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04 Jun 2023
Bregu: This year marks one of the most impactful ones for the Western Balkans when it comes to regional cooperation news

Participants of RCC Annual Meeting endorse organisation’s Annual Report  Budva - "This year marks one of the most impactful ones for the Western Balkans, marking the long-awaited turning point towards commitments taken by the economies of the region, through the Common Regional Market (CRM). With integrity, collegiality and competence - three words of tradition and challenge, ...

25 May 2023
RCC Board approves organisation’s Annual Report 2022/23, and adopts Financial Report 2022 news

Regional Cooperation Council Hosts 49th meeting of RCC Board Sarajevo – The participants of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board approved the organisation’s Annual Report 2022/23 and adopted the Financial Report 2022 at their 49th meeting held in Sarajevo today. The Annual Report 2022/23 is expected to be endorsed at the RCC Annual Meeting and adopted at the SEECP Ministerial ...

04 May 2023
Moderate progress of the Western Balkan economies regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights news

RCC’s ESAP 2 project brought together its partners for a two-day event, held in a hybrid format, to deliberate on employment and social issues (Sarajevo/Skopje) - The Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) project of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) presented the 2022 edition of individual economy and regional overview reports on performance of the Western Balkan (WB) economies ...

27 Apr 2023
Regional Overview of Western Balkan Economies Regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights report

The overview regional report analyses the progress of six Western Balkan economies (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia) regarding the 20 principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR). The 2022 review of the performance of Western Balkan (WB) economies regarding the EPRS has been conducted by the Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) ...

15 Mar 2023
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT for the period 1 November 2022 – 1 March 2023 report

Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 November 2022 – 1 March 2023 was presented by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the 48th RCC Board meeting on 15 March 2023 in Sarajevo.

15 Mar 2023
Bregu: Continued all-inclusive regional cooperation remains the key in strengthening economic resilience of the Western Balkans news

Regional Cooperation Council Hosts 48th meeting of RCC Board  Sarajevo – “External risks arising from the current geopolitical crisis and the rise in commodity prices reinforce the purpose of the Common Regional Market agenda. Continued all-inclusive regional cooperation remains the key towards strengthening economic resilience of the Western Balkans,” said Secretary ...

03 Feb 2023
RCC: Nominations for Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2022 open news

RCC launched the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year recognition last year under its Women Economic Empowerment Agenda Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is happy to announce that the nomination process for the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2022 has begun! The RCC launched this initiative last year in the framework of the Common Regional Market ...

09 Jan 2023
Women Entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans - economy factsheets factsheet

Gender statistics play an important role for evidence-based policy making in support of women entrepreneurship. Hence, a thorough review of gender statistics in the Western Balkans, with a specific focus on “women entrepreneurship”, has been commissioned by Regional Cooperation Council. In addition, a sector review for “women in agriculture” has enriched the insights and has been included ...

24 Nov 2022
Looking at Social Ability to Provide Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities news

Sarajevo – In the Western Balkans economies “most of the progress was registered in the areas of inclusion of children with disabilities, especially in the process of deinstitutionalisation of children with disability, inclusive education and support services offered at the community level”, reads the Regional Overview of Western Balkan Economies Regarding the European Pillar of ...

24 Jun 2022
Balkan Barometer 2022 - INFOGRAPHICS brochure

BALKAN BAROMETER is an annual survey of public opinion and business sentiments in six Western Balkans economies, commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which examines aspirations and expectations on life and work, prevalent socio-economic and political trends & regional and European integration. BALKAN BAROMETER’S 2022 infographics booklet features some of the defining thoughts ...

24 Jun 2022
Balkan Barometer Business Opinion 2022 survey

2022 edition of the Balkan Barometer- the annual survey of Western Balkan business perceptions. It provides insights into trends and evolution of the attitudes of region’s businesses across socio-economic-environmental topics affecting their everyday lives and business. Balkan Barometer Business Opinion survey presented 177 questions to 1203 business owners, managers, or executives in the period ...

24 Jun 2022
Balkan Barometer Public Opinion 2022 survey

Balkan Barometer Public opinion 2022 is 8th edition of RCC's survey of Western Balkan citizens perceptions. The analysis of the results provides a detailed insight into trends and evolution of the attitudes of thousands of region’s citizens and businesses across socio-economic-environmental topics affecting their everyday lives. Since the first edition in 2015 the Balkan Barometer became firmly ...

24 Jun 2022
Bregu: Support of Western Balkan citizens to regional cooperation remains stable at 76% news

RCC presents 2022 editions of Balkan Barometer and SecuriMeter  Brussels – “While many things change, our public and business perceptions surveys remain a truthful source of sentiments across the region. At times, the results surprise us, sometimes they serve as a wake-up call, while on other occasions they confirm that our efforts are not in vain as citizens and businesses ...

