Skip to main content

Author: WeBalkans

Digital Europe Programme opens to candidate countries Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, and Serbia to access calls for funding

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

On 30 June, the Commission signed association agreements for the Digital Europe Programme with Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, on the margins of the Regulatory Dialogue with the Western Balkans. Following the signatures, and upon the completion of the related ratification processes, the association agreements will enter into force. Businesses, public administrations and other eligible organisations in these neighbouring countries will be able to access the calls of the Digital Europe Programme, which has an overall budget of €7.5 billion in the 2021-2027 period.

 
In particular, participants from these four countries will be able to take part in projects that deploy digital technologies across the EU in specific areas such as artificial intelligence, and advanced digital skills. They will also be able to set up Digital Innovation Hubs in their own regions.  
This will bring them closer to the EU economy and society, benefit their technology capabilities and support digitalisation overall, notably of small and medium-sized businesses.  
The Digital Europe Programme’s funds will complement funding available in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, as well as  Albania, through other EU programmes such as Horizon Europe. The objectives and specific topic areas that are currently eligible for funding are detailed in the Work Programmes.

European Commission launched an additional €2.1 billion investment package for the Western Balkans under the Economic and Investment Plan

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

On 30 June, the European Commission has launched a new financial package to support 14 investment flagships in transport, energy, environment, human capital, and private sector support in the Western Balkans, worth, in total €2.1 billion. This is the fifth investment package under the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. Projects have been prepared in close cooperation with the Western Balkans partners and the international financial institutions to accelerate the European perspective of the region.

 

EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “With this new investment package we are sending a loud and clear message to our Western Balkans partners: their future is within the EU and we are making steady progress to close the economic development divide. These projects will better connect the region from within and with the EU, help decarbonise their economies, and support the competitiveness of the private sector in the region. Now, I call on our Western Balkans partners and international financial institutions to rollout these projects as soon as possible so citizens and businesses in the region can reap the benefits from these investments.”

 

The €2.1 billion investment package, which includes €528 million in EU grants from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III), additional bilateral contributions from EU Member States and Norway, loans from international financing institutions, and contributions from the economies of the Western Balkans, has been endorsed today by the Operational Board of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

 

The 14 new projects approved cover the following priority sectors:

 

-Sustainable transport: construction of motorway sections and subsections in Road Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Corridor VIII in North Macedonia. These projects will facilitate regional trade, reduce travel times, and spur sustainable economic growth.

-Clean energy: rehabilitation of hydropower plants in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance energy efficiency in North Macedonia. Other projects include strengthening North Macedonia’s transmission network or  deploying  green transport in Tirana.

-Environment & climate: rehabilitation of Sarajevo water system to enhance public health, boost commercial infrastructure, and improve the overall efficiency of water supply in the Sarajevo canton.

-Human development: improvement of energy efficiency and integrated energy management of the University of Belgrade.

-Private sector: supply of financing for renewable and efficient energy measures in the region, sustainable access to finance for entrepreneurship, and a combination of specialised financing for digitalisation and competitiveness for micro and small businesses (MSMEs). These projects will help reduce inequality, increase job creation, and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Young European Ambassadors (YEA) join Anibar Animation Festival

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

This year Anibar is organising the 14th edition of the Anibar International Animation Festival. This is considered to be one of the biggest cultural events in Kosovo, as well as one of the biggest gatherings of the animation industry in the region. The festival has evolved throughout these years and contributed to the initiation and development of the animation industry in Kosovo, by promoting animation as an art form, but also as a medium to raise awareness for societal issues.

Young European Ambassadors will join the festival for the first time and will contribute to the organisation of the Festival, social media promotion, video and content creation and through volunteering actions during the Festival.

Supporting art and culture is what #YEADO.

Young European Ambassadors Participate in Panel Discussion: “The Future of Pride and LGBT+ Rights in Serbia”

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

On 29th July, Young European Ambassador (YEA) from Serbia, specifically Velimir Milosev (@v_signature), moderated a panel discussion titled “The Future of Pride and LGBT+ Rights in Serbia.” The panel primarily focused on two key topics: fostering inclusivity within Pride events and enhancing the legal framework surrounding LGBT+ rights.

 

The panel featured notable speakers, including LGBT+ activists and a representative from the EU Delegation in Serbia. Key messages conveyed during the discussion highlighted the necessity of a comprehensive approach to improving LGBT+ rights, involving both top-down and bottom-up initiatives. This includes support from international actors like the EU, who should assist grassroots local groups. Additionally, there was an emphasis on establishing local support networks for LGBT+ youth residing outside major urban centers.

 

The panel was part of the Pride Week activities held in Novi Sad, Serbia, from 26th June to 2nd July.

