Seminar on regional cooperation architecture in South-East Europe organized by the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council in cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairmanship in Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process

The Romanian Presidency of the EU i Council set high on its agenda the continuation of the Enlargement Process and the stability and security in the Western Balkans region. In order to promote these priorities, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will organize, on March 22, 2019, in Sarajevo - Bosnia and Herzegovina, a seminar on regional cooperation architecture in South East Europe.

Romania, as a founder state of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), is actively engaged in regional cooperation in South-East Europe and aims to bring to the attention of the EU and to the region a conceptual change in regional cooperation, based on more efficient use of the available regional cooperation mechanisms.

The event focuses on the role of regional cooperation, as a prerequisite of the European integration process of the Western Balkans and aims at identifying ways to increase the contribution of the South East Europe regional cooperation structures to good neighborhood relations and regional stability.

The seminar has as main objectives to take stock of the existing regional cooperation architecture in SEE, to assess the progress achieved and the contribution of the existing regional cooperation mechanisms to the European and Euro-Atlantic integration process, as well as to raise awareness on the need to transform regional cooperation into a powerful and effective tool to promote the region`s interests. Last but not least, the event will offer a good opportunity for a consistent exchange of views regarding the EU-Western Balkans relations.

Background information:

The event, organized in cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairmanship in Office of the SEECP, will gather Western Balkans directors from the EU member states, representatives of the EEAS and of the European Commission, as well as directors from the SEECP participating states. The seminar will be organized back-to-back to the trip to Sarajevo of the directors responsible for the region within the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the EU member states, organized by the EEAS in cooperation with the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, between 20-21 of March.