The second meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board in 2012 accepted today the Annual Report 2011-2012 of the organization’s Secretary General. It also approved the Secretary General’s financial report for 2011.

“The Annual Report highlights developments in regional cooperation in South East Europe, points to the remaining political and socio-economic issues in the region, focuses on the state of relations of the South East European countries with the EU, and presents the results of the RCC Secretariat in implementing the organization’s Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013”, said Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General.

Secretary General Biscevic singled out transfer of the South East European Investment Committee from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to the RCC, adoption of the Regional Strategic Document and Action Plan 2011-2013 on Justice and Home Affairs, cooperation of defence ministries and military intelligence, regional cooperation of public service broadcasters, as well as establishment of the Task Force on Culture and Society, as key RCC achievements over the past year.

“Another important element is cooperation with EU institutions in associating RCC Secretariat’s activities more closely to the enlargement agenda and objectives of Europe 2020 strategy.”

Moreover, Secretary General Biscevic presented his regular report covering the last two months of activities of the RCC Secretariat, shared information on future events and the coordination of activities between the SEECP Troika (Montenegro, Serbia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), the European Commission and the RCC Secretariat, as well as preparations for the upcoming Annual Meeting of the organizations, to be held in Belgrade on 13 June 2012.

The participants reviewed candidacies for the post of RCC Secretary General, with the selected candidate to be appointed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) at their meeting in Belgrade, on 14 June 2012, and approved by the SEECP Heads of State and Government the following day.

The RCC Board meets three times a year and is chaired by the RCC Secretary General. The Board provides the RCC with operational guidance and supervision. It consists of those RCC members contributing to the budget of the RCC Secretariat as well as the European Union.

The Regional Cooperation Council Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013 is available on the RCC website www.rcc.int, along with the latest Report on Activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat.