Tirana, 18th November 2025 - The fourth Regional Fireside Talk, titled “The Growth Plan & Common Regional Market: Where Does Youth Fit In?”, organised by RCC’s Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 in cooperation with Young Professional Network, gathered key regional and EU stakeholders, government representatives, youth organisations and young people to discuss how youth can play an active role in the region’s economic and integration agendas.

The discussion brought together Danijela Gačević, Head of Programme Department at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC); Ritva Heikkinen, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Albania; Niklas Ström, Ambassador of Sweden to Albania; Lira Pipa, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and Kreshnik Loka, Deputy Secretary General of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). The session was moderated by Ognjen Marković, Team Leader of the Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 (WBYL2).

The panellists held an open and engaging dialogue with youth representatives, including Young European Ambassadors, students from the College of Europe in Tirana, NGO representatives, and participants from the parallel Youth Policy Lab conference. The session not only offered a platform for sharing ideas and exploring challenges but also provided participants the opportunity to openly give their inputs in shaping the policies that define their future, and provide reflections on the region’s developments and their concrete role in implementing the Growth Plan. The discussion was interactive and aligned with the principles of meaningful participation, highlighting how young people can take an active role in driving regional growth and shaping the implementation of the Common Regional Market.

“Youth belong at the core of regional growth and cooperation,” said Gačević, stressing that every decision in the Common Regional Market directly affects young people and that their active involvement is crucial. She highlighted that fostering youth mobility, skills, and innovation is essential for a competitive and connected Western Balkans. “Empowering young people today ensures that the region’s growth is inclusive, relevant, and sustainable for all,” she added.

Heikkinen reflected on the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and other EU funded programmes, and highlighted: “EU support puts people at the very centre—especially young people. Through the Growth Plan and other EU initiatives like the Youth Guarantee, we open doors to new opportunities. We strengthen education, provide skills relevant in today’s labour market, create job opportunities, and give youth real voice. Empowered young people drive creativity, entrepreneurship, and a more connected, resilient region.”

The event concluded with a shared message that the success of the Growth Plan and the Common Regional Market depends on placing youth at the centre of regional cooperation, not as beneficiaries but as key partners and drivers of progress in the Western Balkans.

Later in the day, the WBYL2 officially kicked off Youth Policy Lab on Media Literacy and Disinformation. The launch marks the start of a youth-led policy process addressing the urgent challenge of misinformation, as identified by young people across the region.

The Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 (WB Youth Lab 2) is an EU-funded, RCC-led initiative that promotes a sustained and structured regional dialogue between young people and policy-makers. Its purpose is to co-create policies that strengthen youth participation in public decision-making and contribute to a more enabling socio-economic environment for young people across the Western Balkans.

More on the project - https://www.rcc.int/youthlab.