On 24 September, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, together with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Central European Initiative (CEI) Executive Secretariat, hosted at the Italian Embassy in Belgrade the presentation of the latest activities and results of the CEI Fund at the EBRD, with a particular focus on its operations and impact in Serbia.
The event featured keynote addresses by Luca Gori, Ambassador of Italy to Serbia, and Jelena Čeperković, Deputy Head of EBRD in Serbia. It brought together representatives of Serbian institutions, the business community and a range of other stakeholders.
The meeting provided an opportunity to present the role of the CEI Fund at the EBRD and the funding facilities available through its two main instruments: the Technical Cooperation (TC) Programme and the Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP). Participants also discussed concrete examples of CEI–EBRD cooperation in Serbia, including projects supported in area of business and institutional development.
The Belgrade event is part of a broader roadshow across CEI Member States, jointly organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the EBRD and the CEI-Executive Secretariat. The initiative aims to showcase the results and impact of projects supported through the CEI Fund at the EBRD, while raising awareness of the opportunities available to institutions, businesses and other stakeholders in CEI Member States.
The roadshow underlines Italy’s sustained commitment to supporting the European integration of CEI Member States which are EU candidates through the CEI Fund at the EBRD, the Organisation’s main operational instrument and entirely financed by Italy. The Belgrade meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment by the organisers and their partners to strengthening regional cooperation, supporting sustainable development and contributing to Serbia’s European path.
The event featured remarks by Ambassador Luca Gori who stated “Italy and Serbia share a strong and strategic partnership. Through the CEI Fund at the EBRD, our political commitment translates into practical cooperation that supports Serbia’s European path and strengthens regional cooperation”.
The event concluded with remarks by Alfredo Durante Mangoni, CEI National Coordinator at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who stated, “In Serbia, the results achieved through CEI–EBRD cooperation demonstrate how targeted technical assistance and the exchange of expertise can contribute to sustainable development and bring tangible benefits to citizens and businesses.”
The previous stops of the roadshow took place in Moldova on 22 September and in Albania on 23 September.
Italy is a founding member and a major contributor to both the CEI and the EBRD. In 1992, Italy established the CEI Fund at the EBRD, recognising the opportunities offered by the newly created development bank to advance the CEI’s objectives. The Fund primarily provides grant-type assistance for technical cooperation linked to EBRD operations and for the Know-how Exchange Programme. The Annual Report 2025 of the CEI Fund at the EBRD is available here.
Serbia joined the CEI in 2000 and the EBRD in 2001. Since then, the CEI Fund at the EBRD has committed over EUR 15.6 million to 125 projects in Serbia, supporting cooperation and the transfer of expertise across a range of sectors.
