The Balkans Group, in cooperation with the Southeast Europe Association and the Aspen Institute Germany, hosted an advocacy roundtable with SHERPAs, representatives of the Western Balkan countries, and civil society organizations.
Following the Civil Society Preparatory Forum (CSF), the Balkans Group brought together government officials and civil society organisations to discuss and debate the findings and recommendations that emerged from the preparatory Forum in July.
Chairs of CSF Working groups presented their recommendations and engaged in discussions with the government representatives. Manuel Sarrazin, Germany’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans, and Eirik Nestås Mathisen, the Norwegian Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, attended and contributed to the discussions.
The discussions focused around:
- EU Integration and the Berlin Process
- Dealing with the Past and Reconciliation
- Gender and Diversity
- Common Regional Market and Mobility
- Energy, Climate Change, and Decarbonization
- Environment Protection and Sustainable Economic Development
- Disinformation and Cyber Threats
Participants highlighted key recommendations for WB6 governments and Agendas of the Berlin Process, the need to implement previous Berlin Process agreements, including freedom of movement, and developing a mechanism for monitoring the implementation of previous and emerging agendas of the Berlin Process.
This advocacy event preceded the upcoming summit of the Berlin Process scheduled for October 14, 2024, in Berlin.
This activity was supported by the governments of Germany and Norway.
