Yesterday, on 23 October 2025, our Deputy Secretary General Ivana Pejović, participated in the CEI Forum, titled “The Local Dimension of the CEI: Strengthening Platforms for Local and Regional Authorities in Europe”, held in Belgrade under the Serbian Presidency.
Organised by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, the event brought together national associations of local and regional authorities from our Member States.
Discussions focused on multilevel governance, decentralisation, and CEI instruments that support the Local Dimension cooperation, including the CEI Cooperation Fund and the Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP) financed by Italy through the CEI Fund at the EBRD.
DSG Pejović emphasised the importance of empowering local and regional stakeholders by sharing knowledge, building capacity, and providing access to CEI financial instruments.
She stated: “Local and regional authorities are crucial partners in turning cooperation into results. By connecting CEI instruments with local needs, we can strengthen service delivery, support EU-aligned reforms, and demonstrate intergovernmental commitments to citizens”.
The CEI promotes the local dimension as a means of encouraging municipalities and regions to work together to address specific challenges and promote sustainable growth. Operating in synergy with the governmental dimension (political coordination), the parliamentary dimension (inter-parliamentary cooperation) and the economic dimension (engagement with chambers of commerce and the annual CEI Economic Forum convened by the presidency), the CEI turns regional commitments into practical outcomes for communities across our member states.