Initiating a New ERP Cycle: Advancing Structural Reforms in Western Balkans and Türkiye
The Western Balkans and Türkiye are embarking on a new 2024-2026 ERP cycle, and significant progress has been made in the past month. The CEF team has been collaborating with officials from the Western Balkans and Türkiye to initiate the start of this cycle. Workshops were held in Zrenjanin, Jahorina, Tirana, Skopje, Ankara, and Prizren, as part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project called "Structural Reforms Better Integrated Within Fiscal Frameworks" (FISR2), which is implemented by the CEF.
These beneficiary-specific events, delivered between May 23 and July 13, 2023, are a continuation of the CEF's support to the European Union (EU) candidates and potential candidates in preparing for their ERPs for the period 2024-2026. The workshops were carefully designed in close cooperation with the ERP Coordination teams to cater to the specific learning needs of each team. The primary objective of these events was to foster a collaborative approach to strategic planning and coordination for the preparation of the ERP for the period 2024-2026, aligning with the latest European Commission's Guidelines for ERP preparation.
The participants demonstrated great enthusiasm and actively engaged in constructive discussions, creating an open space for feedback, sharing reflections, and exploring ideas for improvement. The ERP Coordination teams played a pivotal role in facilitating discussions on structural reform measures, bringing together diverse perspectives to enhance efforts and achieve better results in the future. We are delighted to witness such strong dedication and commitment to progressing the programming of structural reforms within the FISR2 project.
Moving forward, the joint work with the ERP Coordination teams and members of the Working Groups will continue in autumn 2023. With the upcoming FISR2 activities, we will collaboratively review draft structural reforms before their inclusion in the 2024-2026 ERP.