Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) - South East Europe Atlantic

Course summary Regional Cooperation Council (RCC):

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) was officially launched at the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Sofia, on 27 February 2008, as the successor of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.

The Regional Cooperation Council promotes mutual cooperation and European and Euro-Atlantic integration of South East Europe in order to inspire development in the region to the benefit of its people.

The Regional Cooperation Council recognizes that the consolidation of prosperous market economies underpinned by adequate social systems represents a cornerstone of development and wellbeing in South East Europe (SEE). The RCC strongly supports CEFTA 2006 and will continue to provide assistance in specific areas upon request, together with CEFTA’s Secretariat.

Example of the course Regional Cooperation Council (RCC):

Through a regionally owned and led framework, the RCC focuses on promotion and enhancement of regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE) and supports European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the aspiring countries. The RCC provides operational capacities to and works under the political guidance of the SEECP.

South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO) is regional transport organization. Members: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia and the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and the European Commission.

The aim of the SEETO is to promote cooperation on the development of the main and ancillary infrastructure on the multimodal South East Europe Core Regional Transport Network and to promote and enhance local capacity for the implementation of investment programmes, management and data collection and analysis on the Core Regional Transport Network.

The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was launched in 1999 as the first comprehensive conflict prevention strategy of the international community. The Stability Pact has been transformed into its successor organisation, the Regional Co-operation Council.

The South-East European Cooperation Process is a forum for diplomatic and political dialogue - the participating countries are open to cooperation for the future development of the region, for defining common views and for sharing experience.

The Declaration of Sofia expresses the will of the participating countries to start a long-term process of multilateral cooperation in the field of:
- Strengthening stability, security and good-neighbourly relations;
- Economic development;
- Humanitarian, social and cultural issues;
- Justice, combat against organized crime, illicit drug and arms trafficking, and terrorism.

In recent years, efforts for economic and social development in South East Europe have been dominated by reform agendas supporting strong economic growth and EU integration.

South-East European Cooperation Process - members: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro and Slovenia.

There is an important number of regional organizations, initiatives and networks in this priority area. CEFTA 2006 is one of the most important achievements of cooperation in the region.

Topic: Globalization and regionalization