News

Financially supported by the CEI, the University of Bologna, Italy (Department of Agriculture) has successfully completed the BIOM-ALBA project aimed at  identifying the economic potential and technical impact of the biomass supply chain in Albania.

In mid June, the Secretariat for CEI Projects (CEI-PS) announced its new commitments through the CEI Trust Fund at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) financed by the Italian Government.

The annual meeting of the CEI Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held back to back with the Committee of National Coordinators meeting, was hosted by Montenegro in Budva (Bečići) on 15 June 2010 and chaired by H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs. In his introductory remarks, he reaffirmed the CEI’s central role in the cooperation of its Member States with the EU.

Jointly organized by the “New Energy for Ukraine” Alliance and the CEI, the recently held CEI Energy Forum in Kyiv focused on Renewable Energy Development (RES).

Hon. Roberto Antonione, member of the Italian Parliament (Chamber of Deputies) and Chairman of the International Group of Experts on the Strengthening of the CEI, has been elected Head of the Italian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the CEI. 

The Executive Board of the CEI University Network (UniNet) has recently gathered in Budapest for its annual meeting (4 June).

CEI National Coordinators, EBRD Board Directors from CEI constituencies as well as other representatives from the EBRD and the two CEI Secretariats have recently gathered at the EBRD headquarters in London on the occasion of the CEI Steering Committee.

On 20 - 22 May, high ranking academics, experienced foreign service officers and young diplomats gathered on the occasion of the 13th CEI Dubrovnik Diplomatic Forum.

On 25 May 2010 in Brussels, a CEI delegation led by Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter took part in a roundtable discussion organized and chaired by Mr. Thierry Bechet from the Directorate General for External Relations.

On 10 May, Prof. Maria Cristina Pedicchio, President of the Cluster in Biomedicine (CBM), met with Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter in order to sign a Protocol for Cooperation covering a three year period (2010 - 2012).

On 14 May, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini paid a visit to the CEI Headquarters in Trieste and met with CEI Secretary General, Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter.
Minister Frattini confirmed the support of Italy to the Central European Initiative and expressed appreciation for the work of the international group of experts on the strengthening of the CEI, chaired by Hon. Roberto Antonione.

The project ADRIA – A (Accessibility and Development for the Re-launch of the Internal Adriatic Area) has recently been approved by the Monitoring Committee of the Crossborder Cooperation Programme Italy – Slovenia.

CEI Secretary General, Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, attended the Adriatic and Ionian Council, held in Ancona on 5 May, marking the tenth anniversary of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative.

On 27 and 28 April 2010, the 3rd Project Meeting of the South East European Transport Axis Cooperation (SEETAC) was held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

On 23 April Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General,  met with the President of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Renzo Tondo, in order to discuss ways of enhancing the cooperation between the CEI and the Region.

On 16 April, the CEI National Coordinators convened in Vienna for their second meeting under Montenegrin Presidency.
Chaired by Ambassador Nebojša Kaluđerović, newly appointed Political Director, the meeting was attended by Hon. Roberto Antonione, Chair of the International Group of Experts on the Strengthening of the CEI (IGE) , which held a meeting in Vienna on 15 April.

In order to contribute to the evolving EU Strategy for the Danube Region, the CEI participated in the Public Consultation on the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, launched by the European Commission from 2 February to 12 April 2010.

The know-how transfer between the Port of Venice (Italy) and the Port of Durres (Albania), within the PORTRAIN project  was successfully concluded last  month with a final conference in Tirana.
The project focused on establishing a training centre for safety regulations at work within the Port of Durres, on applying relevant procedures and regulations already in place in major European ports as well as on creating training courses for Port Authority staff.

On the occasion of the Regional Conference on “The Governance of Cross-border Territories: Models and Ideas for the Brenner Area” held in Trento (Italy) on 22 March, the CEI-ES was invited to exchange views on its experience on one of its priority areas of intervention, cross-border cooperation.

In his opening speech, Deputy Secretary General, Min. Mykola Melenevskyi highlighted the CEI interregional policy in approaching the new EU instrument - the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).