09 Jun 2022
REGIONAL RESPONSE IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY: RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2023–2025 report

The Strategy and Work Programme 2023-2025 ‘Regional Response in Times of Uncertainty’, of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat was endorsed at the RCC Annual Meeting, on 9 June 2022 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The overarching goal of SWP 2023-2025 is to promote the prosperity of South East Europe by supporting sustainable and equitable economic growth policies to enhance regional economic ...

09 Jun 2022
Bregu: As long as we continue to subscribe to dialogue, compromise and cooperation, we invest in long-term stability, security and prosperity news

Participants of RCC Annual Meeting endorse organisation’s Annual Report and Strategy and Work Programme 2023-2025 Thessaloniki – “Under the political guidance of SEECP and in consultations with all relevant actors and stakeholders, RCC identified those gaps in which the region should invest with technical as well as political capital. These all fall under the category of sustainable ...

08 Jun 2022
Champion of Regional Cooperation to round off 14th RCC Annual Meeting news

Sarajevo/Thessaloniki – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is to hold its 14th Annual Meeting on Thursday, 9 June in Thessaloniki. RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu will present the RCC Annual Report and major accomplishments and results of the organisation in the past year while putting it in the context of current political and economic situation in the region.  Despite challenging ...

18 May 2022
Bregu: With slowed growth & inflation Western Balkans will have to amp-up regional cooperation news

RCC Board endorses organisation’s Strategy and Work Programme 2023-2025 and the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General Sarajevo - It is very difficult to sugar-coat the severity of economic effects of the war on the Western Balkans. It is equally difficult to accurately predict the true and longer-term impact, or to identify the opportunities for the region along the way. Our ...

16 Mar 2022
Bregu: European perspective important for socio-economic progress, but also for security and stability news

RCC Board met today for the 45th time since the establishment of the organisation Sarajevo/Tirana – “The times we are living in are not glamorous, on the contrary these are dark moments. We are all heartened and deeply saddened by the unjust war Ukrainian people are going through. The economic impact of the war stretches beyond Ukraine's borders. Concern is present in the Western ...

25 Nov 2021
Bregu: Being Europeans is not written in DNA but what you believe and fight for news

Italy in partnership with the RCC hosted youth from all the Europe at EU-Balkan Youth Forum in Rome Rome/Sarajevo - “It’s not breaking news any longer that our youth is leaving the region. One out of 3 youngsters, age 18-24, in the Western Balkans confirms that they are ready to leave their homeland. We should understand the message – their choice of destination shows what’s ...

26 Oct 2021
Youth-Tailored Solutions Require Youth Participation news

RCC’s Western Balkans Youth Lab Project held its Mid-Term Conference on Youth   Unemployment  Sarajevo/Online – “Cooperation, innovative solutions, equality, participation - these are the things we need today more than ever, as we establish an environment in which youth and policy makers sit together to constructively explore the ways in which youth priorities and ...

15 Oct 2021
Bregu: European perspective of Western Balkans is the drive that makes the process of cooperation beneficial news

RCC Board meets for the 44th time  Sarajevo – “European perspective of Western Balkans is the drive that makes the process of cooperation beneficial to all in long-term. It is of highest importance that both the region and the EU deliver on the respective commitments – particularly when we take into account that optimism regarding the time of accession has been declining. ...

13 Oct 2021
Western Balkans’ Social Scoreboard and Accompanying Reports Regarding European Pillar of Social Rights Presented by ESAP 2 Project news

Sarajevo/Tirana – Western Balkans’ Social Scoreboard, and individual and regional overview reports on performance of the Western Balkan economies regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights, prepared by Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) project of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), was presented at the two-day hybrid event ‘Employment and Social Affairs ...

11 Oct 2021
Regional Overview of Western Balkan Economies Regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights 2021 study

The overview report is written by the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (European Centre) Research as part of the project “An updated review of the performance of Western Balkan economies regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights” within the framework of the Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) project. Each Western Balkan economy report provides an update ...

08 Jul 2021
COMPARATIVE REPORT ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE WESTERN BALKANS study

This Study presents a comparative analysis of the region’s youth labour markets. The Section 2 analyses the key indicators of the youth labour market that are available from Eurostat, the Observatory on employment in the Western Balkans of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP 2) project, and Statistical Offices in the Western Balkan economies. Section ...

