RCC Board approves the Report of the RCC Secretary General

Sarajevo – The participants of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board approved the Report of the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, on the activities of the organisation in the period November 2023 – February 2024, and commended the work of RCC, confirming their full approval of the forthcoming phase's planned activities, at the 51st Board meeting, held online today. The Board participants also approved the Memorandum of Understanding on a Scholarship between the RCC and the College of Europe, enabling to provide a scholarship for one student from the economies participating in the South East European Cooperation Process at the soon-to-be-opened Tirana Campus starting from 2024.

“Throughout the years, the RCC has invested in supporting young people in different dimensions, training, developing targeted policies, internship. Thus, this collaboration with College of Europe comes naturally and is in line with our priorities to contribute to building the human capital of the region,” said Ms Bregu.

The RCC Secretary General informed the Board about the achievements and results of the existing Common Region Market (CRM) Action Plan as well as about the ongoing process of preparation of the new phase of CRM that is to be ready for adoption at the upcoming Berlin Process Summit. 

“The Common Region Market is one of the main pillars of the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and, moreover, the successful areas/sectors implemented during the existing CRM are offered to Western Balkans as opportunities for closer links to the EU’s Single Market. This openness to EU Single Market doesn’t come automatically. It is conditioned by completing the work WB has committed to in the context of the Common Regional Market. The CRM 2 should continue to have measures that will advance the four freedoms and improve sustainable economic growth through attracting foreign investments, facilitating intra-regional trade and trade between European Union and the Western Balkans, expediting digitalisation, advancing the service sector, and facilitating movement of people,” added Ms Bregu. 

RCC Secretary General also briefed the Board participants on the progress of implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans Action Plan as well as on the SEE2030 Strategy dynamics. Ms Bregu gave an overview of the ratification process of the four Western Balkans Mobility Agreements as part of the Common Region Market that were singed at the Berlin Process Summits in 2022 in Berlin, and in 2023 in Tirana. Bregu called on Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities for a swift ratification of the remaining mobility agreements. 
The Coordination Meeting between the Troika of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), RCC Secretariat and European Union has preceded the Board meeting. The current SEECP Chairpersonship-in-Office (CiO) Skopje informed the participants of the plans for the forthcoming SEECP Summit and accompanying events due this June, after which Tirana is to assume the SEECP Chairpersonship-in-Office. 

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Chaired by the Secretary General, the RCC Board convenes three times annually, with preparations organised by the Secretary General in collaboration with the SEECP CiO. The RCC Board provides operational guidance and supervision of the organisation in between its Annual Meetings.