Activities

• June 18, 2007.
  Media Center Belgrade - Agenda - Promotion of the brochure and workshop on regional cooperation - "Regional Cooperation for Development and European Integration" >>

Regional Framework for Development and European Integration

European Movement in Serbia (EMinS) is implementing jointly with six partners from the Western Balkan region (European Movement in Montenegro, Kosovo Institute for Policy Research and Development, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Center for Institutional Development, Albanian Institute for International Studies and Institute for International Relations) a regional project aimed to promote the role of regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe as important instrument aimed to support faster European integration, sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The project "Regional Framework for Development and European Integration" will also promote cooperation and coordination of reform and integration efforts across the region.

Countries of the region are expected to gradually takeover full responsibility and ownership for future regional cooperation in the framework of the European integration process. For the success of the regional ownership process it is very important to inform and raise understanding of wider circles in the countries of the region.

There is evident lack of information and lack of understanding about the role of regional cooperation, in general, and particularly about the opportunities for economic development, job creation and poverty reduction within above-mentioned regional processes and projects.

Project objectives are:

• To raise awareness on the importance and potentials of regional projects for economic development and poverty reduction;
• .To systematize information and present existing regional projects and initiatives, particularly in the fields of trade, infrastructure, energy, SMEs, ICT, education and research and environment;
• To raise interest and mobilize professional capacity of university centers to actively contribute to the successful implementation of core regional projects; and
• To promote integrated cross-sectorial and cross-initiatives approach in regional cooperation.

EMinS experts will prepare and collect recent information and data on relevant regional projects and activities, while consulting with the partners in the region during the process. As a result, a brochure about regional cooperation will be produced and published in all national languages and promoted in 21 towns all over the region.

Expected results:

• Higher level of understanding of the role and content of regional cooperation in SEE.
• More competent articles and presentations in media about activities and achievements in regional cooperation.
• Raised interest of universities for regional projects contributing to the successful implementation of core regional projects in trade, energy, transport, SMEs development, etc.
• Establishment of the network of regional cooperation promoters.

The project has been launched in January 2007 and this phase is expected to last for one year.

The project is supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy and Fund for Open Society East programme.