Young European Ambassadors from Serbia Participate in the Final Conference Youth Policy Lab on Mental Health

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

On 20th and 21st June, Young European Ambassadors from Serbia, namely Adrijana Nikitovic, Anja Kafedžiska, Maja Trajkovic, and Sava Dokmanovic, took part in the Final Conference Youth Policy Lab on Mental Health. The conference aimed to provide a platform for sharing and showcasing the diverse activities carried out by Working Groups in the region. It also aimed to present the outcomes and recommendations resulting from their dedicated efforts to address mental health among young people in their respective economies.

 

After the development of 13 regional recommendations and extensive work conducted by the Working Groups, representatives from each Western Balkan economy presented their progress thus far. Albania accomplished the Youth Component of the economy-wide Mental Health Action Plan 2023 and conducted an Assessment of Youth Mental Health services. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Framework for the development and implementation of promotional and preventive activities focusing on mental health for young people aged 14 to 18 was established. Kosovo* introduced an Administrative Instruction Amendment on Mental Health. Montenegro created an economy-wide Programme for Youth Mental Health and a Guideline for Youth Workers. North Macedonia drafted an economy-wide Youth Mental Health Strategy. Additionally, a Coordination Body for Youth Mental Health was established within the Ministry of Health.

Equipping young people with work experience

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

Unlocking potential: EU funding boosts Gjakova youth’s employability through practical training

Kosovo is facing a great demand for skilled workers ready to work in person or remotely for the rest of the world. Grasping new opportunities enabled by the green and digital transition can be found in the lifelong learning and skills development of these. Similar gaps amongst the skill force are present in the EU area, where the European Commission (EC) declared 2023 the European Year of Skills. The goal is to provide citizens with the relevant skills to adjust to labour market changes.

“There is a great skills gap in Kosovo’s labour market that has only grown deeper after the pandemic.”

Making a more significant impact in smaller towns

The labour market in Kosovo faces multi-faceted challenges, but in smaller towns, there are even fewer opportunities for employers and employees. Topping the list of problems is the skills gap: businesses don’t find the workers they need, while those searching for a job are not qualified enough to get employed. In the western town of Gjakova, the Jakova Innovation Centre (JIC) identified a great potential to address the mismatch of labour needs and education skills. This phenomenon is likely contributing to the unemployment of more than half of young people in Kosovo.

“There is a great skills gap in Kosovo’s labour market that has only grown deeper after the pandemic,” says Fatos Axhemi, the project manager of a co-funded project between the European Union and the Municipality of Gjakova addressing employability of the youth, women, and disadvantaged groups.

To tackle the issue, JIC applied a two-way approach: working with the employer and the job seekers. After listing potential private and public sector opportunities, they identified eight in-demand skills through a labour market analysis and needs assessment—the result: 31 employed and over a hundred completed internships.

“Our methods to engage young people in the labour market proved successful, for which we had very positive reviews,” says Axhemi. “They have completed an internship where they carried the weight of work on their shoulders, carried professional duties based on what they are skilled to do.”

In addition to training, participants grew during their experience with the mentorship programme during the two-year project.

“We have laid the foundations of a great network of existing and new businesses operating in Gjakova, who are continuing to identify the skills shortages to the public authorities actively, which adds to our achievements as a project.”

About the project

As a lead partner, Jakova Innovation Centre and Municipality of Gjakova implemented the project “United towards empowering youth, women and disadvantaged groups” over two years, funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo. The main aim of the project was to analyse the current labour market and create new opportunities for youth, women, and disadvantaged groups. Additionally, the project aimed to provide the target groups with the necessary skills needed for the labour market, connecting and match-making employers with employees for on-job training, internships, and regular employment and financing new innovative ideas for creating new start-ups.

Start-ups, getting over the first hurdle

JIC also supported start-up businesses that needed help to get over the start line, especially those operating in small-town environments like Gjakova and the neighbouring municipalities of Junik and Deçan. Among the 16 grantees, the project supported women entrepreneurs and start-up owners with a disability in various industries, such as food processing, IT, nutrition consultancy, business growth, and many more.

“We have laid the foundations of a great network of existing and new businesses operating in Gjakova, who are continuing to identify the skills shortages to the public authorities actively, which adds to our achievements as a project,” says Axhemi.

Continuous identification and addressing of skills shortage is a must for all actors, as is the need for lifelong learning and acquiring skills to fit with transitions that increase everyone’s chances of employability. More than three-quarters of companies in the EU have difficulties finding workers with the necessary skills, and only a third of adults undertake training, the EC says.

