Jelica Mini ć Deputy Secretary General of the RCC

1. Jelica Minić Deputy Secretary General of the RCC International Conference Social Entrepreneurship: A Vector of Change in the EU, Ljubljana, 15-16 April 2011 Social Entrepreneurship and South-East Europe: An Opportunity for Sustainable Change

2. Evolving role of the Regional Cooperation Council • As a new, regionally owned organisation the RCC represents the region, supports and initiates regional cooperation - 13 SEE beneficiaries • The RCC operates under the political umbrella of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP). Its objectives, working methods and priority areas for action are defined by the Statute and other documents adopted at Annual Meetings and endorsed by SEECP Summits. • As the main focal point for regional cooperation, the RCC: has a key role in supporting economic and social development and related reforms; promotes the region’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration of which regional cooperation is an essential part; links the region with donor community in areas with a regional dimension

3. Key challenges in the Western Balkans • Reconciliation, stability and good neighbourly relations. • Necessity for a new model of development and growth (export led growth, investments in tradables, SMEs, PPP) • Re-positioning in European and global constellations. • Poor physical, institutional and social infrastructure. • Under-utilization of existing resources. • Lack of human capital and low innovation capacity. • Slow reforms – strengthening the EU Accession leverage is needed. • Improved regulatory framework, institution building and enhanced administrative capacities . • Synchronizing and focusing activities of regional cooperation networks.

4. New RCC Strategy for 2011-2013:Horizontal Priorities • Represent the region • Assist the SEECP • Monitor regional activities • Exert strategic leadership in regional cooperation • Provide a regional perspective in donor assistance • Support increased involvement of civil society in regional activities Priority areas • Economic and social development • Energy and infrastructure • Justice and home affairs • Security cooperation • Building human capital and overarching issues

5. Europe 2020: Relevance for Enlargement Policy • Europe 2020 offers the enlargement countries an anchor for reforms. • The countries are invited to adapt and adopt relevant headline targets • Enlargement countries should participate actively in the European Union programmes. • The countries are invited to organise their work on the Europe 2020 related issues in regional groups.

6. Europe 2020: Three interlinked priorities 1.Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation 2.Sustainable growth: promoting a more efficient, greener and more competitive economy 3.Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion

7. Europe 2020 “flagship initiatives” • Innovation Union • Youth on the move • Digital Agenda for Europe • Resource efficient Europe • Industrial policy for the globalization era • Agenda for new skills and jobs • European platform against poverty

8. Mechanisms of cooperation in the framework of Europe 2020 • Europe 2020 flagship initiatives recognise that in some areas, enlargement countries can work together with member states and join the open method of coordination exercises. • Policy coordination organised under the 7 initiatives implies peer learning, setting joint targets and regular reporting. • These activities can be financed via EU Programmes such as the 7th Framework Programme, Competitiveness and Innovation, Lifelong Learning and others. • Most enlargement countries participate in EU programmes and can, if their administrative capacities allow, fully benefit from activities at the EU level.

9. Priority 1: Smart Growth

10. Priority 2: Sustainable Growth

11. Priority 3: Inclusive Growth

12. Priority 4: Governance for Growth

13. Western Balkans in 2020 Result of a Broad Consultative Process

14. Survey of Regional Initiatives in SEE • - Summary Findings - • Institutional Outline of Cooperation in SEE • Funding • Regional Coordination • Overview of activities

15. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

16. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

17. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

18. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

19. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

20. Annex I Taskforces and Initiatives in SEE

21. Figure 1. Institutional structure and legal form of RIs

22. Figure 2. Sources of funding of RIs in 2010

25. Additional suggestions 1. Networking and information exchange– a number of RIs indicated that there is a need for regular periodic meetings, both between the RIs and with donors in order to exchange information and network with others; 2. Increasing awarenesson regional cooperation initiatives and structures – awareness raising activities to target not just a narrow circle of practitioners, but also the general public in the countries of the region; 3. Better streamlining of existing RIs – avoiding and eliminating duplication, while further strengthening successful structures and cooperation programmes; 4. Involvement of regional civil society initiatives and networksin the work of RCC and other sectoral organizations.

26. Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010-2011 “The enlargement process contributes to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy by extending the area of the EU’s regulatory framework and creating new trading opportunities. The Commission welcomes the intention of many enlargement countries to reflect the Europe 2020 strategy in their national reform priorities. The Commission will associate enlargement countries with initiatives taken at EU level to meet the goals of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion... The Commission will propose to the Regional Cooperation Council that it sets up platforms for dialogue and peer review in …areas in line with Europe 2020 priorities. When programming IPA assistance, the Commission will take into account the priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy”. 9 November, 2010

27. Relevance of EU umbrella strategies for candidates and potential candidates • Strong potential to anchor reforms and facilitate EU accession: • competitiveness, employment, education, research, innovations, • meeting challenge of good governance - not additional criteria • Strategic thinking - strategic approach to policy development: • identifying regional priorities and objectives in different areas, prioritization • Commitment to common goals helps to change national policies: • strategic documents, action plans, common targets, policy learning • Adoption of good practice: • improving system of monitoring, peer reviews, benchmarking, and collecting • indicators, harmonised with EU structural indicators (EUROSTAT) • Support of European Commission - facilitating implementation: • deepening policy dialogue with EU, strengthening institutional capacities, • support from pre-accession funds (IPA; IPA Multi-Beneficiary) • Regional initiatives / activities - asset for supporting reforms: • coordinated efforts and strengthening focus on Europe 2020 related reforms • RCC - Regional Cooperation Council’s role: • providing political commitment, networking and coordination, streamlining, • strengthening bottom-up approach and regional ownership

28. Further steps Regional Cooperation Council: • Provide political commitment, networking and coordination, streamlining, strengthening bottom-up approach and regional ownership. • Obtain political support from SEECP. • Develop a roadmap for further coordination between RIs, national administrations, IFIs, European Union institutions, and other donors Regional initiatives / activities - asset for supporting reforms: • Coordinated efforts and strengthening focus on Europe 2020 related policy goals • Take an immediate role in sectoral platform building on regional issues related to Europe 2020 Support of European Commission - facilitating implementation: • Deepening policy dialogue with EU, strengthening institutional capacities, support from pre-accession funds (IPA; IPA Multi-Beneficiary)

29. Social Development • RCC priority: mainstream social development into economic reform deliberations • Major areas: • 1. Labor and Employment Policy • Bucharest Employment Process • 2. Social Dialogue • SEE Trade Union Forum • Adriatic Region Employers’ Center • 3. Public Health • SEE Health Network

30. What Is It? • Bucharest Employment Process • Ministers of labor/heads of employment agencies committedto regional cooperation in employment • Country reviews of employment policy conducted with help of CoE and ILO - recommendations endorsed by Ministerial Conference in 2007 • Regular meetings until 2009 of high level officials (Employment Network) to monitor and supervise implementation of Bucharest Process • Social Dialogue • Participation of social partners in meetings of the Employment Network • Promotion of a broad social partnership between public authorities and social partners: involvement of social partners in national tripartite dialogue • SEE Health Network • 21 leading international experts + > 100 health policy makers and technical experts from SEE • Supervises activities of regional public health projects led by countries • Serves as regional cooperation forum • Sample projects: community mental health, tobacco control, safety of blood products, etc.

31. Overall focus of RCC activities in the area of social development • Supporting follow-up actions of the Bucharest Employment Process: promote more and better jobs • Promoting regional social dialogue mechanism and strengthening capacities of social partners • Supporting regional ownership of SEE Health Network and transforming regional projects into sustainable long term programs

32. Concrete actions • Social agenda conference, May 25-26, 2011, Sarajevo • Organizer: RCC with support from FES • Objective: Contribute to the establishment of a long term vision of social development that will align Western Balkans countries closer to the EU social agenda • Relevance of EU umbrella strategy, Europe 2020: aim at building a common regional vision compatible with the EU 2020 strategy component on inclusive growth with a focus on two main pillars: a) jobs and employment b) poverty reduction/social inclusion • Expected result: establishment of regional platforms for employment promotion and poverty reduction/social inclusion

33. Possible themes • Overall social policy agenda for Western • Balkans • Active employment generation • Social entrepreneurship • Labor mobility • Occupational health and safety • Social protection and security • Social inclusion • Poverty reduction