EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations
D – WESTERN BALKANS
DS – Western Balkans Regional Cooperation and Programmes
Subject: Re Western Balkans Summit in Trieste, 12 July 2017
Dear Visentini,
Thank you for your letter dated 23 June to Commissioner Hahn, regarding the involvement of Social partners in the Berlin process.
The European Commission certainly encourages such involvement, and is open to inviting social partners to those events related to the Berlin process or the W estern Balk:ans 6 that the Commission is in charge of organising.
As you know, the organisation of the Summits is handled on a rotating basis: in 2017 it was ensured by ltaly and in 2018 it will be the UK in charge of organising the summit. Since the annual Summit is the entire responsibility of the host, we encourage you to contact them directly to discuss participation of regional social partners networks, such as Solidarnost.
Like you, we could see a role for the Trade Uni.on Youth Office in the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), which started working in its full capacity in July 2017. Regional RYCO offices are being opened throughout the summer and · the first open calls for regional projects are expected to be launched in October 2017. All information on RYCO’s work, as well as contact details are available on their website www.rycowb.org. We advise that your Youth Office representatives contact the RYCO office directly in order to discuss possible partnership and cooperation opportunities.
From the side of the European Commission we would furthermore be pleased to invite the Trade Union Youth Office to the Youth Forum linked to the Summit, which is directly organised by us. We will also renew the operating grant supporting the network Solidarnost, once my services approve the 2018 Work programme.
Sincerely yours,
Colin Wolfe
Head of Unit
Leave a Comment