9 July 2026, Podgorica

The 71st ReSPA Governing Board Meeting at Senior Official Level brought together representatives of ReSPA Members in Podgorica to review the organisation's progress, endorse key governance and financial decisions, and prepare the agenda for the upcoming Ministerial Governing Board meeting.

The Governing Board approved ReSPA's Report on Operations and Implementation of the 2026 Programme of Work for the period 21 March – 10 June 2026, confirming that activities are progressing according to plan and continue to deliver tangible results for public administrations across the region.

During the reporting period, ReSPA organised more than 20 regional learning, networking and capacity-building activities, supported 11 Direct Support Instrument initiatives, including On-Demand Support projects, Mobility Schemes and On-site Workshops and Trainings, as well as two Common Assessment Framework (CAF) implementation initiatives. Altogether, these activities engaged 412 public servants from the Western Balkans and, for the first time under the new European Commission Grant, participants from Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, further expanding ReSPA's regional outreach.

The Secretariat also highlighted several strategic milestones achieved during the reporting period, including ReSPA's contribution to the Berlin Process Ministerial Meeting on Public Administration, where the Regional Public Administration Mobility Programme and the BRIDGE to EU Programme were launched, as well as the successful organisation of ReSPA Open Days in Chișinău, strengthening cooperation with Eastern Partnership administrations.

The Governing Board welcomed the progress achieved across ReSPA's programme pillars, including better regulation, EU integration, human resource management, digital transformation, cybersecurity, interoperability and quality management. Members also noted ongoing innovations, including the development of AI-supported CAF tools and the future CAF digital platform.

Looking ahead, the Governing Board confirmed preparations for the 18th Governing Board Meeting at Ministerial Level, which will take place on 17–18 November 2026 in Belgrade, Serbia. The event will combine a closed governance session with a High-level Policy Dialogue focusing on public administration reform priorities and European integration.

Financial governance also featured prominently on the agenda. The Governing Board adopted the Independent Auditor's Report for ReSPA's 2025 Financial Statements, which confirmed a clean audit opinion, and discharged the Director from management responsibility for the previous financial year. Members also approved the Expenditure Verification Report for the 2025 Core Budget Implementation, confirming that expenditures were implemented in line with the approved budget and applicable financial rules.

The Governing Board further noted that all ReSPA Members have fulfilled their national contributions to the 2026 Core Budget, reaffirming their continued commitment to the organisation's sustainable functioning.

In the area of institutional development, Members reviewed ongoing recruitment processes, approved the evaluation methodology for the recruitment of the Programme Manager - Legal, endorsed the vacancy announcement for the Partnership and Knowledge Management Officer, and agreed on the next steps regarding additional staffing under the European Commission Grant.

The meeting concluded with the decision that the 72nd Governing Board Meeting at Senior Official Level will be held on 8 October 2026 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, back-to-back with the regional CAF Conference, ensuring continued strategic oversight of ReSPA's work and preparations for the Ministerial session later this year.