Jelica Minic

1
Western Balkans and Europe 2020 Towards
Convergence and Growth Regional Coordination
Meeting Europe 2020, Western Balkans and the
Role of the RCC Secretariat

• Jelica Minic
• Deputy Secretary General of the RCC
• Brussels, 30-31 March 2011

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Key challenges in the Western Balkans

• Reconciliation, stability and good neighbourly
  relations.
• Necessity for a new model of development and
  growth (export led growth, investments in
  tradables, SMEs, PPP)
• Re-positioning in European and global
  constellations.
• Poor physical, institutional and social
  infrastructure.
• Under-utilization of existing resources.
• Lack of human capital and low innovation
  capacity.
• Slow reforms strengthening the EU Accession
  leverage is needed.
• Improved regulatory framework, institution
  building and enhanced administrative capacities .
• Synchronizing and focusing activities of
  regional cooperation networks.

3

• Europe 2020 Relevance for Enlargement Policy
• Europe 2020 offers the enlargement countries an
  anchor for reforms.
• The countries are invited to adapt and adopt
  relevant headline targets
• Enlargement countries should participate actively
  in the European Union programmes.
• The countries are invited to organise their work
  on the Europe 2020 related issues in regional
  groups.

4
Europe 2020 Three interlinked priorities 1.Smart
growth developing an economy based on knowledge
and innovation 2.Sustainable growth promoting a
more efficient, greener and more competitive
economy 3.Inclusive growth fostering a
high-employment economy delivering social and
territorial cohesion
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Europe 2020 headline targets

additional suggestions
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• Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines for National
  Reforms Programmes
• Guideline 1 Ensuring the quality and the
  sustainability of public finances
• Guideline 2 Addressing macroeconomic imbalances
• Guideline 3 Reducing imbalances within the euro
  area
• Guideline 4 Optimising support for R D and
  innovation, strengthening the knowledge triangle
  and unleashing the potential of the digital
  economy
• Guideline 5 Improving resource efficiency and
  reducing greenhouse gases
• Guideline 6 Improving the business and consumer
  environment, and modernising and developing the
  industrial base
• Guideline 7 Increasing labour market
  participation and reducing structural
  unemployment
• Guideline 8 Developing a skilled workforce
  responding to labour market needs, promoting job
  quality and lifelong learning
• Guideline 9 Improving the performance of
  education and training systems at all levels and
  increasing participation in tertiary education
• Guideline 10 Promoting social inclusion and
  combating poverty

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Europe 2020 flagship initiatives

• Innovation Union
• Youth on the move
• Digital Agenda for Europe
• Resource efficient Europe
• Industrial policy for the globalization era
• Agenda for new skills and jobs
• European platform against poverty

8

• Mechanisms of cooperation in the framework of
  Europe 2020
• Europe 2020 flagship initiatives recognise that
  in some areas, enlargement countries can work
  together with member states and join the open
  method of coordination exercises.
• Policy coordination organised under the 7
  initiatives implies peer learning, setting joint
  targets and regular reporting.
• These activities can be financed via EU
  Programmes such as the 7th Framework Programme,
  Competitiveness and Innovation, Lifelong Learning
  and others.
• Most enlargement countries participate in EU
  programmes and can, if their administrative
  capacities allow, fully benefit from activities
  at the EU level.

9
New RCC Strategy for 2011-2013Horizontal
Priorities

• Represent the region
• Assist the SEECP
• Monitor regional activities
• Exert strategic leadership in regional
  cooperation
• Provide a regional perspective in donor
  assistance
• Support increased involvement of civil society in
  regional activities
• Priority areas
• Economic and social development
• Energy and infrastructure
• Justice and home affairs
• Security cooperation
• Building human capital and overarching issues

