Book Description

The year 2008 will be a decisive one for the process of regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE). First, the transition from the Stability Pact to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will become effective with the establishment of the RCC and its Secretariat in Sarajevo, indicating a major evolution towards more regional ownership. Secondly, the renewed and reframed Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), or CEFTA 2006, will officially enter into force for all parties. Third, the Slovenian European Union presidency will endeavor to reaffirm the 2003 EU Thessaloniki Agenda, and work towards the completion of the network of Stabilization and Association Agreements and the enhancement of regional cooperation in several areas. This book addresses the challenges and prospects of regional cooperation in SEE by considering the increased diversity in the region, the new divisions and contradictions induced by the latest round of EU enlargement, the coexistence of numerous cooperation programs, and the still unresolved hard security issues. The book also discusses why SEE countries should embrace the process of wider regional cooperation that goes beyond too-narrowly conceived regional frameworks. A pan-European approach links SEE with countries in the Black Sea region, the Caucasus, Central Europe, and the Mediterranean basin. Upgraded and broadened regional cooperation in SEE would not interfere with, but rather complement and reinforce, EU integration and the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), requiring both innovative thinking and the careful recalibration of previous regional initiatives.