C.E.I. Summit Declaration

Portorož, 26 November 2004

The Central European Initiative: Facing the Challenges and Opportunities of the Enlarged Europe Declaration Adopted by the Heads of Government at their Meeting on 26 November 2004, Portorož

The CEI came into existence on 11 November 1989, i.e. fifteen years ago, two days after the fall of the Berlin Wall and thus at the very beginning of a new era for Europe and the entire world. Under the changed circumstances in the East-West relations, the newly created regional initiative, originally intended to encompass four countries, rapidly expanded to grow into the largest platform for regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe.

Today, with its seventeen Member States, the CEI can look back at an impressive record, having accompanied from the outset the process of transition to pluralistic democracies and market economies of most of its Member States.

In its early years, when these opportunities were still rare, the CEI performed a valuable role in promoting policy dialogue at governmental level, pleading the case of moderation, tolerance, respect for human rights and the rule of law. It was in this period, namely in 1994, that the CEI adopted its own Instrument for the Protection of Minority Rights. Policy dialogue based on these principles has remained, until today, an important factor of promoting regional cohesion and solidarity.

In 1996, with the establishment of its Executive Secretariat in Trieste, which was granted the status of an international organisation by the host country, Italy, the CEI acquired the permanent structure necessary for a systematic approach to its wide-spread activities. Funded by Italy and endowed with a Cooperation Fund based on member contributions, the Executive Secretariat has consistently stepped up technical assistance to Member States and launched specialised programmes in response to the perceived needs in the Region.

From the very beginning, the CEI was conceived as a facilitator of the economic development in its Member States. Through its Project Secretariat, attached to the EBRD in London, the CEI helped prepare the ground for investment and bank loans, and it provided grants for improving the infrastructure and institutions in areas such as transport, energy, environment, agriculture or SMEs.

The CEI today enjoys the unwavering support of its Member Governments, repeatedly confirmed in the Final Documents adopted at its Meetings of Heads of Government and Meetings of Ministers for Foreign Affairs. This demonstrates that the mandate of the CEI is still valid and that it will have an important role to play in the coming years.

Its intergovernmental structures which have evolved and been refined over the years are well suited for providing the CEI in its future endeavours with a smooth, member-driven decision making process, for keeping governments well informed on all developments and thus ensuring their continued support for the Initiative.

Yet, to remain fully relevant in the rapidly changing societies in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, an increasing involvement of the CEI with civil society is required. There have already been important steps taken into this direction. The CEI is closely working with representatives of the business community to whom the annual Summit Economic

Forum is dedicated. It has reached out to the scientific and academic world in its Science and Technology Network and in its University Network. It has committed major resources to cultural cooperation and it has made youth affairs one of its priorities with the culminating event of the annual Youth Forum. It has focused special attention on the media and provided funds for the development of programmes which are destined to audiences in several Member States.

The CEI is also increasing its support to interregional and cross-border cooperation which positively influence the development of civil society and local democracy.

In response to the changing conditions the CEI has further strengthened its second and third pillars, i.e. the Parliamentary and the Business Dimension. Closer cooperation between these two Dimensions and the Governmental one has led to the joint annual Planning Meeting. The establishment of Secretariats of these Dimensions in the CEI Headquarters in Trieste is under consideration.

The CEI is also making efforts to improve the cooperation with other regional actors that have come into existence in recent years. Joint activities have already been undertaken and there are good prospects for increasing complementarity and synergies in the future.

The CEI is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. These fifteen years have been characterised by dramatic events. Dissolution and transformation were the hallmark of what happened in Central and Eastern Europe. Exacerbated by ethnic conflict these years proved to be difficult for many governments in the Region and for many of the citizens of the respective countries.

Today, the time of dissolution and reorientation is hopefully approaching its end. Nevertheless, since some countries of the region are still affected by frozen conflicts the CEI should strengthen its support to them and welcome a stronger involvement of relevant European Institutions in the solution of these problems.

The Region is rapidly advancing on a path of democratisation and economic progress. This is a difficult and demanding process that requires patient and persistent institution building. It also requires educating the young generation to embrace and to defend the new values which are at the basis of uniting Europe.

Thus, consolidation is the primary task of the years ahead. To help in this process the CEI will have to exploit the uniqueness of its membership. Indeed, the CEI groups together the countries at the east of the EU with Central and Eastern Europe. The CEI will also have to take full advantage of its structures which guarantee a member-driven process. In doing so, it will have to take into account the fact that it embraces both EU Member States and non-EU Member States.

Looking ahead, the CEI attributes great importance to the further development of policies aimed at preventing the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours. In this respect, it refers to the EU's New Neighbourhood Policy whose objective is to share the benefits of the EU enlargement with countries on its eastern borders, thus increasing stability, security and well-being for all concerned. The CEI assigns great importance to the Stabilization and Association Process for the countries concerned and considers the EU enlargement as an on-going process.

The CEI will continue to support, within its mandate, the EU candidate countries in their accession process to the EU thus performing its traditional role of facilitating EU enlargement. In the same context, during the upcoming period an important priority in the activity of the CEI will be to support the integration process of those Central and South-Eastern European countries which are not yet acknowledged as candidates for the EU membership but expressed clearly such willingness. The CEI will support the implementation of their individual Action Plans with the EU, strengthening their institutional capacities.

The CEI has been strengthening its project-oriented activities in support of institutional capacities and economic growth. Its Plan of Action for the years 2004 to 2006, adopted by the Heads of Government at the Warsaw Summit in 2003, already reflects this new orientation of the CEI. It has been paying increased attention to questions of outside funding by establishing a Funding Unit and it has started to systematically evaluate the growing number of projects co-financed from its various Funds. It has set aside resources for the new Know-how Exchange Programme.

In the years to come, the CEI needs to forge a strong partnership among governments, parliaments, business, regional organisations and the civil society in order to optimise the benefits for the Region. No entity can accomplish this task by itself. The CEI is therefore committed to working closely with partners, to share experience through dialogue and to act as a catalyst for growth and development leading to a faster and fuller integration of all of its Member States into European structures.