REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL RCC Belgrade 10 November 2008
REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL (RCC) Belgrade 10 November 2008
Founding of the Regional Cooperation Council • Launched in February 2008 as the successor to the Stability Pact, the RCC provides a new and regionally-owned framework for the countries of the SEE, the European Commission and the international donor community to undertake projects of mutual interest in order to foster further development of the SEE region. • Fully operational since May 2008.
Who We Are The RCC is an inter-governmental framework which serves as the operational arm of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP). The RCC has 45 members, including individual countries, international organizations and international financial institutions. What We Do • Facilitating regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe • Helping to accelerate reforms in the region • Supporting commitments and endeavors with regard to European and Euro-Atlantic integration • Encouraging the EU and international community to engage in the region; promoting donor involvement and coordination.
The RCC’s Objectives • Contributing to the enhancement of stability, security, mutual respect and open dialogue in South Eastern Europe • Rebranding the image of SEE and instilling the notion of regional cooperation • Acting as key interlocutor and operational link between the EU and the SEECP with regard to project generation and prioritization particularly in the context of the European Commission’s Multi. Beneficiary Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (MB IPA) • Coordinating international political, technical and financial support • Presenting a regional forum for dialogue among different countries, international organizations, and other partners
Membership • Members from the South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Turkey) and UNMIK on behalf of Kosovo in accordance with the UNSC Resolution 1244 • European Union, represented by the Troika (European Commission EU Presidency, Council Secretariat) • Donor countries (Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States) • International organizations/institutions (Co. E, Council of Europe Development Bank, EBRD, EIB, European Parliament, OECD, OSCE, NATO, SECI, UNDP, UN ECE, World Bank)
MEMBERS OF THE RCC BOARD ALBANIA, AUSTRIA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, BULGARIA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, HUNGARY, IRELAND, ITALY, LATVIA, REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, MONTENEGRO, NORWAY, POLAND, ROMANIA, SERBIA, SLOVENIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA, TURKEY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, UNITED NATIONS INTERIM ADMINISTRATION MISSION IN KOSOVO (UNMIK) ON BEHALF OF KOSOVO IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1244 The RCC Board provides operational guidance and supervision to the organization. It comprises of those RCC members contributing to the budget of the RCC Secretariat as well as the EU, represented by the Troika.
RCC Financing The RCC is funded through a cost-sharing mechanism - one third of its funding comes from the members from the South-Eastern Europe, one third from the EC, and one third from other donors.
RCC Structure • Secretariat in Sarajevo: Provides expert, technical and administrative support to the RCC, the RCC Secretary General and the Chairmanship in Office of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process. • Liaison Office in Brussels: Lobbies for projects of regional importance with EU institutions, international financial institutions and other Brussels-based institutions. Special Envoy of the RCC Secretary General for relations with the EU presidency is also based in Brussels and closely coordinates his work with the RCC Liaison Office. • Staff: The RCC Secretariat and Liaison Office consist of 35 staff (30+5) including twenty experts and political analysts covering strategic priority areas of RCC activity.
RCC Approach • Flexible and tailor-made, following the practice of the Stability Pact for SEE • • • RCC Method of Work Generating projects and programs of common interest for SEE, mobilizing resources, and the commitment to regional cooperation Matching priorities of SEE with programs and funds of international organizations, including those identified under the EC’s Multi – Beneficiary IPA Ensuring effective cooperation/coordination and networking between the SEECP, the RCC Secretariat, member countries, international donors, and individual regional initiatives and task forces Acting as an independent forum and intermediary in the context of regional cooperation Regional Ownership Acting as the operational arm of the SEECP Ensuring increased regional ownership and leadership
RCC Priority Areas • • • Economic and social development Energy and infrastructure Justice and home affairs Security cooperation Building human capital Parliamentary cooperation (as an overarching theme) Three additional cross-cutting issues include mainstreaming, social cohesion and civil society. gender
RCC Programming Role – complex inputs • 4 categories of beneficiary countries: EU members, candidates, potential candidates and a country covered by EU Neighbourhood Program • Diversified players: beneficiary countries’ institutions, regional initiatives, EU, IFIs, other international organizations, individual donor countries, private foundations, business sector, local communities networks etc.
