Transcript Regional Approach to Development Challenges of South East

Regional Approach to
Development Challenges of
South East Europe
Belgrade
15 June, 2009
Context:
• “The crisis will not detour the Balkans. The downturn is providing a
major test for political and economic institutions that have little to
no experience with such a magnitude of challenges.” Jens Bastian,
ELIAMEP
• “Past good economic results were based on increased domestic
demand coupled with large negative savings and investment
balances, cheap international capital, low investment in equipment
and low exports. Even without the crisis, this model of growth is
not sustainable in the long run.” Jan Truszczynski, DG
Enlargement
• ”Indeed, no one in Brussels seems even to have realized that the
entire Balkan peninsula is rapidly turning into a cobweb of frozen
conflicts...” Marcus Tanner, Balkan Insight
• High level political contacts in the WB intensified. Mixed signals on
sectoral cooperation – expansion and deterioration.
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 PreAccession Assistance (MB IPA).
• Coordinating international political, technical and financial
support.
• Presenting a regional forum for dialogue among different
countries, international organizations, and other partners.
Achievements:
•All Western Balkan countries have either got
(Croatia and the FYR of Macedonia) or applied for
the candidate status (Montenegro and Albania), or
signed Stabilization and Association Agreements
with the EU (Serbia and BiH).
• Albania and Croatia became NATO members.
• Numerous (around 40) regional cooperation
structures and initiatives have been developed
since 1999.
• Successful transition from Stability Pact to the
RCC - SEECP becoming the major political
framework.
Activities of the RCC in the period May 2008 - May 2009:
• Completed transition process from the Stability Pact for
SEE to RCC;
• Opening of the RCC Liaison Office in Brussels and
nomination of the Special Envoy for relations with the
Presidency of the European Council;
• Political consultations with RCC members;
• RCC presentations held in the SEE capitals;
• Mapping of national priorities regarding regional
cooperation in SEE;
• Coordination and streamlining of SEE regional initiatives
and structures;
• Initiated networking process among RCC Secretariat,
members from SEE, EC and IFIs (including Multibeneficiary IPA and IFIAG);
• Preparation of the Project Portfolio of the RCC;
• Cooperation with other regional organizations and
initiatives (CEI, BSEC, AII, Danube Cooperation Process).
RI
National
represent
.
RCC PLATFORM
Civil society
organizations
International Organizations
EU, CoE, UN,OSCE, OECD, WB and others
RCC
Board
29
Members
RCC achievements:
• Improved exchange of information, data and expert knowledge –
strengthened regional cooperation.
• Bringing together all relevant stakeholders when addressing
specific issues, increasing cooperation efficiency and
decreasing related costs.
• Added value in avoiding overlapping and duplication and in
appropriate prioritization of Project Proposals.
• Raising awareness on sustainable development and its
importance for the region.
• Facilitating fund raising for project implementation.
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Challenges:
• Proliferation of different support programs
and regional initiatives.
• Institutional competition.
• Donor coordination.
• Coherence of the mechanism and
deliverance of crisis assistance package.
• Discrepancy between regional ownership,
leadership and regional program and project
implementation capacity.
• Moving beyond dialogue to greater results
orientation.
Risks:
• Effects of the global economic crisis in
the region;
•Slowing down of the European
integration process in the Western
Balkans;
•Deterioration of bilateral political
relations in the region;
•Fragility of the established regional
structures.
In its priority areas RCC will:
• Act in a pro-active way based on a strategic
approach and in accordance with national
priorities, in particular regarding the EU
accession.
• Develop regional programs to be supported
by relevant international organizations and
other donors.
• Help its SEE members and regional
initiatives and task forces to acquire lacking
knowledge and expertise in management of
the project cycles.
Scenario 1: speeding up and enriching SAP
High EU involvement in helping WB in institutional, financial and
sectoral terms – long-term and emergency measures
• Candidate status for all WB countries
• White Schengen list for all
• Fast and focused implementation of IPA
funds
• Additional funds for the WB (budgetary
support and project oriented)
• Coordinated IFIs approach to big regional
infrastructural projects
• Regional coordination in developing
strategic approach and implementation of
key projects
Scenario 2: slowing down and enriching SAP
Bridging the “enlargement fatigue” for 7-10 years and coping with
the crisis effects with strategic approach of keeping intensity of
functional integration and decided level of financial assistance,
while postponing institutional integration
• Focus on trade, energy, transport, JHA,
security and BHC
• Keeping business involvement (to support
trade, FDI, SMEs) and sustainability of the
financial systems in the region
• Keeping regular dialogue between EU and
WB at the high level
• Strengthening regional mechanisms of
cooperation
Scenario 3: postponing and freezing SAP
No change – opting for status quo
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Economic collapse in the region
Massive social unrest
Security challenges
Deconstruction of established regional
mechanisms