The South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) was launched on Bulgaria's initiative in 1996. At the Bulgaria-chaired meeting in Sofia, the Southeast Europe (SEE) countries laid the foundations for regional co-operation for the purposes of creating an atmosphere of trust, good neighbourly relations and stability.
A special characteristic of SEECP is that it is an original form of co-operation among the countries in the region launched on their own initiative, and not on the initiative of some other international organisation or countries. In that regard, the SEECP seeks to define itself as an authentic voice of SEE, complementary to the Stability Pact, Southeast European Cooperative Initiative or the Stabilisation and Association Process.
The basic goals of regional co-operation within SEECP include the strengthening of security and the political situation, intensification of economic relations and co-operation in the areas of human resources, democracy, justice, and battle against illegal activities. It is the intention of the SEECP to enable its members to approach the European and Euro-Atlantic structures through the strengthening of good neighbourly relations and transformation of the region into an area of peace and stability.
Membership
Founding members:
(joined as Serbia and Montenegro)
Joined later: (2005) (2006) (2007) (2010) (2014)
Structure
The SEECP is a regional non-institutionalised process co-ordinated by the presiding country. The SEECP presidency lasts for one year and is rotated among the members. The presiding country presents the Process at international meetings and hosts the annual meeting of heads of state and government, foreign ministers meeting and a number of annual meetings of political directors. Depending on the situation, the presiding country may call extraordinary meetings. Representatives of the current, past, and future SEECP Chair-in-Office form a Troika to ensure the continuity of activities.
Regional Cooperation Council
The Regional Cooperation Council was established at a 2008 meeting of foreign affairs ministers from the SEECP. The organization was founded by SEECP participants and is funded in part by the European Union to further promote European integration and cooperation. The RCC is led by a Secretary-General, currently Majlinda Bregu and consists of 46 participants. Participants are made up of the SEECP countries, along with other countries and supranational organizations who are interested in the stability and development of the region. A major project of the RCC is the development of the Regional Economic Area (REA), to better integrate South East European economies. The status of the REA has been uncertain with competing integration projects like the 2019 Open Balkan initiative. However on 2 July 2023, Albanian prime minister Edi Rama stated the Open Balkans project is over and the countries will revert back to the Berlin Process.
Chairmanship
Presiding country is changed each year on 1 July: 1996–97, Bulgaria 1997–98, Greece 1998–99, Turkey 1999–2000, Romania 2000–01, North Macedonia 2001–02, Albania 2002–03, Serbia and Montenegro 2003–04, Bosnia and Herzegovina April 2004 – May 2005, Romania May 2005 – May 2006, Greece May 2006 – May 2007, Croatia May 2007 – May 2008, Bulgaria 2008–09, Moldova 2009–10, Turkey 2010–11, Montenegro 2011–12, Serbia 2012–13, North Macedonia 2013–14, Romania 2014–15, Albania 2015–16, Bulgaria 2016–17, Croatia 2017–18, Slovenia 2018–19, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2019–20, Kosovo 2020–21, Turkey 2021–22, Greece 2022–23, Montenegro 2023–24, North Macedonia
Meetings held
Heads of state and government meetings
2–4 November 1997, Crete
12–13 October 1998, Antalya
12 February 2000, Bucharest
25 October 2000, Skopje (extraordinary meeting) 23 February 2001, Skopje 28 March 2002, Tirana 9 April 2003, Belgrade 21 April 2004, Sarajevo 11 May 2005, Bucharest 4 May 2006, Thessaloniki 11 May 2007, Zagreb 21 May 2008, Pomorie 5 June 2009, Chișinău 21–23 June 2010, Istanbul 1 June 2013, Ohrid (cancelled) 25 June 2014, Bucharest 26 May 2015, Tirana 1 June 2016, Sofia 30 June 2017, Dubrovnik 24 April 2018, Kranj 8–9 July 2019, Sarajevo (Refused by Kosovo) 2020, Pristina (Cancelled due to COVID-19) 17–18 June 2021, Antalya 10–11 June 2022, Athens 27 June 2023, Podgorica