Mr Olivér Várhelyi addresses the participants of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Annual Meeting in Skopje, via video message

RCC - Annual Meeting in Skopje

Dear Secretary-General Bregu,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to address you today at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council.

Let me start by congratulating the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on another year of impressive results thanks to your commitment to regional integration.

In particular, I appreciate your efforts to implement the Common Regional Market.

For example, adopting the fourth mobility agreement on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications for Nurses, Veterinary Surgeons, Pharmacists, and Midwives was a great success.

Also, your work on a new agreement on access to study and admission to higher education is a strong sign that the region is ready to deepen its economic integration.

RCC was also instrumental in reaching the landmark agreement between telecom operators on reducing roaming fees between the Western Balkans and the EU.

The good news is that the roadmap is being rolled out, and savings of up to 99% of previous roaming charges are now possible.

I am grateful for your professionalism and for the efficient and smooth cooperation.

But we all know that more work and commitment are needed to overcome the obstacles and bring the real benefits that citizens are waiting for, such as easier travel and recognition of educational and professional qualifications across the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Now that the Commission even more so placed the Common Regional Market at the heart of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans,

I am pleased to reaffirm our financial support of EUR 12 million to the RCC.

This sustained support is crucial, especially given the global challenges we face, and it also underscores our commitment to the region's economic integration.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The 6-billion-euro Reform and Growth Facility is now adopted and in force. We are committed to delivering the first pre-financing payments this summer, provided we receive all the six adopted Reform Agendas in time.

We have also started delivering through our commitment to your selected priorities that will bring you closer to the EU's Single Market.

One such priority is becoming part of the Single Euro Payments Area, which will save the pockets of your citizens and businesses about half a billion euros per year.

Or through the Green Lanes, which already saved 20 years of waiting time within the Western Balkans in 2023.

And these are just some examples of all the work we have put forward.

Finally, it is important to mention that we are looking forward to an ambitious Action Plan for the next phase of the Common Regional Market. I know that the RCC is working hard on this. At the recent meeting in Kotor, the Western Balkans 6 Leaders already endorsed the building blocks of this plan.

To conclude.

The European Commission will provide all possible support in every aspect of regional integration.

However, we also count on the full commitment of the Western Balkans to work together constructively for the common benefit of your citizens and region.

With this in mind, I look forward to continuing to work with the RCC.

I wish you a successful conference.

Thank you.