On 5 October 2026, the Committee of National Coordinators (CNC) of the CEI Member States met in Brussels under the Romanian CEI Presidency to review ongoing institutional activities and key priorities ahead of the Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs in Timișoara on 6 November.
Major attention was devoted to cooperation between the CEI and the European Union, in particular with the European Commission. Secretary General Franco Dal Mas highlighted the importance of further strengthening cooperation with the EU institutions. Far from being an alternative to EU integration, regional cooperation acts as a complementary instrument, supporting countries in advancing towards shared European objectives. Against this background, he outlined the CEI’s activities in this regard and prospects for developing more structured cooperation with the European Union.
This consideration was built on the Roundtable Discussion on the Role of Regional Cooperation in Advancing EU Integration, held earlier in the day under the auspices of the Romanian CEI Presidency and SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office, with the participation of representatives of the Cabinet of Commissioner for Enlargement, DG ENEST, the European External Action Service, CEI National Coordinators, SEECP representatives and think tanks.
CEI Deputy Secretary General Ivana Pejović pointed out the CEI’s role in bringing EU and non-EU Member States together around shared priorities and in creating opportunities for countries and people to connect, exchange and move forward together.
The discussion highlighted the close link between regional cooperation and European integration, with particular attention to the merit-based nature of the accession process and to gradual integration. Participants discussed how countries delivering on reforms could progressively benefit from closer integration with the EU, including through instruments such as the Growth Plan and increased participation in the Single Market. At the same time, it was stressed that gradual integration should not be regarded as an alternative to full EU membership, but as a means of supporting and accelerating the accession process. Participants also underlined that European integration was built on trust and confidence, both among institutions and citizens, and that regional cooperation had an important role in fostering good-neighbourly relations, dialogue and reconciliation.
While recognising the progress achieved through cooperation in numerous areas, participants pointed to the need to remove remaining barriers and translate political commitments into tangible results and visible benefits for citizens and economies. Connectivity, security and resilience, were among the areas highlighted in this context.
Other key items on the CNC agenda included information on the preparations for the CEI Plan of Action 2027–2030, the activities of the Romanian CEI Presidency and the Executive Secretariat, as well as the latest developments regarding the CEI Cooperation Fund and the CEI Fund at the EBRD.
For more info: arsova@cei.int