Foreign Affairs Ministerial of the Berlin Process in Tirana to foster regional cooperation with the Western Balkans

On 6 October, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi will participate in the Foreign Affairs Ministerial of the Berlin Process held in Tirana, Albania. The meeting will focus on regional cooperation and mark the first lowering of roaming charges between the EU and the Western Balkans, which started on 1 October. Commissioner Várhelyi will have the opportunity to exchange on the Growth Plan announced by President von der Leyen in May, aimed at speeding up the regional economic integration and offering the opportunity to gradually integrate these countries already in the EU Single Market, before accession.

Commissioner Várhelyi will also participate in the signature ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Albanian Ministry of Education, the City of Tirana, and the College of Europe on the use of public buildings for the College of Europe in Tirana, which will launch registration for the academic year 2024-25.

The Berlin process was set up in 2014 as a platform for high-level cooperation between high level representatives of the Western Balkans and of nine EU countries ( Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Poland) as well as of the UK. This year high-level representatives will be joined by Spain, Hungary, Romania and the Netherlands. The Process also involves EU institutions, international financial institutions and the region’s civil society and businesses.

The Berlin Process Summit will be held on 16 October. 

Pictures and videos of the Summit will be available on EbS.