08 Jul 2021
Study on Youth Employment in the Western Balkans report

Youth employment is an important policy priority for all governments in the Western Balkans. Along with general economic development, all economies have experienced a positive trend in youth employment creation in recent years. However, youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, while activity and employment rates are far below the levels seen in the EU, with a strong gender bias. This Study presents ...

24 Jun 2021
Balkan Barometer 2021 - INFOGRAPHICS brochure

BALKAN BAROMETER is an annual survey of public opinion and business sentiments in six Western Balkans economies, commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which examines aspirations and expectations on life and work, prevalent socio-economic and political trends & regional and European integration. BALKAN BAROMETER’S 2021 infographics booklet features some of the defining thoughts ...

24 Jun 2021
Bregu: Balkan Barometer reveals human uncertainty and vulnerability are main concerns followed by some goodish news on benefits of regional cooperation news

RCC presents 7th edition of Balkan Barometer, annual survey on people and business viewpoints  Tirana – “This, seventh in a row, Balkan Barometer shows human uncertainty and vulnerability are the main concerns followed by some goodish news which is the consciousness about the benefits of regional cooperation. For 49% of Western Balkan citizens, unemployment is the biggest problem, ...

23 Jun 2021
Balkan Barometer Business Opinion survey

Balkan Barometer 2021 - this is the 7th edition of annual public and business opinion survey commissioned by the RCC which examines Western Balkan citizens and businesses perceptions and expectations towards a variety of thematic areas, such as the EU integration and regional cooperation, digitalisation, green recovery, employment, and for the second year in a row it includes topics concerning a challenging ...

16 Jun 2021
South East Europe Strategy 2030 report

The SEE 2030 Strategy is a joint call for action by all 13 SEE economies. The Strategy seeks to promote and advance through regional cooperation the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals within the SEE region across the three dimensions of sustainable development: Prosperity; People; and Peace and Partnerships.

16 Jun 2021
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2020-2021 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period April 2020 – April 2021. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period. Annual Report of the Secretary ...

16 Jun 2021
Bregu: 2020 was difficult, but a real progress and achievements have been made for development of our region news

Participants of the RCC Annual Meeting endorse SEE2030 Strategy and RCC Annual Report  Antalya – “Last year, ruled by the pandemic has definitely showcased the extent of our interconnectivity and interdependency and demonstrated that in cooperating, we boost our strengths and resilience. It is clear that regional socio-economic integration is crucial for regional development. ...

11 Jun 2021
Labour Markets in the Western Balkans: 2019 and 2020 study

This Study analyses the situation in each of the six Western Balkan economies’ labour markets in 2019 and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It considers the factors that affect the region’s labour markets, the measures undertaken by governments to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these have affected labour market outcomes. It includes an analysis of the structure of the ...

11 Jun 2021
Data do matter for identifying effective measures and policies in addressing labour markets’ structural weaknesses, including informal employment in particular news

RCC’s ESAP 2 Project presents Study on Labour Markets in the Western Balkans at“Data Matters” webinar Sarajevo/Online – “In 2019, the average employment rate in the Western Balkans (WB) grew to a historically high level, with new jobs being created throughout the region. New job creation by in large came to a halt in 2020 due to the effects of the coronavirus.  ...

31 May 2021
Leaflet: Youth Guarantee in Western Balkans information material

This leaflet aims at explaining the Youth Guarantee in EU and provides recommendations for its introduction and enhancement in the Western Balkans.

31 May 2021
Brochure: Youth & Jobs in the Western Balkans information material

Western Balkans - Youth & Jobs brochure captures key findings of the RCC's ESAP 2 Study on Youth Employment in the Western Balkans, portraying the position of the young people in the labour market in the six economies of the region.

31 May 2021
Bregu: With regional youth unemployment rate at 35.1% the need to act is clear, as youth is our most precious asset news

RCC’s ESAP Project presents Study on Youth Employment in Western Balkans  Sarajevo/Online – “Youth and jobs has not been a good combination in the Western Balkans for some time. The average regional youth unemployment rate in 2020 was 35.1%, which is more than double the European Union (EU) rate of 16.9%. Some of it can be blamed on the COVID 19 pandemic that stopped job ...

29 Apr 2021
COVID-19 and the World of Decent Work interview/article

Article on the occasion of 1 May, Labour Day 2021 edition of the International Labour Day: COVID-19 and the World of Decent Work "Around a quarter of youth in the Western Balkans are NEETs – neither in employment, education or training (2019 data). Moreover, out of the total registered unemployed at the end of February 2021, 173,031 are young people, under 24 years, which is more than 12% ...

