27–28 January 2025, Bečići, Montenegro

A high-level conference on Regional Economic Integration, organized by German Cooperation and supported by the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, brought together policymakers, business leaders, EU officials, and regional experts to celebrate milestones in regional cooperation and chart the path forward for advancing trade and economic integration.

The conference was ceremonially opened on 27 January with addresses by Maida Gorčević, Minister of European Affairs, and Valentina Superti, Director, at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission. On 28 January, Chief Negotiator of Montenegro, Predrag Zenovic and H.E. Peter Felten, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Montenegro, officially inaugurated the event's second day.

Prominent guests discussed the benefits of EU pre-accession, including Tanja Miščević, Minister of European Integration; Orhan Murtezani, Minister of European Affairs; Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ardian Kamenica, Director General of European Affairs Department and Besnik Bislimi, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration.

Across four engaging sessions, senior officials from regional trade institutions, customs policy experts, phytosanitary authorities, business sector representatives, and GIZ specialists explored ways to enhance trade integration, address political reforms, overcome challenges, foster regional growth, and advance economic cooperation.

ReSPA Director Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova, alongside Tanja Bošković (Project Leader, GIZ RegioTrade), Amer Kapetanović (Secretary-General, Regional Cooperation Council – RCC), Danijela Gačević (Acting Director, CEFTA Secretariat), Lulzim Rafuna (Chairman of the Board, Investment Forum of Western Balkans Chambers of Commerce 6), and David Hudson (DG NEAR Senior Expert on Policy and Regional Strategy for the Western Balkans), engaged in discussions about the importance of supporting regional and EU integration.

Director Handjiska-Trendafilova highlighted ReSPA's pivotal contributions to strengthening institutional capacities, fostering cross-border cooperation, and advancing the region’s EU integration efforts. She reaffirmed ReSPA's commitment to expanding EU-focused programs, particularly through initiatives such as negotiating clusters and civil servants' mobility programs. “Over the past period, ReSPA has made substantial efforts to claim its rightful place among regional partners, ready to enhance public administrations' quality, capacity, and performance – the bedrock of delivering EU policies and implementing EU legislation. In line with the conference’s inspiring motto, ReSPA remains committed to empowering civil servants, the backbone of both regional cooperation and EU integration. As we transition from preparatory stages to impactful implementation of the Growth Plan and a more ambitious CRM phase, it is clear that public administration must rise to a new level of professionalism, resilience, and innovation. This calls for sustained focus on professionalization reforms, talent management, and lifelong learning opportunities to ensure civil servants are skilled, motivated, and well-networked for effective EU acquis absorption.

Through synergetic partnerships with EC services, EU Member States, and renowned institutions, ReSPA has pioneered numerous initiatives in the areas of EU integration, HRMD, policy development, digitalization, and service delivery. From training on single-market policies to mobility exchanges and capacity-building programs, our regional approach fosters peer learning and strengthens institutional capacities. We are honored to be recognized as the prospective regional anchor for the Single Market Academy, ensuring long-term sustainability and enhanced knowledge sharing among Western Balkans administrations.", underlined Handjiska-Trendafilova, emphasizing the organization's unwavering dedication to regional progress.

The conference underscored the critical importance of regional cooperation and institutional capacity-building, positioning ReSPA as a key driver of the Western Balkans' journey toward EU integration.