Berlin, July 16-19, 2024

The Summer School on "Advanced European Governance and Integration," organized by ReSPA in partnership with the Hertie School, successfully concluded last week. The event, held from July 16-19, brought together experts and 20+ participants (public servants from the Western Balkans administrations) for an intensive program aimed at enhancing knowledge and skills in European governance and integration.

The program commenced with a welcome and introduction session featuring Maja Handjiska Trendafilova, Director of ReSPA and Dr. Rolf Alter, Seminar Lead and Senior Fellow at the Hertie School. Director HANDJISKA-TRENDAFILOVA highlighted that "this program crafted in partnership with the renowned Hertie School is a pivotal step in further shaping leadership among public servants and enhancing knowledge and skills on European governance.” This set the stage for a series of insightful sessions covering key areas in public administration, governance reforms, and EU integration processes.

Day 1: Policy Analysis and Legislation Harmonization

The first day focused on Public Administration and Governance Reforms, with political scientist Besa Shahini leading sessions on policy analysis in the EU enlargement process. Participants delved into the evolution of accession and reform requirements and their impact on policy development and coordination. Practical group work provided hands-on experience with real case studies of EU accession journeys. Dr. Rolf Alter then guided participants through the intricacies of legislation harmonization, emphasizing the importance of aligning national laws with EU standards to transform economies and societies. The day's activities concluded with a discussion on evidence-based policymaking and the use of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) when drafting European legislation and the subsequent transposition in local legislation in the Western Balkans.

Day 2: EU Fund Management and Strategic Policy Development

The second day began with sessions on EU Fund Absorption and Management, led by Dr. Rolf Alter. Participants examined the critical role of trust and integrity in government for effective access to EU funding opportunities. The working group sessions fostered the development of concrete proposals for national Trust and Integrity Strategies. In the afternoon, Ana Bobić, Adjunct Faculty at the Hertie School and Référendaire at the Court of Justice of the European Union, conducted sessions on strategic policy development and implementation within the EU. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) served as a case study to illustrate the EU's efforts in tackling corruption and financial crimes.

Day 3: Institutional Visits

Participants had the opportunity to gain firsthand insights into the German public administration and governance framework through institutional visits. Prof. Dr. Gerhard Hammerschmid made an overview of the challenges, trends and achievements that the German administration is facing nowadays and continued with field visits to the German Federal Foreign Office and the Bundestag. Participants exchanged with the Head of the Western Balkans Division Dr. Niels von Redecker and the Member of the Bundestag Mr. Josip Juratović on the EU enlargement, the geopolitical context and the future of the WB-EU relations. A guided walking tour of the government district of Berlin provided a deeper understanding of Germany's historical and political landscape.

Day 4 Highlights: Enhancing Political Communication Skills

The final day focused on enhancing skills for political communication related to the EU accession process. Adnan Ćerimagić, Senior Analyst at the European Stability Initiative, led workshops on successful political communication strategies. Participants explored effective methods for communicating the EU accession process and addressing disinformation. The day concluded with a collaborative session to redevelop communication strategies for different stages of the accession process.

The summer school concluded with the awarding of joint ReSPA-Hertie certificates to participants. The event was a resounding success, providing valuable insights and fostering a deeper understanding of European governance and integration.

ReSPA and the Hertie School extend their gratitude to all speakers, participants and guests for their contributions to this enriching experience. The knowledge and connections gained during this program will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and integration within the European context.