RI National Represent. ers b m ators e M oordin E SE ional c SEE CP t Na RCC ard o C B mbers C R e 29 M Int Or erna gan tio EU iza nal , C o. E tio , U N, O ns S IFIs CE, O EC D, Donor s
Main tasks of the RCC ENSURE coordination, coherence sustainability, continuity MAINTAIN communication channels and preserve its functionality FACILITATE access to political, technical and financial support avoiding duplication and overlapping DRAFT harmonised guidelines and protocols for cooperation IMPROVE mutual cooperation, technical assistance, networking to practical results MONITOR & IDENTIFY current priorities among SEE countries, RI, International Organizations and Donors
RCC Expert Pool Contact Information Name Position Mobile E-mail Deputy Secretary General/Head of Expert Pool + 387(0)33 561 716 Jelica. Minic@rcc. int Senior Expert on Security Issues +387(0)33 561 705 Efrem. Radev@rcc. int Miroslav Kukobat Senior Expert on Infrastructure and Energy +387(0)33 561 707 Miroslav. Kukobat@rcc. int Virgil Constantin Ivan Cucu Senior Expert on Justice and Home Affairs +387(0)33 561 712 Virgil. Ivan@rcc. int Predrag Vujičić Expert on Justice and Home Affairs +387(0)33 561 722 Predrag. Vujicic@rcc. int Emira Tufo Senior Expert on Economic and Social Development +387(0)33 561 714 Emira. Tufo@rcc. int Nand Shani Expert on Economic and Social Development +387(0)33 561 719 Nand. Shani@rcc. int Mladen Dragašević Senior Expert on Building Human Capital +387(0)33 561 728 Mladen. Dragasevic@rcc. int +387(0)33 561 720 Mimika. Loshi@rcc. int Mimika Loshi Expert on Parliamentary Cooperation and Cross-Cutting issues Jelica Minić Efrem Radev
RCC Secretariat Trg Bosne i Hercegovine 1 Sarajevo, Bi. H www. rcc. int Swbd: +387 33 561 700 Fax: +387 33 561 701
Economic and Social Development The Economic and Social Development Unit of the RCC works with its international partners on supporting economic development initiatives in Southeast Europe. Bearing in mind that sustained economic development is only possible where accompanied by adequate social policy, the Economic and Social Development Unit of the RCC advocates the inclusion of social partners in economic policy dialogue - ultimately seeking to promote an awareness of the principles of quality of work and life.
Key Issues Economic Development • Investment Facilitation • SME Development • Free Trade Social Development • Labor and Employment Policy • Social Dialogue • Public Health + Development of Information and Communication Technology
Main Initiatives Economic Development • Investment Compact for Southeast Europe • Regional Competitiveness Initiative • Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA 2006) • Business Advisory Council (BAC) + Electronic Southeast Europe (e. SEE)
Main Initiatives Social Development • Bucharest Employment Process • SEE Trade Union Forum • Adriatic Region Employers’ Center • SEE Health Network
Aims: Infrastructure • Promote, monitor and facilitate coordination of regional infrastructure cooperation processes; • Act as an information and focal point for regional cooperation activities; • Point out and contribute in addressing the major bottlenecks in the national reforms implementation; • Provide political guidance to and receive input from relevant task forces and initiatives, estimate their role and relevance to seek for synergies and complementarities; • Promote continued involvement of international donor community and expansion of regional cooperation supporters; • Promote regional infrastructure investments, its impartial prioritization and particularly private sector participation; • Monitor strategic infrastructure developments internationally;
Core Initiatives • Energy Community including social dimension and EE activities; • SEE Core Regional Transport Network Development; • Transport Community; • Regional Environmental Center Programs and Initiatives; • IFIs and Development Agencies initiatives;
