Nov 9, 2022

Network of Regional Experts: Sharing Best Practices about Economic Reform Programmes

With the implementation of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “Structural Reforms Better Integrated within Fiscal Frameworks” (FISR2), we are supporting EU candidates and potential candidates from the Western Balkans and Turkey to strengthen the quality and implementation of their the Economic Reform Programmes (ERP). One of the important areas of support within FISR2 includes also better knowledge management and exchange on the ERP process. Here the Network of Regional Experts (NRE) plays an important role.

NRE is a regional community of practice for public officials working at the ministries of finance and line ministries and are involved in the ERP preparation process. As such it provides a valuable potential for accessing knowledge and staying in contact in between the project activities to exchange advice, experience, and information. “The NRE gives us the opportunity to meet colleagues from the region and learn about the ERP practices in other countries. This is a very useful way of communication and learning,” says Jelena Popović Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The network also provides support to tackle the potential challenges that are related to the implementation of structural reforms and are common throughout the region. Its members have an opportunity to express their needs for learning initiatives that will address the topics they recognize as important.

Members of the NRE hold online meetings periodically. The next meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2022, and will be an opportunity to work on the yearly plan of activities for the coming year.