Information Seminar on IPA Cross-Border Cooperation between Western Balkan Countries
After three seminars on IPA cross-border cooperation between
IPA stakeholders, such as national, regional and local authorities that are directly involved in the programming and/or implementation of IPA CBC programmes for the 2007-2013 period at the Western Balkan internal borders participated in the seminar, as well as the representatives of the European Commission and Delegations of the EC and EAR offices in the countries of the region. There were 86 participants in total.
The seminar was structured in two sessions. During the morning session, the representatives of the European Commission, DG Enlargement, Mr. Giannantonio Balette and Ms. Anne-Marie Maskay, gave presentations on relevant issues related to IPA CBC between Western Balkan countries and Ms. Natasa Gospodjinacki, CBIB Team Leader presented an update on the ongoing programming process. After a lunch break, the afternoon session was entirely dedicated to answering the questions of the participants related to the programming, structures and implementation of IPA cross-border programmes.
Objectives:
The main objectives of the seminar were the following:
- To present the IPA implementing rules for cross–border co–operation at borders between candidate/potential candidate countries (i.e. internal Western Balkan borders);to provide a discussion forum to enable the participants to raise the open issues concerning programming and implementation;
- To provide the necessary elements concerning the programming process, including the preparation of the joint cross-border programmes
- To present the rules governing the participation of candidate/potential candidate countries in the ERDF transnational programme(s) (e.g. the ERDF South–East Europe transnational programme).