19 Apr 2021
Greater engagement of social partners in tackling undeclared work in the Western Balkans is much needed, authorities and social partners agree news

Webinar “Improving Social Partner Involvement in Tackling Undeclared Work” in the Western Balkans held today under RCC-implemented, EU-funded ESAP 2 project Sarajevo – “The Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) project aims to support regional cooperation among the Western Balkan (WB) economies in transforming ...

16 Apr 2021
Balance between prevention and deterrence one of key elements for successful, structured approach to formalizing undeclared work news

Third Plenary meeting of the Western Balkan Network Tackling Undeclared Work held online today under the RCC-implemented and EU-funded ESAP 2 project Sarajevo – “COVID 19 pandemic introduced many new challenges to labour markets globally and in Western Balkans, as this region has low activity and employment rates on one hand and high rates of informal work on the other. Current times ...

29 Mar 2021
Report on the Activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 October 2020 – 1 March 2021 report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 October 2020 – 1 March 2021.

29 Jan 2021
Recovering from COVID-19: How and With Whom? interview/article

Recovering from COVID-19: How and With Whom?, Article by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) OBSERVING the Western Balkans through Employment Observatory "Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), our Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 (ESAP 2) project to be more specific, prepared Observatory on employment in the Western Balkans. Yes. Observatory is ...

19 Nov 2020
Miscevic: Addressing livelihood topics of social rights - jobs, wages, access to education, health care – more important than ever news

Regional meeting on challenges and opportunities of Social Rights in the Western Balkans held online today Sarajevo/Brussels/Tirana – “It is no longer news that Western Balkan societies fall short in many socio-economic aspects. We, together with our partners – governments in the region, European Union (EU) and many others, work to reduce this gap between the region and the ...

17 Nov 2020
Tackling undeclared work in times of COVID 19 pandemic focuses on prevention of declared work sliding back into the undeclared zone news

2nd Regional Plenary Meeting dealing with undeclared work in the Western Balkans focused on preventative approaches to tackling the undeclared work   Online – “Main aim of our work being promotion of regional cooperation in transforming the undeclared into declared work in the Western Balkans has so far resulted in gathering of the relevant region’s institutions around the ...

02 Oct 2020
Regional Overview of Western Balkan Economies Regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights report

This comparative report draws on six individual economy reviews of the performance of each Western Balkan economy regarding the European Pillar of Social Rights. The Pillar encompasses 20 principles that serve as a reference for better working and living conditions across the areas of equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion. The ...

30 Sep 2020
Moving Away from “Reducing Undeclared Work” Approach to “Transforming It into Declared Work” in the Western Balkans news

1st Meeting of the Western Balkan’s Network Tackling Undeclared Work Sarajevo – “Informal economy is a chronic problem of many economies, Western Balkans’ in particular, as estimates show that up to 30% of the employed persons in the region work undeclared. Today’s meeting is about to explore ways on how all institutions in charge of this issue – Labour Ministries, ...

03 Jul 2020
Youth Unemployment in the Western Balkans: Youth is Crucial in Designing of Employment Policies news

RCC’s Western Balkans Youth Lab and Employment and Social Affairs Platform Projects organized webinar tackling policymaking and youth unemployment in the region  Sarajevo – “Numerous stories of unemployed young people across the region who want the leave in pursuit of a job and better life are loud and yet also seem silent.  That is why the Western Balkan Youth ...

25 Jun 2020
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2019-2020 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period April 2019 – April 2020. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.

25 Jun 2020
Bregu: It is up to the region to retain commitment to cooperation and bring forth tangible progress to citizens news

RCC Secretary General takes part in SEECP Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting and hosts, with SEECP CiO, 12th RCC Annual meeting Tirana/Sarajevo/Prishtina – The two meetings have been held today within the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) - the meeting of the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the RCC Annual Meeting, which RCC co-organised with the outgoing Kosovo SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office ...

24 Jun 2020
RCC SG speech at the presentation of Balkan Barometer 2020 on 24 June 2020 statement/speech

Introductory remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu on the ocassion of Balkan Barometer 2020 launch held in a form of webinar on 24 June 2020

24 Jun 2020
Bregu: Cooperation is the only blueprint that holds the promise of ‘Stronger Together’ news

The Shape of the Things to Come - Presentation of Balkan Barometer 2020 Balkan Barometer 2020 reveals sentiments of citizens and businesses in the region, with a special addition conveying effects of the COVID-19 outbreak   Balkan Barometer 2020 presentation was going LIVE  Sarajevo – “The regional cooperation continues to grow in prominence with an overwhelming ...

23 Jun 2020
The Shape of the Things to Come - Presentation of Balkan Barometer 2020 news

Annual public and business opinion survey including COVID19 Impact Assessment Moderated by Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General; and key guest speakers Olivér Várhelyi, EU Enlargement Commissioner; & Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich Security Conference Chairman Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will present 2020 edition of Balkan Barometer on Wednesday 24 June 2020. This ...

