Working Table I:Education

A successful and sustainable development of the education sector has to respond to new needs, e.g. employment, fighting "brain drain", development, information technology, social cohesion, private sector involvement, Life Long Learning, youth involvement. Education therefore has to reach out to the wider political arena, the economy and the labour market, social and health systems as well as social partners, and has to integrate issues such as diversity and multi-ethnicity. This session will elaborate on better cooperation and coordination between education and other sectors and will highlight the conference on “Governance and Education for Sustainable Development and European Integration“ (27-29 January 2005 in Graz), in which the role of education for democratisation, stability and economic development in the countries of SEE as well as for their inclusion into an enlarged Europe will be reconsidered.

Local democracy

Local democracy is one of the main preconditions for sustainable political, social and economic development in SEE. The focus of this session will be on the presentation of the Ministerial Conference on “Effective Democratic Governance at Local and Regional Level” (25-26 October in Zagreb), which has the aim to encourage the development of effective and democratic local government in the region. The outcome should consist of legislative improvements, closer dialogue between central and local government, stronger leadership and strategic management in local authorities, greater citizen participation and better local public services. The Zagreb conference is part of a process and will also explore potential programmes of co-operation with other states and international partners.

Working Table II:

Entrepreneurship and Employment in SEE – Regional Development Aspects

Continuing the theme of WT II's overall goal to improve the environment for entrepreneurship and employment in SEE, WT II will discuss best practice in preparing and implementing development strategies for different regions within SEE. The content of the session will cover aspects of several of our initiatives including investment compact and social cohesion: Identifying competitive advantages, developing the necessary partnerships and leveraging current resources, and dealing with the impact of industrial restructuring. These topics will also be subject of a workshop to be held on 8-9 November in Skopje.

Developing an Energy Community in South Eastern Europe

The SEE countries are in the process of negotiating a legally binding agreement with the European Union on the creation of an Energy Community in SEE (ECSEE). Given the expected political, economic and social impact of this agreement, it is vital that all relevant groups are made aware of its implications. In this session there will be a presentation of the results of a conference with parliamentarians and social partners on 11-12 October in Bucharest, and an update on the negotiations process. WT II will also discuss the role of parliamentarians and the involvement of social partners and civil society in this process.

Working Table III:

Fighting Organised Crime and Corruption

Since the adoption of the Bucharest Declaration on a Joint Campaign to Fight Organized Crime and Corruption in SEE of 18 May 2004, SEECP members have intensified efforts to achieve the specific common targets identified in this declaration. The European Commission has issued an expert assessment of the SECI Center in Bucharest to establish possibilities for much closer law enforcement cooperation between EU institutions and the Center. SP Task Forces SPOC, SPAI and Police Forum are moving forward. WT III will discuss progress and support for work under the Bucharest Declaration, and will discuss support for the SECI Center. It will also explore how to strengthen links between regional cooperation mechanisms on law enforcement, on judicial cooperation and between public prosecutors. The WT will discuss cooperation between SP and OSCE regarding Trafficking Human Beings.

Migration, Border Management, Visa

With the establishment of the MARRI Regional Forum the governments of the five SAP countries have assumed leadership to implement MARRI’s objectives. The same governments are making progress within the Ohrid border management process. This session will discuss how the return of refugees to a sustainable situation can be further stimulated; what measures may be adopted to bring border management in SEE in line with European standards; and how more transparency and efficiency concerning visa requirements and procedures for SEE citizens can be achieved.

Regional cooperation on Security and Defence Conversion Issues

Within SEE countries security sector reform and defence conversion are moving ahead at different speeds. There is a growing pattern of bilateral and (sub)regional cooperation, also involving bilateral and multilateral partners from outside the region. The SEECP CiO will devote the SEECP MoD meeting in February/March 2005 to Defence Conversion. WT III will discuss opportunities for strengthened regional cooperation, complementary to present ad hoc cooperation.