The Central European Initiative

Since its beginnings the mandate of the Initiative has been to help transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe in their effort to integrate further with the European Union (EU) and achieve a higher level of economic development. Although the CEI is not a major donor organisation, it disposes of several funds which are used to promote projects in a number of sectors of activity. The accession of five CEI Member States to the EU in May 2004, and of Bulgaria and Romania in January 2007, has shifted CEI’s focus towards those Member States remaining outside the EU.

Among all the regional groupings in Central and Eastern Europe the CEI has the longest history and covers the largest area. The origins of the CEI lie in the agreement signed in Budapest in November 1989 by Italy, Austria, Hungary and former Yugoslavia, establishing a platform for mutual political, economic, scientific and cultural co-operation called Quadrilateral Co-operation. In May 1990 with the admission of Czechoslovakia, it became the Pentagonal Initiative, and in 1991, following the adhesion of Poland, the Hexagonal Initiative. In 1992, the grouping was renamed the Central European Initiative since the membership was extended to Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia – following the dissolution of former Yugoslavia – and a year later to Macedonia as well as to Czech and the Slovak Republic (after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia). In the mid 1990s, Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria joined the Initiative.

In 1992 Italy signed an Agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the establishment of a CEI Trust Fund “to assist the Bank’s countries of operation in Central and Eastern Europe in their economic and social transformation process”. The Fund, for which Italy has made a total contribution of €28 million since its inception, is used “to finance technical assistance, training and advisory services, as well as for the identification and preparation of projects to be subsequently financed or co-financed” by the Bank. A Secretariat for CEI Projects was subsequently established by Italy at the EBRD the following year, based on the Agreement between the EBRD and the CEI with the purpose of carrying out activities of pre-investment capacity building for the identification, promotion and appraisal of projects in the CEI region, as well as activities related to project implementation.

The Forum will take place at the National Palace of Culture, 1 Bulgaria Square, 1414 Sofia.
Tel: +359 2 954 3131; Fax: +359 2 865 7053. Website: http://www.ndk.bg/  

Information on Registration can be found on: http://www.ceinet.org/forumRegistration.php . Speakers, EBRD and special invitees from international organisations and international financial institutions do not pay registration fees. Once registered online, all participants will receive logistic information and other relevant details for their participation to the event.

This year, the SEF will focus on reforms and investments to mobilise resources to support further reforms in the region and foster business development with particular attention to infrastructure, finance investments, innovation for competitiveness, entrepreneurship, regional integration and trade promotion. Seminars and discussions will address and analyse current economic challenges faced by the region and will be complemented by presentations of related project proposals.

The CEI Roundtable of Economic Ministers gathers the 18 Ministers of economic sectors of the Initiative’s member countries as well as high level representatives from international organisations and international financial institutions. It serves as a platform to discuss the most important topical economic issues concerning the host country and the region in general. The leading theme for this year’s roundtable is “Mobilising Resources for a Common Future”. The Roundtable will take place in the early afternoon of 21 November to conclude the SEF 2007 and introduce the subsequent meeting of the Heads of Government.

The CEI Summit of Prime Ministers (Heads of Government) is the “political” and institutional part of the event. This meeting, taking place on Thu 22 November, gathers the 18 head of state of CEI member countries. Higher level representatives from international organisations and international financial institutions are also invited. A separate accreditation system exists for the Summit, managed by the Bulgarian Authorities.

Besides formal sessions, one of the main SEF’s activities is the so-called Interactive Business Area (IBA): the venue of many exhibitors, country and organization stands, business info desks, and the Project Room which included activities such as Match-Making (arranging bilateral business meetings among SEF participants), and project presentations. Last year, over 20 were presented, covering topics such as information technology, transport infrastructure, environment, rural and tourism development, energy efficiency, and municipal infrastructure.