19 Jun 2020
Viral slowdown, Article by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) interview/article

Article by the RCC SG on the effects of coronavirus on employment in the Western Balkans. "According to ILO estimates, in the second quarter of 2020 the Western Balkans will lose 11.6% of hours worked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is equivalent to more than 800,000 employment losses and could almost entirely wipe out the gains in employment the region has accumulated since 2012." "While ...

12 Jun 2020
ESAP 2: Undeclared work in the Western Balkans needs to be formalized, to increase both public revenues and social security news

Initiative for Regional Network for Tackling Undeclared Work presented and discussed at the RCC’s ESAP 2-hosted online plenary meeting with representatives of Western Balkans’ Ministries in charge of labour and social policies and enforcement authorities Sarajevo – “The global pandemic caused by the COVID 19 virus has had a profound impact on businesses and workers, as well as economies ...

14 May 2020
Bregu: Pandemic created a common awareness that at least for now humankind takes precedence over politics and disputes news

RCC Board met online to hear about the activities of the organization in the past period and discuss future steps Sarajevo – “For all its aggressiveness, the COVID-19 crisis also offers glimmers of hope. It has connected Western Balkans even more, this time in a fight against an invisible enemy. It has persuaded us that cooperation should be resilient. It has created a common awareness ...

30 Apr 2020
1st of May 2020: Not the Labour Day as We Know It, Article by Nand Shani, Team Leader of ESAP 2 interview/article

Article on the occasion of 1 May, Labour Day 1st of May 2020: Not the Labour Day as We Know It Coronavirus in the Western Balkans: Testing immunity of the world of work By Nand Shani, Team Leader of Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP 2), implemented jointly by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), funded by the EU

26 Apr 2020
Majlinda Bregu, RCC SG's interview for N1 about the Western Balkans during & after COVID-19 pandemic interview/article

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) talks to N1 TV in an online interview about life in the Western Balkans during the corona virus pandemic, its effects on the tourism sector, Green Corridors and the EU integration of the region

28 Jan 2020
Bregu: Brain drain the biggest challenge of this decade - Western Balkans working age population declined by more than 400,000 in past 5 years news

Through formalizing undeclared work to more decent jobs in the Western Balkans Regional Conference “Employment - Shades of Grey in the Western Balkans: Regional Perspectives on Creating More and Better Jobs”, marks beginning of the Phase two of the RCC’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project - ESAP 2  Sarajevo – “More than 700 000 jobs have been added to the workforce ...

12 Dec 2019
My experience working informally: Take it or leave it, there are always other workers by Aida Djugum, Radio Slobodna Evropa interview/article

My experience working informally: Take it or leave it, there are always other workers Personal experience of a woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina who has been working informally for a couple of years, with no employment contract, paid pension or health contributions and with no rights.

22 Oct 2019
Shani: BiH and its institutions do their share of work to tackle informal economy interview/article

Nand Shani, RCC's ESAP Team Leader, spoke for Radio Free Europe on the issue of informal economy. "There are no precise data, but according to the estimates shadow economy’s share in Western Balkans (WB) economies’ GDP ranges between 20% and 30%" "In addition to budgetary implications, countries also lose people over shadow economy because of the lack of opportunities for finding a suitable ...

15 Oct 2019
RCC: Western Balkans pay for undeclared work - with significant portion of public revenues, lack of fair competition and decent working conditions news

Regional Workshop in Sarajevo attempting to find a way for structural regional cooperation approach to tackle undeclared work and informal economy in the Western Balkans Sarajevo– “Informal employment is work that is legal in itself but not declared to the authorities for tax, social security and/or labour law purposes. As such, it plays an important role in all Western Balkan economies, as ...

14 Jun 2019
Economic growth goes hand in hand with human capital development – investment in education must increase news

RCC and its Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP) attended the EU-Western Balkans Stakeholder Conference on Employment and Social Affairs in Luxemburg Luxemburg – “Years in a row our opinion survey Balkan Barometer shows that unemployment is the biggest concern for 67% of the citizens in the Western Balkans (WB), and our alarms should have already gone off, triggering adequate ...

28 May 2019
Western Balkans Youth Employment in Numbers brochure

The brochure "Western Balkans Youth Employment in Numbers" gives an insight into the main indicators on the youth employment in the Western Balkans, including the overall youth employment rate, statistical data, people's sentiment on this issue as well as recommendations on how to improve the youth employment rate in the region.