Short –Term priorities for Action • • • Participation in the IFIAG and its WGs to contribute to adequate prioritization of infrastructure projects to be financed primarily through the MB IPA (IPF); To promote sustainable energy development in the region; To support inclusion of the Civil Society Actors involving the social partners and the relevant trade union organizations as well; To support Transport Community Treaty negotiation; To promote sustainable and cost effective transport modes; To promote protection, sustainable use and integrated management of regional water resources (the DCP, DC, ICPDR , ISRBC); To back the Air Traffic regional dimension (ECAAA, SES, SEE FABA and its reorientation); To implement in cooperation with REC framework program Roadmap for Environmental Cooperation in SEE consisting of four thematic high level events dedicated to CC, Natura 2000, MEAs and PEIPs; To establish cooperation with the Parliamentarians in order to facilitate law making process; To assist bilaterally to the SEECP Ci. O and SEECP participating states facing problems; To promote an approach that more advanced SEECP states assist to those coping with the infrastructure reform delay;
Main Players and Partners • DG TREN, DG ENV, ECS, SEETO, REC and UNECE; • Variety of regional cooperation processes, organizations and initiatives (BSEC, BSREC, IENE, WEC SEE TFE, NALAS, EFSDR, RENEUER, DC, ICPDR, ISRBC, RERe. P, PEIP, DABLAS, ENVSEC, ECENA …);
JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS Cooperation and reforms in the field of justice, freedom and security, notably in: Øcombating organised crime and corruption, Øreforming the judiciary and police, Østrengthening border management, are of particular importance for SEE and a core priority for the European agenda
Main tasks of RCC in the field of Justice, Freedom and Security are to: ØFacilitate coordination and coherence of all actors in the area of Justice, Freedom and Security in the region ØFacilitate access to political, technical and financial support to the existing initiatives, avoiding duplication and overlapping ØContribute to the improvement of mutual cooperation and its practical results ØPut in place necessary communication channels and preserve its functionality ØFacilitate networking and sharing of best practices learned in the region ØSupport establishment of harmonised guidelines and protocols for sharing of relevant information across borders ØConstantly monitor, identify and adopt changes of the current priorities among SEE countries and donors
Key objectives ØCombating Trans – border Crime Strengthening the role and adopting international statute of the Regional Centre for combating trans-border crime ØSupporting the fight against corruption Sustainability, achievement of practical results and fostering the impact following the dissemination of the best practice and lessons learned ØLaw Enforcement and Police cooperation To continue main projects of Stability Pact Police Forum such as Organized crime training network (OCTN) and Implementation of the Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe – Vienna Convention 2006. ØRegional and international cooperation and networking amongst prosecutors Rise the South East European Prosecutors Advisory Group competence to provide real operational support, assistance, advice and guidance Ø Migration, asylum and refugees return To establish integrated border management and support management of population movement
Main partners 1. Regional Centre for combating trans-border crime SECI Centre - Bucharest Strengthening the role, the international statute and the relations with Europol 2. Regional Anticorruption Initiative (RAI) – Sarajevo Sustainability, achievement of practical results and fostering the impact following the dissemination of anti-corruption best practice and lessons learned , identify new priorities. 3 Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA) – Sofia To continue main projects of the Police Forum such as Organized crime training network and Implementation of the Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe – Vienna Convention 2006. 4. Migration Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI) – Skopje Supporting the relevant authorities involved in integrated border management including police, customs, as well as illegal migration and asylum. 5. South East European Prosecutors Advisory Group (SEEPAG) - Belgrade Increase the competence to provide real operational support, assistance, advice and guidance in organized crime investigation.
