SOCIEUX+ peer to peer cooperation activities expanded to Western Balkans countries

SOCIEUX+ has expanded its offer of peer-to-peer cooperation activities to countries in the Western Balkans region, including the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo* , Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia.

On the occasion of this expansion, and with the objective of presenting cooperation opportunities in social protection, labour and employment policies to potential partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a kick-off meeting took place in Sarajevo on October 24, 2022, organised by SOCIEUX+ and the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The session was attended by about 30 representatives of public institutions in the area, including government ministries, public employment offices, and social partners (trade unions and employers’ organisations) from both state and entity levels.

The event opened with a speech by Gianluca Vannini, Head of Operations Sectionfor Social Development, Civil Society, and Cross Border Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He highlighted the importance of strengthening technical cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU within the social protection, labour and employment fields, and also provided a perspective on this cooperation relative to the accession process of new EU Member States.

Then, SOCIEUX+ Deputy Team Leader Dijana Mirvic presented the main features and the distinctive peer-to-peer approach of the SOCIEUX+ Facility, while Marzena Breza, Technical Advisor for Social Protection, and Thierry Fiquet, Technical Advisor for Labour and Employment, presented specific examples of SOCIEUX+ activities in their respective areas and shared experiences of peer-to-peer technical cooperation between public staff and practitioners.

Several bilateral meetings were held during the mission including exchanges with potential partners from the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the government of Republika Srpska, including the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Ministry of Labour, War Veterans and Disabled Persons’ Protection of Republika Srpska, the Federal Employment Institute, the Association of Employers of the Federation of BiH (UPFBiH), the Union of Employers’ Associations of Republika Srpska (UUPRS), PES Republika Srpska / RS Employment Institute, the BiH Agency for Labour and Employment, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia-Herzegovina (SSSBiH), the Confederation of Trade Unions of Republika Srpska (SSRS), and BiH Ombudsman.

New sessions will be organized in the coming months in different locations throughout the area.

About SOCIEUX+

SOCIEUX+, the European Union (EU) Expertise on Social Protection, Labour and Employment Facility expands and improves access to better employment opportunities and inclusive social protection systems in EU Partner Countries through technical cooperation and knowledge development activities.

Based on the peer exchange model, SOCIEUX+ facilitates the exchange of knowledge and good practices between EU Member States and partner institutions around the world through targeted, short-term activities. Its specific objective is to enhance partner countries’ capacities to design, manage, and monitor inclusive, effective, and sustainable employment strategies and social protection systems.

SOCIEUX+ is co-funded by the European Union through the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), and the governments of Belgium, France, and Spain, and implemented by a partnership composed of Expertise France, Belgian International Cooperation on Social Protection (Belincosoc), the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel), and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.