capability to deliver tangible results in civil society and youth organisations, by including them in its projects. is the main regional forum for deliberating investment related The RCC supports, promotes and coordinates the work of regional security area; Parliamentary cooperation reform and disseminating policy analysis and advice. The Business initiatives active in justice and home affairs throughout SEE, ƒƒ initiate new low-cost activities, with high impact on The RCC assists the SEECP in developing the parliamentary Advisory Council for Southeast Europe, as the private sector ensuring that their efforts are mutually reinforcing, not overlapping, confidence building and transparency. dimension of its work. It contributes to the preparation of SEECP arm of the RCC, helps articulate the voice of the private sector and complementary to the region’s EU integration goals. Strategic Speakers of Parliament meetings, helps establish a network of The RCC cooperates with regional initiatives which have developed in the process of economic development in SEE. The Electronic objectives include: national coordinators at the level of Members of Parliament and relevant security cooperation projects and mechanisms. The South East Europe Initiative (eSEE) supports development of the supports implementation of relevant documents. The RCC also ƒƒ guiding and monitoring regional cooperation through the membership of each initiative includes several SEECP participating Information Society in the region. Other initiatives and networks works to developing Cetinje Parliamentary Forum into a hub for Regional Strategic Document and Action Plan on Justice states as well as countries outside of the SEECP area, depending on the cover areas of commerce, agriculture, investment promotion, enhanced coordination of parliamentary activities related to EU and Home Affairs 2011-2013, which pursues an integrated, format of the initiative and the region covered. public private partnerships, women entrepreneurship, employment coherent and transparent regional cooperation, facilitating acquis in the Western Balkans, through its institutionalisation and and social policy, trade unions and public health. harmonization of donors’ activities; The RCC has identified the following priorities for the region: establishment of a sustainable Secretariat.