About this learning event

What does EU membership change in the day-to-day work of public institutions? How do ministries move from preparing for accession to actively shaping decisions, coordinating national positions, and operating as an equal participant in EU processes?

This two-day event brings together members of Montenegro’s Public Administration Reform and  (PAR) and Public Financial Management (PFM) coordination structures to explore the practical institutional, organizational and human-capacity implications of EU membership.

Rather than revisiting the fundamentals of EU institutions and processes, the retreat will focus on how EU membership works in practice, drawing particularly on Slovenia’s experience of the transition from accession country to Member State. Participants will explore how responsibilities and workflows change after accession, how national positions are coordinated, how information flows between ministries, Brussels and other institutions, and how administrations organize themselves to participate effectively in EU decision-making.

The discussions will address the European Semester and EU economic governance, national coordination mechanisms, preparation of positions and negotiation mandates, participation in Council working structures and COREPER, EU funds preparedness, and cooperation between institutions at national and EU level. Practical exchanges will also examine how administrations prepare their staff for increased workloads and new responsibilities, develop new competencies, retain institutional capacity, and adapt organizational structures to the demands of membership. 

Through facilitated discussions, peer exchange with Slovenian practitioners, practical exercises and institutional exchanges, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on what Montenegro's administration will need to look like and how it will need to work as an EU Member State. This event will therefore connect current PAR and PFM reform efforts with the institutional preparedness required for effective participation in the EU.

Who should attend 

This event is by invitation only, intended for Members of Montenegro’s PAR and PFM coordination structures, primarily representatives of the Ministry of Public Administration and Ministry of Finance of Montenegro, as well as other institutions involved in reform coordination and preparations for EU membership.

Faculty

• Saša Jazbec, CEF Associate Fellow

Saša Jazbec is a Slovenian economist and public finance expert with extensive experience in senior government positions. She has served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance of Slovenia and as Director General of its Budget Directorate. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively on public finance, fiscal policy, budgeting and EU economic and fiscal governance

• Uroš Vajgl, CEF expert

Uroš Vajgl is a Slovenian economist, diplomat and senior public official with extensive experience in European affairs and international relations. He has held senior positions in Slovenia’s public administration and diplomatic service and has worked extensively on EU policymaking, negotiations and coordination. He currently serves as State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of Slovenia.

• Petar Pogačar, Director-General, Public Sector Directorate, Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration 

Petar Pogačar is a senior Slovenian public administration expert with extensive experience in public sector modernization, civil service policy and human resource management. He has held senior positions in Slovenia’s public administration and has been closely involved in reforms related to the civil service, public sector organization and workforce development. His professional experience includes both national public administration reform and international cooperation in this field. His own description of the areas he will bring to the retreat emphasizes public administration modernization, civil service and workforce development.

• Nina Vujošević, CEF expert

Nina Vujošević is a Montenegrin economist and expert in public finance, economic governance and public sector reform. She previously served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Director General at the Ministry of Economy. She also worked as Adviser to the Executive Director at the World Bank and has held academic positions at the University of Donja Gorica. She holds a PhD in Economics.

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU-funded Action “Support to Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting on PAR Strategy and PFM Reform Programme 2022-2026” implemented by the CEF.