30 Apr 2019
Article by Nand Shani, Team Leader of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) interview/article

In an article "One year of additional schooling raises income by 9 percent", Team Leader of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) Nand Shani talks about the origins of 1 May - International Workers' or Labour Day, about the employment in the Western Balkans, challenges and opportunities the region is facing, achieved results and tasks within the employment ...

26 Apr 2019
RCC’s ESAP: Share of informal employment in Western Balkans ranges from 18 to 33% - holistic approach necessary to tackle this issue news

Sarajevo – “Share of informal/undeclared employment in the region varies from 18,1% in Republic of North Macedonia to 33% in Montenegro1 ,”said Nand Shani, Team Leader of the Regional Cooperation (RCC)’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP). Tackling this widespread phenomenon was the main topic of the workshops, organized throughout the Western Balkans by ESAP in the previous period.  The ...

18 Jan 2019
On-the-job-training programme important for strengthening the Western Balkans labour market outcomes news

Western Balkans’ Public Employment Services and Labour Ministries peers review on-the-job training programmes and practices Tirana – Representatives of Public Employment Services (PES) and Ministries of Labour from the Western Balkans economies gathered in Tirana for a 2-day regional workshop to review on-the-job training programmes. The Workshop was organised by the Employment and Social Affairs ...

10 Dec 2018
More jobs and changed approach to employment of Roma community in the enlargement region necessary to combat poverty and social dependence news

Budapest - Regional conference on innovative approaches to employment of Roma, jointly organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s projects Roma Integration 2020 and Employment and Social Affairs Platform (EASP), and Roma Education Fund (REF) started in Budapest today.  “The statistical data show the urgent need to create opportunities for actual employment of Roma, while the ...

27 Nov 2018
RCC ESAP: Internship Programmes in focus of Regional Peer Review Workshop in Skopje news

Skopje – A two-day a regional peer review workshop focusing on internship programmes ended in Skopje today. The Workshop was organised by the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project. The Workshop gathering officials of Ministries of Labour from the Western Balkan economies in charge of the development and monitoring of active labour market ...

29 Oct 2018
RCC ESAP: Supporting exchange of experience on development and implementation of sector budget support news

Skopje – Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) supported the visit of the Albanian delegation from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to Skopje today. The Albanian delegation visited their peers to share their experiences in the development and implementation of sector budget support as The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has ...

05 Oct 2018
Local Employment Partnerships in Focus of Regional Peer Review Workshop news

Sarajevo/Tesanj/Prnjavor - Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) organised a regional 3-day Workshop on Local Employment Partnerships that started in Sarajevo and continued with field visits to municipalities of Tesanj and Prnjavor that ended today. The Workshop, hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathered representatives of the Ministries ...

31 Jul 2018
Pristina: ESAP helps Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to develop its monitoring framework news

Pristina – In the period April-July 2018, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) through its Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP) helped the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of Kosovo* to develop the strategy monitoring tools and increase their capacity to plan and perform a monitoring process, including reporting and feedback on the progress in the implementation of the ...

12 Jul 2018
RCC's ESAP: Albanian Public Employment Service visits their colleagues in Pristina news

Pristina – Upon request of the representatives of the Albanian Public Employment Service (PES), the Regional Cooperation Council's (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project, within its technical assistance facility, took the Albanian PES on a study visit to their PES colleagues in Pristina. The study visit, led by the Nand Shani, ESAP Team Leader, started by the opening ...

03 Jul 2018
RCC to present SEE2020 strategy implementation results and its Balkan Barometer 2018 this week in Brussels news

Brussels – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is to present the implementation results of the region’s growth strategy, South East Europe 2020 (SEE2020) on 5 July 2018 in Brussels, and day after, on 6 July also in Brussels, the RCC will reveal the results of its 4th edition of the public and business opinion survey – Balkan Barometer 2018. Both are an integral part of the RCC’s monitoring ...

20 Jun 2018
Brussels: RCC's ESAP presents Western Balkans employment and labour market trends and developments news

Brussels – Regional Cooperation Council' s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) Project presented in Brussels today employment and labour market trends and developments in the Western Balkans (WB). The policy discussion gathered representatives of WB Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services (PES), European Commission’s Directorates-General for Employment, Social Affairs ...

19 Jun 2018
RCC’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project: Joint actions to enhance performance and promote mutual learning among Western Balkans Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services agreed news

Brussels - Representatives of the Western Balkans (WB) Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services (PES) met in Brussels today, within the framework of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP), to discuss main trends and challenges in employment and labour markets in the region, as well as key outcomes of regional cooperation ...

