6th EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum

The EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs will take place in Zagreb (Croatia) on 6 and 7 November 2008. Organised by the French Presidency together with the European Commission and hosted by Croatia, the meeting on 6 November will be chaired by the French Minister of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Mutually-Supportive Development, and on 7 November by the French Minister of the Interior, Overseas France and Territorial Communities and the Minister of Justice. The Vice-President of the European Commission and the European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security will attend all three working sessions, devoted respectively to freedom (European Pact on Immigration, visa liberalisation dialogue), security (combating cross-border crime with regard to the trafficking of arms and human beings, SECI centre) and justice (fighting corruption, financial investigation and confiscation of the proceeds of crime). The future Czech and Swedish Presidencies are also expected to attend the forum, along with the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council and the directors of the European agencies Frontex, Europol and Eurojust and the SECI (South-East European Cooperation Initiative Centre for Combating Trans-border Crime).

Ministerial delegations are expected from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo under UNSCR 1244, Montenegro and Serbia.

These delegations have been invited to present practical examples, give feedback on experiences and share best practices. The meeting will enable cooperation to be enhanced between the European Union and this region, particularly in the fight against organised crime.

The next EU-Western Balkans Forum will take place under the Swedish Presidency in the second half of 2009.

Contact: forumue-balkans @ interieur.gouv.fr
 

• Updated: 30.12.2008

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