| The European
Institute, Sofia in its 2004 – 2006 strategic programme
is committed to facilitate the EU driven reforms in
the WB countries and help promote the reciprocal understanding
between the EU and WB countries national governments
and policy communities. Together with its fellow partners
Institute for contemporary studies, Albania, EuroBalkan,
Macedonia, SMEs Policy Centre, Croatia and NGO Foundation,
BiH and Belgrade Centre for European Integration, Serbia
it implements a three year programme of intensive awareness
building, national debating and regional networking
on the occasion of European integration. The project
has three major components, i.e.:
Regional Networking Component
The aim of that component is to provide opportunity
of local policy experts, EC representatives and central
administration in WB countries to jointly decide on
regional and national priorities related to EU-Western
Balkans relations and to provide overall monitoring
of project implementation. Task forces based in each
of the WB countries, which act as official representatives
and intermediary consultative bodies between the EC
and
respective WB country policy makers. The list of the
NTF and IACWB members is available at www.western-balkanks.info.
Awareness Building
The aim of this component is to raise the public knowledge
and awareness on the individual WB countries and the
region as a whole integration into the political and
economic mainstream of Europe based on building public
awareness and confidence on EU related matters in a
candidate country as Bulgaria.
The component includes:
• Creation and maintenance of www.western-balkanks.info,
which will offer on English and WB languages relevant
information, related to regional and national European
integration matters.
• Editing and distribution of European Balkan Observer
(EBO), special newsletter dedicated to educate the international
audience represented in the region and outside it on
the level of advancement of reciprocal understanding
between the EU and WB country
Research Component
The aim of the research component is to analyze on national
and regional levels the current situation, identify
gaps, deficits, provide policy recommendations on how
to avoid mistakes and share best practices in the areas
of importance to the EU driven reforms in the region.
2004 Highlights
During 2004 the European Institute, Sofia and its network
of regional partners succeeded in the following directions:
• Composition and functioning of 5 National Task Forces
in the individual WB countries consisting of representatives
of top head administration dealing with EU matters,
high profile experts from local policy communities,
media, local
businesses.
• Composition of International Advisory Council on Western
Balkans which acts as an official representative and
consultative body of the region on EU level.
• Conduction of 25 national researches (per five for
each of the WB countries) and follows up publications
on national and English languages in the areas of internal
market, JHA, competition, energy, SMEs.
• Conduction of 5 regional comparative analyses in the
areas of internal market, JHA, competition, energy,
SMEs and follow up publications in English language.
• Issuing of 4 editions of European Balkan observer
specialised newsletter.
• Launching of specialised Web Facility at www.western-balkans.info
with information in English and in native
languages on the progress of EU driven reforms and level
of advancement of EU/ WB countries dialogue.
2005 Highlights
• To widen the access and broaden the understanding of EU integration policies implementation of central administration and policy communities from WB countries to EU and national documents related to European integration on both English and national languages.
• To provide continuous facilitation to the promotion of EU integration policies in the WB and broaden the understanding of governmental and non-governmental institutions and expert communities on EU policies.
• To share Bulgaria’s negotiation experience with central administrations and policy communities from WB countries in support to the EU driven reforms implementation.
• To share experience with WB central administrations and policy communities on how Bulgaria has taken advantage from EC pre-accession and Community -action assistance.
2006 Highlights
• To inform the public about the preparation of Bulgaria for accession and the progress of the ratification process.
• To inform the public in Bulgaria, the countries of the WB and the Balkans about the Euro integration processes in the region.
• Better public awareness of the society as a whole and of some particular groups about the specific policies of the EU including the cohesion policy, the policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunities far all, etc.
• Support of topical and interesting Internet information sources.
Contact Information
European Institute
96, Rakovski St.,
Sofia 1000 Bulgaria
Telephone: (359-2) 9886410, 9886405,
9886406
Fax: (359-2) 9886411
E-mail:
office@europe.bg
www.europeaninstitute.bg
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