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Priority 1 Smart Growth
EU 2020 FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE (Areas most in need of attention) CORRESPONDING REGIONAL PLATFORM (Setting the Strategy and Mapping Convergence) REGIONAL INITIATIVES/GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS/TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION (Monitoring and Supporting implementation)
1. Digital agenda for Europe eSEE Agenda eSEE/bSEE Working Group, CeGD SEE ICT Forum Community Programmes (e.g. CIP, FP7) Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
2. Innovation Union Regional RD Strategy for Innovation Steering Platform on WBC-INCO.NET SEE-ERA.Net, ERA-Net Community Programmes (e.g. CIP, FP7)
3. Youth on the Move Higher Education Reform in the Western Balkans ERISEE TFBHC Community Programmes (Youth in Action, ERASMUS Mundus) Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
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Priority 2 Sustainable Growth
EU 2020 FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE (Areas most in need of attention) CORRESPONDING REGIONAL PLATFORM (Setting the Strategy and Mapping Convergence) REGIONAL INITIATIVES/GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS/TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION (Monitoring and Supporting implementation)
Resource Efficient Europe Integrated infrastructure development Sustainable Energy Development Regional Initiative ECT RENA SEETO/Transport Community SEE PPP Network Community Programmes (LIFE Financial Instrument for the Environment, FP7) Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
2. An Industrial Policy for the Globalization Era SEE Investment Committee SEE Investment Committee CEFTA ABC BAC OECD Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
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Priority 3 Inclusive Growth
EU 2020 FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE (Areas most in need of attention) CORRESPONDING REGIONAL PLATFORM (Setting the Strategy and Mapping Convergence) REGIONAL INITIATIVES/GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS/TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION (Monitoring and Supporting implementation)
An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs Social Agenda for the Western Balkans 2020 WB Social Agenda 2020 working groups SEECEL SEE Employment Network GTF ETF Community Programmes (Integrated Action Programme in Lifelong Learning) Higher Education Reform (Tempus) Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
2. European Platform Against Poverty Social Agenda for the Western Balkans 2020 WB Social Agenda Working Groups SEE Health Network Community Programmes (PROGRESS) Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA, TAIEX)
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Priority 4 Governance for Growth
EU 2020 FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE (Areas most in need of attention) CORRESPONDING REGIONAL PLATFORM (Setting the Strategy and Mapping Convergence) REGIONAL INITIATIVES/GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS/TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION (Monitoring and Supporting implementation)
Good Governance Agenda Regional Strategic Document for Justice and Home Affairs RESPA CeGD NALAS RAI SECI/SELEC SEEPAG PCC-SEE Secretariat SEDM Others
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Western Balkans in 2020 Result of a Broad
Consultative Process
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• Survey of Regional Initiatives in SEE
• - Summary Findings -
• Institutional Outline of Cooperation in SEE
• Funding
• Regional Coordination
• Overview of activities

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Annex I

• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

  CountryRegional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montenegro Romania Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Slovenia and Others
Economic and Social Development SEE Investment Committee (SEEIC) - Paris x x x x   x x x x x      
Economic and Social Development Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) - Brussels x x   x   x x   x  x   x  
Economic and Social Development Business Advisory Council (BAC) - Thessaloniki x x x x x x x x x x x x  
Economic and Social Development Regional Network of National Investment Promotion Agencies in SEE (RNIPA) - Rotating x x   x     x   x x      
Economic and Social Development Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) - Skopje x x x x     x x x x   x  
Economic and Social Development SEE Employment and Social Policy Network (SEESPN) - No headquarters x x x x   x x x x x   x  
Economic and Social Development Centre for Public Employment Services of SEE Countries (CPESSC) - Rotating   x x x     x x x x x   Slovenia
Economic and Social Development SEE Trade Union Forum (SEETUF) - Zagreb/Sarajevo x x x x     x x x x   x  
Economic and Social Development Adriatic Region Employers' Centre (AREC) - Zagreb x x   x     x   x x      
Economic and Social Development SEE Health Network Skopje x x x x   x x x x x      
Economic and Social Development Centre for eGovernance Development (CeGD) - Ljubljana                         RCC/PPP
Economic and Social Development eSEE Initiative and bSEE Task Force - UNDP Sarajevo x x   x   x x x x x   x  
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Annex I

• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

  CountryRegional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montene- gro Roma- nia Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Slovenia and Others
Energy and Infrastructure Energy Community Secretariat (ECS) -Vienna x x   x   x x   x x   x  
Energy and Infrastructure South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO), expected future Transport Community - Belgrade x x   X     x   x x   x  
Energy and Infrastructure ISIS Programme Secretariat -Brussels x x x x     x x x x   x EC, RCC
Energy and Infrastructure International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC) - Zagreb   x   x         x       Slovenia
Energy and Infrastructure Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) - Szentendre, Hungary x x x x     x x x x x   19 more European countries and USA
Energy and Infrastructure Regional Environmental Network for Accession - Vienna x x x x x x x x
Energy and Infrastructure Network of Associations of Local Authorities of SEE (NALAS) - Skopje x  x x  x   x  x x x   x x  x Slove-nia
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• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

Annex I
  CountryRegional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montene- gro Romania Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Slove- nia and Others
Justice and Home Affairs Migration, Asylum and Refugee Regional Initiative (MARRI) - Skopje x x   x     x   x x      
Justice and Home Affairs Regional Anticorruption Initiative (RAI) - Sarajevo x x x x   x x x x x   Observer  
Justice and Home Affairs Southeast European Cooperative Initiative Regional Centre for Combating Transborder Crime (SECI Centre) , future Southeast European Law Enforcement Centre (SELEC) - Bucharest x x x x x x x x x x X Observer Hungary, Slovenia
Justice and Home Affairs Southeast European Prosecutors Advisory Group (SEEPAG) - Bucharest x x x x x x x x x x X   Slovenia
Justice and Home Affairs Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA) - Sofia x x x x   x x x x x      
Justice and Home Affairs Women Police Officer Network (WPON) - No headquarters x x x x   x x x x x      
Justice and Home Affairs Secretariat of Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe (PCC- SEE Secretariat) - Ljubljana x x x     x x x x x      
Justice and Home Affairs Western Balkans Prosecutor Network (PROSECO) - No headquarters x x   x     x   x x      
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Annex I

• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

  Country Regional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montene- gro Romania Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Others
Security Cooperation Centre for Security Cooperation (RACVIAC) Zagreb x x   x x   x   x x x    
Security Cooperation Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative (DPPI SEE) - Sarajevo x x x x   x x x x x x   Slovenia
Security Cooperation South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) - Belgrade                         RCC, UNDP
Security Cooperation South East Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) - Rotating x x x x x Observer x x x x x   Italy, Ukraine, Slovenia,USA
Security Cooperation The United States- Adriatic Charter - No headquarters x x   x     x     x     USA
Security Cooperation South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse (SEEC) - No headquarters x x   x     x   x x     Slovenia
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Annex I

• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

  CountryRegional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montenegro Romania Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Slovenia and Others
Building Human Capital and Cross-cutting Issues RCC Task Force Fostering and Building Human Capital (TF BHC) -Vienna x x x x x x x x x x x x All members of RCC Board
Building Human Capital and Cross-cutting Issues RCC Gender Task Force (GTF) - Zagreb x x x x x x x x x x   x Slovenia
Building Human Capital and Cross-cutting Issues Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE) -Belgrade x x x x   x x x x x   x TFFBHC
Building Human Capital and Cross-cutting Issues Regional School of Public Administration (RESPA) -Danilovgrad x x   x     x   x x   x  
Building Human Capital and Cross-cutting Issues South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (SEECEL) -Zagreb x x   x     x   x x x x  
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Annex I

• Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE
  

  Country Regional Initiative Albania Bosnia and Herzego- vina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Republic of Moldova Montene- gro Romania Serbia The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey UNMIK/Kosovo Sloveniaand Others
Parliamentary Cooperation Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Cooperation in South Eastern Europe (RSPC SEE) - Sofia x x x x x x x x x x x    
Parliamentary Cooperation Conference of the European Integration Parliamentary Committees of States participating to the Stabilization and Association Process (COSAP) - Rotating x x   x     x   x x      
Parliamentary Cooperation CETINJE Parliamentary Forum - Cetinje x x x x     x x x x      
Regional Cooperation Council x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Total 42 38 40 24 39 9 20 39 25 39 39 13 17 Sloven. 12
Headquarters South East Europe 26 4 rotating Per country 0 4 2 6 1 0 2 2 3 4 0 0 2Slov. 7 others
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Figure 1. Institutional structure and legal form
of RIs

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Figure 2. Sources of funding of RIs in 2010
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Additional suggestions 1. Networking and
information exchange a number of RIs indicated
that there is a need for regular periodic
meetings, both between the RIs and with donors in
order to exchange information and network with
others 2. Increasing awareness on regional
cooperation initiatives and structures
awareness raising activities to target not just a
narrow circle of practitioners, but also the
general public in the countries of the
region 3. Better streamlining of existing RIs
avoiding and eliminating duplication, while
further strengthening successful structures and
cooperation programmes 4. Involvement of
regional civil society initiatives and networks
in the work of RCC and other sectoral
organizations.

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• Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges
  2010-2011
• The enlargement process contributes to
  the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy by
  extending the area of the EUs regulatory
  framework and creating new trading opportunities.
  The Commission welcomes the intention of many
  enlargement countries to reflect the Europe 2020
  strategy in their national reform priorities. The
  Commission will associate enlargement countries
  with initiatives taken at EU level to meet the
  goals of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth,
  delivering high levels of employment,
  productivity and social cohesion...
• The Commission will propose to the Regional
  Cooperation Council that it sets up platforms for
  dialogue and peer review in areas in line with
  Europe 2020 priorities. When programming IPA
  assistance, the Commission will take into account
  the priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy.
• 9 November, 2010

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Relevance of EU umbrella strategies for
candidates and potential candidates

• Strong potential to anchor reforms and facilitate
  EU accession
• competitiveness, employment, education,
  research, innovations,
• meeting challenge of good governance - not
  additional criteria
• Strategic thinking - strategic approach to
  policy development
• identifying regional priorities and objectives
  in different areas, prioritization
• Commitment to common goals helps to change
  national policies
• strategic documents, action plans, common
  targets, policy learning
• Adoption of good practice
• improving system of monitoring, peer reviews,
  benchmarking, and collecting
• indicators, harmonised with EU structural
  indicators (EUROSTAT)
• Support of European Commission - facilitating
  implementation
• deepening policy dialogue with EU,
  strengthening institutional capacities,
• support from pre-accession funds (IPA IPA
  Multi-Beneficiary)
• Regional initiatives / activities - asset for
  supporting reforms
• coordinated efforts and strengthening focus on
  Europe 2020 related reforms
• RCC - Regional Cooperation Councils role
• providing political commitment, networking and
  coordination, streamlining,
• strengthening bottom-up approach and regional
  ownership