7th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum

The EESC organised its 7th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum in Tirana on 16-17 April 2019.

The main topics on the agenda were the role of civil society organisations in promoting regional cooperation (trade and investment, connectivity and people to people relations), the state of social dialogue, as well as enabling civic space in the Western Balkans.

It brought together approximately 180 participants, including a broad range of civil society representatives from the EU and the Western Balkans, as well as representatives of EU institutions, international organisations and governments of the region.

Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Sokol Dedja, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Angelina Eichhorst, Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, participated in this major event.

A final declaration with recommendations from civil society organisations was issued at the end of the event.