Security cooperation RCC has inherited from the SP three active and well established Task Forces and Initiatives – RACVIAC - Centre for Security Cooperation SEESAC – South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons DPPI – Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative
• RACVIAC - Based in Zagreb, Croatia. Founded in 2000 as the Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre. RCC will assist and support the formulation of a new, adequate strategic policy orientation of RACVIAC, in line with the new security cooperation need in South East Europe. • SEESAC – based in Belgrade, Serbia is joint RCC – UNDP project. Achieved substantial progress in working with Governments in SEE establishing national strategies on SALW control and project implementation addressing SALW control. SEESAC will provide for the adoption of national policies on armed violence prevention with an emphasis on security issues at the community level. • DPPI’s Secretariat is based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The goal of the DPPI is to foster regional cooperation and coordination in disaster preparedness and prevention. RCC will fully support the activities of the DPPI and the ongoing initiatives, including the formation of a Regional Joint Fire-fighting Center
Way ahead Strengthening of currently active initiatives by capacity building, improving program structure and spectrum of the existing I&TF. Seeking cooperation with IO and individual donor countries, analyzing their objectives and seeking synergy between programs. Identifying common challenges and approaches on regional base.
Way ahead Development of new project ideas among others the following: • Civil – military relations. Build up of civil expert capacity on security and defense issues. • Establishing a regional security institutions regional forum. • Gender aspects forum – women serving in the armed forces. • Establish a regional network of NGO’s working on security issues. • Develop forum of parliamentary cooperation, harmonization of legislation on security issues • Establish a forum on common regional military battles history
Building Human Capital and Cross-Cutting Issues Objective: Development of the knowledge complex: education, research, innovation + - valorisation of human capacity potential = sustainable social and economic development
Key players and partners: • • • Task Force Fostering and Building Human Capital: chaired by Romania and Co-Chaired by Austria and Croatia; coordinating activities and promoting continuous dialogue and information exchange Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE) - a regional, high-level platform for policy and expert cooperation in education in South Eastern Europe Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkans, science and technology cooperation between the WB and EU, integration of WB into the European Research Area European Commission EU Member States, Council of Europe, OSCE, OECD, UNDP, IMF, USAID, UNESCO, ETF, World Bank,
Tools • Memorandum of Understanding between the relevant ministers of Education, Science and Research in SEE • Multi - beneficiary IPA • Tempus program - cooperation among higher education institutions in EU members and SEE countries. Implementation of Bologna process • Erasmus Mundus - cooperation and mobility program aiming to improve European higher education and to promote intercultural understanding • FP 7
Expected results: • Increased awareness of the importance of human capital in sustainable economic development • Improved regional cooperation among universities in SEE countries and with the EU Member States • Increased mobility of students and academic staff • Greater research cooperation across SEE countries and with EU partners • Improved Centers of Excellence; • Strengthened capacities of public administrations • Better intercultural understanding
Parliamentary Co-operation as an overarching theme Raison d'être • Functioning and efficient democratic processes are a prerequisite for political stability, economic development, social cohesion and overall trust of democratic institutions. • Parliaments as legislators, play a crucial role in promoting and implementing relevant reforms and in increasing the efficiency and transparency of the governing structures of the Region. • The RCC has recognized the importance of parliamentary co-operation as one of the most important factors able to influence the process of democratization of the region.
Key objectives: • Strengthening the democratic efficiency and effectiveness of the Parliaments in South Eastern Europe • Promoting bilateral and multilateral co-operation among Parliaments in South Eastern Europe • Contributing to bringing closer to the European Union the parliamentary structures of the region
Main activities: • Capacity building seminars and initiatives for MPs and Parliamentary staff with a variety of partners. • Support the regionally initiated parliamentary co-operation structures such as the Western Balkans COSAP, the Cetinje Parliamentary Forum and the SEE Women MPs network • Promote internal reforms and bringing the SEE parliamentary structures closer to the European Union through the activities of the regionally owned structures
Main activities: • Capacity building seminars and initiatives for MPs and Parliamentary staff with a variety of partners. • Support the regionally initiated parliamentary co-operation structures such as the Western Balkans COSAP, the Cetinje Parliamentary Forum and the SEE Women MPs network • Promote internal reforms and bringing the SEE parliamentary structures closer to the European Union through the activities of the regionally owned structures
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