28 March 2025, Online

In today's online session titled "EU Enlargement Momentum, Phasing-in, and Geopolitics," part of the ongoing Second Phase of the Capacity Building and Mobility Programme with the Italian Administration, over 50 civil servants gathered to gain the latest insights from the Serbian Minister of EU Integration, Tanja Miščević, who provided a comprehensive overview of the phasing-in process.

Director Handjiska-Trendafilova welcomed participants and urged active engagement in shaping the programme's development. She emphasized the importance of proposing topics crucial to the participants and ensuring their inclusion in the programme's essential components.

Minister Miščević shared updates on EU enlargement negotiations and highlighted geopolitical implications, stressing the need for proactive measures from the Western Balkans. She underscored that recent momentum, catalyzed by events like the Ukraine war, necessitates collaborative efforts with all 27 EU Member States to expedite the enlargement process.

The Minister identified seven key areas, or "low-hanging fruits," including free movement of goods, services, and workers, integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), decarbonization of energy markets, and digital integration into industry supply chains, all promising tangible benefits for the region and its citizens.

Regarding the new negotiation Methodology and challenges with opening Clusters, Minister Miščević provided an overview of the Western Balkans' current negotiation status and outlined future focal points.

Genti Xhaxhiu, ReSPA Programme Coordinator, elaborated on the curriculum of the Mobility Programme with Italian institutions 2.0, outlining its conceptual framework and detailing the upcoming first cycle and implementation steps.

The programme will proceed with a Kick-off Conference and three modules focusing on European Affairs and Integration, the European Single Market, and Performance Measurement in Public Administration, scheduled for April 15-17 in Bari, Italy.