08 Jun 2018
RCC’s ESAP Project and Western Balkans’ Public Employment Services invited to present their joint work at Annual Meeting of the EU PES Network news

Sofia – Western Balkan’s Public Employment Services (PES) gathered around Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) Project were, for the first time ever, invited to participate as observers in a 9th Annual Meeting of the European Union’s  (EU) PES Network, that took place in Sofia, Bulgaria 7-8 June 2018. On the 2nd day of the EU PES ...

31 May 2018
Peers from Ministries' of Labour and PES from the region talk about youth employment news

Herceg Novi – Representatives of the Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services (PES) offices from the Western Balkan (WB) economies together with relevant regional and international experts in the field, shared experiences and discussed youth employment programmes at the regional peer-review workshop, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs ...

30 Apr 2018
RCC’s ESAP helps Employment Agency in Pristina in drafting their Rules of Procedure news

Pristina – During a two months period at the beginning of 2018, the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP) provided expert support in drafting the rules of procedure of the Advisory Board of the newly established Employment Agency of Kosovo*. ESAP also assisted this Employment Agency in the development of internal rules of procedure ...

23 Apr 2018
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2017-2018 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period 1 April 2017 – 15 March 2018. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.

23 Apr 2018
RCC’s ESAP help Montenegro Employment Agency in upgrading their Information Technology System news

Podgorica – The Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP)provided technical assistance to the Employment Agency of Montenegro in upgrading the Information Technology System in accordance with the European Employment Service (EURES) requirements. The EURES, as a cooperation network, is designed to facilitate this movement is of great relevance ...

20 Apr 2018
ESAP: Regional Workshop on Employment of Persons with Disabilities in the Western Balkans news

Belgrade – The Regional Workshop on Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the Western Balkans (WB), which was held in Belgrade on 19-20 April 2018, was organised jointly in the framework of two regional projects: Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) and Promoting Inclusive Labour Market Solutions in the Western Balkans. The Workshop ...

12 Apr 2018
ESAP: Self-employment programmes in the Western Balkans discussed in Pristina news

Prishtina – Representatives of Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services (PES) from the Western Balkans discussed self-employment programmes at a two-day regional workshop within the framework of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project, held in Prishtina on 11-12 April 2018. Nand Shani, Team Leader of the RCC’s ESAP highlighted ...

13 Mar 2018
SEE 2020 Programming Document 2018-2020 meeting document

The RCC South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Strategy Programing Committee adopted the SEE 2020 Programming Document 2018-2020 at its 6th meeting on 12 March 2017 in Brussels. The document sets out the priority actions for the Strategy implementation in the coming period.

21 Feb 2018
Labour Markets in the Western Balkans: Performance, Causes and Policy Options report

The report is an analysis of trends in the Western Balkan Six labour markets since 2010 and provides recommendations for improving labour markets’ conditions. It focuses on conditions for job creation and factors leading to the employment problems of the region. This is a joint endeavor of researchers from the region and is the first comparative analysis of this kind covering recent years and made ...

21 Feb 2018
Western Balkan Public Employment Services Benchlearning Initiative - Good Practices and Flagship Results brochure

The data presented in this brochure are result of the regional Public Employment Services (PES) benchlearning exercise, which included self-assessment and external assessment in crucial areas and aspects of PES performance fully aligned with the European Union (EU) PES benchlearning model, conducted in 2017 by the Regional Cooperation Council under the Employment and Social Affairs Platform – ESAP ...

21 Feb 2018
Western Balkans should enhance its competitiveness and improve its market orientation to fight unemployment news

Sarajevo – Although the Western Balkans region suffered the dramatic employment fall in the period following the global economic crisis 2008-2011, “the situation recovered over the subsequent five years and by 2016 total employment had again reached 6.5 million, representing an increase of 8.9%”, reads recently published report ‘Labour Markets in the Western Balkans: Performance, Causes and ...

30 Jan 2018
Vocational Training Centres analyse their legal framework with RCC’s ESAP assistance news

Pristina – Regional Cooperation Council's (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP) project provided technical assistance to Vocational Training Centres in Kosovo* in analysing their current legal framework and the documents related to vocational training, and proposed a concept for service contracts or Public-Private Partnership arrangements that could be a flexible ...

29 Dec 2017
RCC's ESAP assists Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in Pristina to establish an integrated information system news

Pristina – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), through its Employment and Social Affairs Project (ESAP), provided a support upon request of Kosovo* on establishing an integrated information system in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. ESAP analysed the current systems and databases and proposed a concept for the new system, including detailed procedures for its implementation ...

22 Nov 2017
RCC, ETF continue building human capital in the region news

Brussels – The Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, and newly appointed Director of the European Training Foundation (ETF), Cesare Onestini, signed an agreement on continuation of cooperation between the two organisations, in Brussels today. Svilanovic expressed satisfaction with earlier cooperation between the two organizations in the areas of skills ...

