About this learning event

Within the WeExperience component focused on public institutions in the Western Balkans, this study visit will take place in Skopje, North Macedonia. It will allow young representatives from the public administrations across the Western Balkans to exchange experience with their counterparts and other representatives of the institutions in North Macedonia and to deepen their knowledge in the EU accession process. 

The study visit will provide the participant with the opportunity to learn about the most successful experiences, but also the challenges in the first stages of the EU accession negotiation process of North Macedonia. It will be a great opportunity for networking, creating partnerships, and initiating innovations in public administration across the region, bearing in mind the different paces of the EU integration process in the Western Balkans’ economies. 

The participants will learn how North Macedonia incorporates the enhanced enlargement methodology in the EU accession negotiations, particularly fundamental reforms, and how the country strengthens democratic institutions and public administration reform, as well as economic criteria, which basically determine the overall pace of negotiations. In addition, the study visit would be an opportunity for further exchange of experiences in the implementation of the Principles of Public Administration according to the most recent OECD SIGMA assessment for the Western Balkans to improve the country’s preparedness for the public administration reform. 

Participants will learn about the progress of North Macedonia in the PFM-related EU negotiation chapters, and fulfillment of economic criteria, particularly in public procurement, statistics, and financial control chapters. The study visit will also provide an opportunity to visit the National Bank and exchange experiences, and learning about the differences in the monetary policies across the region in the EU accession, as North Macedonia has its own currency and monetary policy which is different compared to some dollarized economies in the region.

The study visit will bring the opportunity of learning and information exchange about the most recent reforms stemming from the country’s Reform Agenda, that covers reform milestones in the areas of: governance, public administration reform and public financial management; green and digital transition; human capital; private sector development and business environment; and fundamental rights and the rule of law.

Who should attend

WeExperience participants - third generation

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans” (WeLead) implemented by the CEF.