Sofia - The leaders of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) participants, at the Summit held today under the Sofia Chairmanship-in-Office, adopted the SEECP Sofia Summit Declaration, marking 30 years of regional ownership and reaffirming the continued importance of cooperation, stability, security and sustainability across South East Europe.

The SEECP leaders also endorsed the Annual Report of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), now available on the RCC website, as well as the SEE2030 Strategy Mid-Term Update, confirming support for RCC’s work in advancing regional cooperation, European integration and practical results for citizens, businesses and institutions. 

Speaking at the Summit, RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović said that South East Europe has a functioning regional cooperation mechanism, concrete deliverables, clear public support and steady backing from governments, but that the scale and speed of global change require a stronger strategic response.

“Thirty years ago, SEECP helped restore the habit of dialogue. Today, it must help build the habit of strategic delivery. Our region faces a triangle of pressure: demography, productivity and resilience. If left untreated, these pressures can turn into serious threats. This is why South East Europe cannot afford fragmented answers to shared structural challenges. Regional cooperation is not a slogan. It is a necessity,” said RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović.

The SEECP leaders welcomed the RCC Annual Report and commended RCC’s contribution to strengthening cooperation, coordination and delivery in the region. They expressed support for RCC’s continued work in turning political priorities into practical results and underlined the importance of a regional platform capable of responding to shared challenges in a more strategic and coordinated manner.

In the Sofia Summit Declaration, SEECP Participants acknowledged RCC’s contribution as the operational arm of SEECP in enhancing regional cooperation, recognised its added value as the hub of regional cooperation, and encouraged the incoming Bucharest Chairmanship-in-Office to continue strengthening SEECP-RCC synergy, including by facilitating RCC’s work in support of the SEECP framework and the European aspirations of SEECP Participants.

The Declaration also reaffirmed the EU perspective of SEECP Participants aspiring to join the Union, underlined the importance of inclusive regional cooperation and good-neighbourly relations,and recognised the role of the Common Regional Market in advancing economic integration and integration into the EU Single Market
The Summit concluded with the official handover of the SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office from Sofia to Bucharest, with Bucharest set to carry forward the region’s cooperation agenda in the period ahead.