01 Nov 2017
National Workshops on Public Employment Services Benchlearning kick-off in Pristina news

A series of 12 workshops, two per each of the Western Balkans six economies, on Public Employment Services (PES) benchlearning, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employments and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP), kicked-off in Pristina today.  “With limited PES resources, there is an increasing need to demonstrate the value of PES interventions for money. Comparing ...

14 Sep 2017
RCC’s ESAP: Belgrade hosts regional training on benchlearning for Public Employment Services in the Western Balkans news

Belgrade - The first ever assessors training on benchlearning for representatives of Public Employment Services (PES) from the Western Balkans, organized by the Regional Cooperation Council’ (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Regional Platform (ESAP) project, was held  in Belgrade today.    “This training is based on the EU methodology and will prepare Western Balkan PES ...

18 Jul 2017
Representatives of Western Balkan Public Employment Services discuss qualitative benchmarking news

Tivat - Representatives of Western Balkan Public Employment Services (PES) met in Tivat today to discuss qualitative benchmarking, in the framework of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) regional project.   The aim of the meeting was to present the preliminary analysis of quantitative indicators, discuss the details and milestones ...

21 Jun 2017
Skopje: Regional public employment services work together to improve measures leading to reduction of unemployment news

Skopje – Labour market statistics officials from the Public Employment Services (PES) of the Western Balkan economies agreed upon a set of quantitative indicators that are to be collected for the PES benchmarking analysis, at the meeting in Skopje today, organized under auspices of joint Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) regional project ‘Employment ...

10 May 2017
RCC's ESAP Project assists Montenegro in preparing the new Labour Law news

Kolasin – Employment and Social Affairs Platform Project (ESAP) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) supported the Montenegrin Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare by providing technical input and assistance to a national workshop on preparing the new Labour Law. ESAP, through its expert advice, presented the experiences of the European Union (EU) in the transposition of its directives ...

05 May 2017
Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) brochure

Brochure of RCC’s Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project features goals, results, and actions to be taken in the forthcoming period. The Regional Cooperation Council’s ESAP project aims to strengthen institutional capacities to effectively develop inclusive and dynamic labour markets and implement social policy reforms aligned with the EU enlargement requirements in the region.

06 Apr 2017
Skills and Mobility brochure

Brochure on RCC’s flagship ‘Skills and Mobility’, featuring goals, results, and actions of the organization in this area to be taken in the forthcoming period. The Regional Cooperation Council is working towards globally competitive base of knowledge and skills in South East Europe; unhindered movement of people, students, researchers and workforce, allowing for increased employment opportunities ...

31 Mar 2017
Serbian journalists in a visit to the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat news

Sarajevo – A group of 11 Serbian journalists and representatives of their Government’s Team for social inclusion and poverty reduction visited the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo today, as a part of the thematic study tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina.   The RCC team welcomed the guest, presenting them organisation’s work, areas of activities, results and goals. ...

17 Mar 2017
SEE 2020 Programming Document 2017-2019 meeting document

The RCC South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Strategy Programing Committee adopted the SEE 2020 Programming Document 2017-2019 at its 5th meeting on 15 March 2017 in Sarajevo. The document sets out the priority actions for the Strategy implementation in the coming period.

21 Feb 2017
Skopje: ESAP co-organises National Consultative Meeting on the Employment and Social Reform Programme news

Skopje – The Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) provided support to a National Consultative Meeting on the Employment and Social Reform Programme, held in February 2017 in Skopje.  The support was carried out through the assistance in organisation of the national consultative event, after the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs ...

27 Oct 2016
Western Balkan's public employment services agree on concrete actions to enhance their work news

Belgrade/Sarajevo – Representatives of public employment services (PES) of the Western Balkan economies agreed on concrete steps and actions envisaging future cooperation under the Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) project  at their first  meeting that took place in Belgrade, today. These actions imply current practices and tools that PES offices in the Western Balkan economies ...

29 Jun 2016
ILO and RCC launch project for better labour market governance in the Western Balkans press release

Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will work together to further regional cooperation in order to achieve more effective labour market governance in the Western Balkans. The new joint project, funded by the European Union, was launched in Sarajevo today and presented by Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, Antonio Graziosi, ...

01 Mar 2016
Three million euro for boosting jobs in the Western Balkans press release

Brussels - The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will jointly create a Western Balkans Platform on Employment and Social Affairs in the framework of a new European Commission funded project signed today in Brussels. The 3 million Euro project, “Economic and Social Affairs Platform” (ESAP), will be jointly implemented by the ILO and the RCC ...