EIB Global’s impact finance operation with Intesa Sanpaolo Banka BiH receives the Impact-linked Deal of the Year 2022 award from Uxolo

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

Together with Intesa Sanpaolo Banka BiH, EIB Global received today a prestigious Uxolo Award for an innovative credit line for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with long-term social impact. The awards ceremony took place during the Uxolo and TXF Global 2023 Development and Impact Finance Conference in Lisbon. The jury selected the winners among the applications submitted in 2022 from around the world, on the merit of innovation, impact and pioneering solutions in the emerging markets.  
The impact incentive loan, first developed by the EIB in 2020, aims at fostering youth employment, gender equality and socially inclusive practices among small businesses and mid-caps. This innovative financing entails a combination of EIB funding with a reward mechanism for companies that meet specific targets towards enhancing leadership, employment and career development opportunities for women, young people and vulnerable social groups.  
The Uxolo award is a way of recognising the crucial work of development finance stakeholders of all sizes across the globe. It recognises the importance of small transactions that can be more impactful when they are pathfinders for new markets or when they revolutionise the way traditional development projects have been financed. It rewards those who demonstrate innovation – in terms of financial engineering, risk mitigation and diversification of the traditional development funding pool – and propose practical solutions to real world development problems.  
Uxolo’s 2022 Deals of the Year stretched from landmark conservation bonds and complex blended finance applications to inventive and impactful grants and guarantees.

EIB Global invests over €110 million for sustainable infrastructure development of BiH

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

EIB Global, the arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for activities outside the European Union, will invest €116 million as an overall financial package for the development of sustainable mobility, water and sanitation infrastructure and the healthcare facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. €75 million loan will go into the rehabilitation and extension of existing healthcare units and the construction of a new medical campus at the University Clinical Centre of Banja Luka. The project will enable better healthcare services and skilled human resources to strengthen the healthcare system’s resilience and response to future emergencies.  
€35 million will be invested in the Sarajevo urban transport project to enable the modernization and extension of the tram and trolley bus networks. This will add to the  €40 million already lent since 2021, bringing the total EIB investment to €75 million. Thanks to EIB Global financing for this project, the country’s capital will benefit from reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, increased safety and convenience of the public transport system.  
Along with these loans, EIB Global has also signed a €6 million EU grant agreement channeled through the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) for the extension of water supply, sewage collection and wastewater systems in some 20 municipalities in all parts of BIH. This grant will be blended with other existing investments provided under this comprehensive water and sanitation programme, which will help reduce environmental pollution and improve access to water and sanitation services for people across the country.  
With these new investments, EIB Global’s lending for BiH to date has reached €3.4 billion in supporting the development of vital infrastructure and small and medium businesses. Over half of this lending volume has been allocated to transportation sector (€1.6 billion), followed by investments in small and medium enterprises (€880 million), energy (close to €300 million) and water and wastewater infrastructure (€250 million).

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training Camp on Legally Safe and Crisis Reporting

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

As part of the EU funded project “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey II” BIRN Kosovo held a training camp in Durres, Albania, on legally safe and crisis reporting for journalists from the region. The three-day training took place in Durres between 16-18 June, gathering 14 journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey, of which 10 were women.

 

The main aim was to provide journalists with specialized knowledge that will help them protect themselves and their newsrooms from different kinds of attacks, including physical attacks, legal actions such as Strategic Litigations Against Public Participation – SLAPPs, as well as to preserve their digital security. A wide range of trainers and guest speakers held the sessions, including BIRN managing editors and other external guest speakers.

 

The overall objective of the project is to provide systemic support to improve the quality and professionalism of journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey. In the coming months, more activities will take place as part of the project, which will be announced and published soon.

Keys to 18 apartments handed over to refugee families in Arandelovac, Serbia

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

An additional 18 RHP beneficiary families received keys to new Regional Housing Programme (RHP) apartments in Aranđelovac, Serbia, today, bringing the Programme one step closer to its successful conclusion. To date, more than 7 100 RHP homes have been allocated to beneficiaries across Serbia, one of the four Partner Countries of the RHP.

 

In addition to the beneficiaries themselves, the ceremony was attended by Ana Đunović, Head of the Department for Reception and Implementation of Projects of the Republic of Serbia; Elvira Angulo Rodriguez, representing the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia; Bojan Radović, Mayor of the Municipality of Aranđelovac, and Dušan Kovačević, Head of the Public Sector Projects Implementation Unit Ltd, amongst others.

 

The European Union, represented by the European Commission, is the main Donor to the RHP. Out of a total of EUR 294 million committed to the Programme, the European Commission contributed EUR 238 million, i.e. 81%. The other donors are the United States of America, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Türkiye, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and the Slovak Republic.