History Highlights
2023
Presidency:Moldova
2022
Presidency:Bulgaria
2021
Presidency:Montenegro
2020
Presidency:Montenegro
2019
Presidency:Italy
- 30th Anniversary of the CEI
- Mr. Roberto Antonione (Italy)
Secretary General - Adoption of the PoA 2021-2023
2018
Presidency:Croatia2017
Presidency:Belarus
CEI Plan of Action 2018-2020- Adoption of the PoA 2018-2020
- MoUs with:
- the Secretariat of the Danube Commission - signed in Trieste on 28 March 2017
- IGINP - signed in Trieste on 16 May 2017
2016
Presidency:Bosnia and Herzegovina- MoUs with:
- International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) - signed in Vienna on 30 May 2016 - SIGNED in Vienna on 30 May 2016
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) - signed in Sarajevo on 13 December 2016
- MoUs with:
2015
Presidency:Macedonia
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, September 27, 2015- A CEI approach to migration management: Extraordinary Call Migration
- Joint Statement of the Member States of the Central European Initiative at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 to adopt the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
- MoUs with:
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) - signed in Vienna on 4 May 2015
- Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI) - Regional Centre - signed in Skopje on 16 December 2015
2014
Presidency:Austria
Publication on occasion of 25th Anniversary- 2nd MoU with Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) - signed in Vienna on 3 June 2014
- UN General Assembly adopts Resolution on Cooperation between UN and CEI
- Publication on the occasion of 25th Anniversary
2013
Presidency:Hungary
Amb. Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri- Amb. Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri (Italy)
Secretary General - Revisited Business Dimension
- Croatia joins EU
- Amb. Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri (Italy)
2012
Presidency:Ukraine
Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General, and Amb. Elena Kirtcheva, the Secretary General of the Vienna Economic Forum- CEI participates in Sixty-Seventh Session of UN General Assembly where resolution 67/7 on Cooperation between United Nations and Central European Initiative was adopted
- MoU with Vienna Economic Forum - signed in Trieste on 4 June 2012
2011
Presidency:Serbia
From left: BSEC SG, Amb. Chrysanthopoulos and CEI SG Amb. Pfanzelter- Obtains observer status in UN General Assembly unanimously granted by Resolution 66/111
- MoU with Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) - signed at BSEC HQ on 7 March 2011
- Implementation of Budva Recommendations which confirmed the CEI’s central mission: bringing non-EU countries closer to the EU.
2010
Presidency:Montenegro
Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter- Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter (Austria)
Secretary General - Participates in elaboration of Danube Strategy and enhanced partnership with EU
- Establishment of International Group of Experts (IGE) on Strengthening of the CEI resulting in Budva Recommendations adopted by the MFAs.The Group established excellent foundations for streamlining CEI’s activities and enhancing its role in the region, thus making the Organisation a more effective instrument in the process of EU rapprochement and further EU accession of its non-EU countries.
- Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter (Austria)
2009
Presidency:Romania
Publication on occasion of 20th Anniversary- MoUs with:
- Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) - signed in Sarajevo on 12 May 2009
- UNESCO Office in Venice
- MoUs with:
2008
Presidency:Moldova
Amb. Pietro Ercole Ago- Amb. Pietro Ercole Ago (Italy)
Secretary General - Change of titles of the executve level of the Secretariat (Secretary General replaced Director General)
- Implementation of CEI Repositioning.
- Amb. Pietro Ercole Ago (Italy)
2007
Presidency:Bulgaria- KEP Austria established
- Romania and Bulgaria join the EU
- Decision on repositioning adopted: following the EU enlargements in 2007, the CEI Summit in Sofia in November 2007, adopted a set of decisions on the CEI Repositioning in order to render this intergovernmental Forum of eighteen Member States a more effective instrument of cooperation, better equipped to serve the needs of its Member States and to more fully exploit its comparative advantages such as its unique membership, its high political visibility, its demand driven operational activities and its intergovernmental networks.
2006
Presidency:Albania- Montenegro joins
- Concept of Feature Events endorsed: activities carrying the name of the CEI or dedicating special segment to it
- New agreement between Italy and EBRD for the CEI Fund at the EBRD
2005
Presidency:Slovakia2004
Presidency:Slovenia
Publication on occasion of 10th Anniversary of the CEI Instrument for the Protection on Minority rights- Know-how Exchange Programme Italy (KEP Italy) established
- CEI University and Science and Technology Networks operational
- CEI-ES also started its active participation in the implementation of EU-funded projects.
- Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary join EU
(largest enlargement to date)
2003
Presidency:Poland
Medal of Honour- CEI Medal of Honour established
- Enhanced cooperation with Parliamentary Dimension and with the Business Dimension
- Conference on CEI Cooperation - bringing together Chairs of all Working Groups, CNC and Secretariat - regularly organised in Trieste.
- EC Focal Point for the CEI established
2002
Presidency:Macedonia
Amb. Harald Kreid- Amb. Harald Kreid (Austria)
Director General - CEI Guidelines and Rules of Procedure amended and adopted by CEI Summit in Skopje
- Amb. Harald Kreid (Austria)
2001
Presidency:Italy- CEI Cooperation Fund established
2000
Presidency:Hungary- FR Yugoslavia (later renamed State Union of Serbia and Montenegro) joins
1999
Presidency:Czech Republic
Publication on occasion of 10th Anniversary- 10th Anniversary celebrated
- CEI actively engaged in Stability Pact
1998
Presidency:Croatia- CEI Solidarity Fund established
- MoU with UNECE
- Platform for a Dialogue between the CEI and the EU on a Political Level for the Development of CEI-EU Cooperation circulated at Summit in Zagreb
- First CEI Summit Economic Forum held in Zagreb: CEI major activity in the economic/business area until 2009
1997
Presidency:Bosnia and Herzegovina- First CEI Plan of Action adopted
- CEI CID renamed CEI-Executive Secretariat
- Sarajevo Declaration
- Coordination among regional organisations initiatied
1996
Presidency:Austria
Amb. Paul Hartig- Albania, Bulgaria, Romania Belarus Moldova and Ukraine join
- Amb. Paul Hartig (Austria)
1st Director General - CEI CID inaugurated in Trieste
- CEI Headquarters Agreement concluded between Italian Government and Austrian CEI Presidency
- European Council endorses CEI mission
1995
Presidency:Poland- CEI Guidelines and Rules of Procedure adopted
- Decision to establish Centre for Information and Documentation (CEI CID)
- Austria joins EU
1994
Presidency:Italy- CEI Instrument for the Protection of Minority Rights adopted
- Official programme established: CEI Summit, MFA Meeting and other ministerial meetings in CEI areas of activity
1993
Presidency:Hungary- Czech Republic, Slovakia and Macedonia join
1992
Presidency:Austria
- Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina join Italian CEI Fund at the EBRD established
- Organisation renamed Central European Initaitive
1991
Presidency:SFR Yugoslavia
Streets of Krakow (1991)- Poland joins (Hexagonale)
- Secretariat for Hexagonal projects established in London (later renamed Office for CEI Fund at EBRD)
1990
Presidency:Italy
- Czechoslovakia joins (Pentagonale)
1989
Presidency:Hungary
Berlin Wall: the first holes- Italy, Austria, Hungary, SFR Yugoslavia establish the Quadragonale
- Fall of the Iron Curtain