The Berlin Process - 2016

Feb 22, London

Western Balkans Investment Summit

• Croatia and WB6 Prime Ministers, Ministers of Economy, Energy and/or Transport, UK Minister for Trade and Investment
• EBRD
• WB business representatives
• Development of transport links, renewable energy and the privatisation agenda elaborated upon
• EBRD-backed SEE Link launched

Feb 25-26, Zagreb

WB6 Chamber Investment Forum Meeting

• Presidents of Chambers from SEE and of the EU member states
• EU representatives 
• The Regional Platform for Strengthening SMEs established

Mar 1, Brussels

Meeting of WB6 Ministers of Energy and Transport

• WB6 Ministers of Transport and Energy
• DG NEAR Commissioner
• The WB6 will work towards establishing a regional market for electricity
• The NICs will keep Single Project Pipelines (SPPs) of priority investments up to date and credible

Mar 30-31, Durres

Meeting of WB6 Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Durres

• WB6 and Czech Ministers of Foreign Affairs
• Secretary of State of France
• Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs
• DG NEAR Commissioner
• RCC Secretary General
• The EU will fund connectivity investment projects where soft measures have been addressed
• The WB6 proposed a cooperation agenda as regards to the refugee crisis and demanded the conclusion of the visa liberalisation process for all the WB citizens
• The EC will organise a youth forum, launch a pilot scheme for young civil servants and prepare a regional hydropower master plan

Apr 25-26, Vienna

Conference “WB: Energizing Enlargement by Solving Bilateral Disputes”

• Representatives of WB6, Austria, Croatia, Germany, France, Italy and Slovenia, of the EU institutions, RCC, think-tanks 
• The ways of resolving bilateral issues were deliberated

Apr 27, Vienna

Meeting in EnC Secretariat

• Representatives of the WB6 Ministries of Energy 
• WB6 Transmission system operators and national regulatory authorities 
• MoU of the WB6 on Regional Electricity Market Development signed

May 12-13, Belgrade and Novi Sad

Civil Society Forum

• Regional civil society organisations and think tanks
• Recommendations for the Paris Summit prepared (youth cooperation, migration crisis, environment and bilateral disputes)

May 22-24, Vienna

Joint Science Conference

• National Academies and Rector’ Conferences of WB6, Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia; RCC
• Recommendations for the WB6 agreed upon (involvement of scientists in policy- making, application of international quality criteria, support to mobility measures, etc.)

May 24, Paris

Brdo-Brijuni Process meeting

• Italy, France, Slovenia and WB6 
• Ministers of Foreign Affairs; German Minister of State for Europe; State Secretary of France
• DG NEAR Commissioner 
• EEAS Secretary General 
• Cooperation needs to be stepped up in the area of migrations

May 25, Brussels

Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU, the WB, and Turkey

• Representatives of WB6, EU member states, Turkey, EC; of European Central Bank and central banks of WB6 and Turkey 
• The WB6 representatives presented their Economic Reform Plans (ERPs) for 2016

May 26, Ljubljana

Conference “Strengthening Econ. Governance in SEE”

• WB6 Ministers of Economy
• Representatives of the EC and IMF
• Reform priorities identified under Economic Reform Programmes discussed

Participants:

• WB6: Presidents and Prime Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy
• EU: EC President and V.-President, DG NEAR Commissioner, HR of the EU Foreign Policy and Security Affairs
• Austria, Croatia, Germany, France, Italy, Slovenia: Prime Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy
• International financial institutions

Topics:

• Rule of law and anti-corruption Youth
• Environment
• Migration and fighting terrorism Connectivity agenda

Commitments:

• 3 new railway projects agreed upon, and the programme for energy efficiency received additional funding
• Soft measures to be implemented
• A roadmap for setting up of a regional market for electricity agreed upon
• Proposals for increasing the access for the region’s youth to the Erasmus agreed upon Western Balkan Sustainable Charter agreed upon
• Agreement on the Establishment of the RYCO signed Young Civil Servants Pilot Scheme launched

Highlight:

• Recommendations on climate change and green growth, youth cooperation, bilateral disputes, migration and democratic governance presented

Highlight:

• WB6 chambers to promote cooperation and increase competitiveness

Highlight: 

• Recommendations on education and mobility, employment and entrepreneurship, youth engagement and participation, and youth and the media presented

Sep 26-28, Ljubljana

Europe-Western Balkans Youth Meeting

• WB6 and EU members states youth leaders
• Representatives of institutions of 15 Erasmus+ participants
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia 
• Progress on implementation of the recommendations of the Paris Youth Conference discussed

Nov 24-26, Skopje

Civil Society Forum

• Regional civil society organisations and think tanks 
• State of democracy and rule of law discussed

Nov 29, Warsaw

Annual Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the V4 and WB6

• Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the WB6 and V4
• High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• Reperesentatives of Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and Italy 
• V4 supported the WB6 EU integration and their effort in the fight against corruption and in managing the migrations

Dec 6–12, Brussels

Annual Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the V4 and WB6

• WB6 Ministers of Transport; DG NEAR and DG MOVE Commissioners
• Representatives of SEETO, RCC and IFIs 
• Agreement regarding the text of the Transport Community Treaty reached

Dec 16, Brdo

EU-WB Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs

• WB6, Slovenia and Slovakia Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs
• Representatives of the EU, civil society, regional cooperation bodies 
• The WB6 will be partners in the operational actions related to the fight against firearms trafficking