2016 Western Balkans Summit in Paris, France was third annual

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used ...

within the

Berlin Process The Berlin Process is an intergovernmental cooperation initiative linked to the future enlargement of the European Union. It started with the 2014 Berlin Conference, which was followed by the 2015 Vienna Summit, the 2016 Paris Summit, the 201 ...

initiative for

European integration European integration is the process of industrial, economic integration, economic, political, legal, social integration, social, and cultural Regional integration, integration of states wholly or partially in Europe or nearby. European integrat ...

of Western Balkans states. Previous summits took place in Berlin in 2014 and in Vienna in 2015. Heads of government, foreign ministers and the ministers of economy of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as EU member states from the region Croatia, Slovenia and EU member states Austria, France, Germany, Italy as well as representatives of the European Union and the

International Financial Institutions An international financial institution (IFI) is a financial institution that has been established (or chartered) by more than one country, and hence is subject to international law. Its owners or shareholders are generally national governments, al ...

took part in Paris summit. Summit took place on 4 July 2016. Participants welcomed the intention of Italy to host the next summit in 2017. Summit took place in the context of the outcome of the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. Western Balkans participants reaffirmed their commitment to European integrations process. European perspective of the region was recognized to all countries during the summits in Zagreb and Thessaloniki in 2000 and 2003 and "repeatedly and unequivocally reiterated since then" as stated in Final Declaration after the summit. Participants reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation and their commitment to abstain from misusing bilateral issues in the EU accession process. At the day of summit Regional Youth Cooperation Office was established based on experience of the

Franco-German Youth Office The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO; french: Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse, OFAJ; german: Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk, DFJW) is an organisation to subsidize programs for children, adolescents and young adults. Its main goal is ...

. All parties welcomed the progress with projects that were launched in August 2015 and agreed upon a list of 3 new railway projects, which will receive EU co-financing of little less than 100 million euros in addition to financing from the International Financial Institutions and the national budgets of the Western Balkan states. The parties welcomed the launch of an energy efficiency initiative supported by EU through funding of 50 million euros. Participants agreed on a road-map for the setting up of a regional market for electricity in the Western Balkans and European Commission intent to support initiative through the Energy Community secretariat. Regional market integration, especially through

CEFTA The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is an international trade agreement between countries mostly located in Southeastern Europe. Founded by representatives of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, CEFTA expanded to Albania, Bosnia and ...

was reaffirmed. Improving the perspective of younger generations' through Erasmus+ and investments in education were discussed.

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Western Balkans Summit
{{DEFAULTSORT:Western Balkans Summit, 2016 2016 in politics Diplomatic conferences in France 21st-century diplomatic conferences (Europe) 2016 in international relations 2016 conferences Foreign relations of Croatia Foreign relations of Albania Foreign relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign relations of Kosovo Foreign relations of North Macedonia Foreign relations of Montenegro Foreign relations of Serbia Foreign relations of Slovenia International relations in Southeastern Europe Contemplated enlargements of the European Union 2016 in Paris July 2016 events in France

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