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International Partners
Botschafterin Dr. Margot Klestil-Löffler
Alternate Secretary General
Central European Initiative
Initiative: 28 years
Foto: Vojtech Vlk
Italian Government has solely made a total contribution
of € 40.5 million, mainly provides grant-type assistance
for specific components of Technical Cooperation
(TC) projects. Since its inception, the Fund has
provided more than € 25 million for funding more than
130 TC assignments, mobilising € 4.8 billion of international
investments in the countries of operations. For
one euro spent on CEI Technical Cooperation, € 215
had been invested by the EBRD and other IFIs.
The CEI-EBRD partnership also aims at strengthening
links within the business communities in
CEI Member States in order to foster opportunities
for commercial partnerships and co-investments as
wellas compete for project-related contracts. Indeed,
just one year ago the CEI has organized together
with EBRD an International Conference under the
title “Supporting Local Enterprises and SMEs along
China’s Belt and Road Initiative in South Eastern Europe”.
The event took place in Trieste and aimed at
strengthening links within the business communities
in CEI Member States in order to foster opportunities
for commercial partnerships and co-investments as
well as compete for project-related contracts with the
Chinese business partners.
Since 2004, the CEI Fund at the EBRD has also
contributed a total of more than € 2.1 million to the
Know-How Exchange Programme (KEP) supporting
75 projects.
As of 2007, the KEP has been also financed by Austria
through an agreement with the Austrian Development
Agency (ADA): it has so far committed around
€ 730.000 for 26 projects. Poland had also contributed
with € 50.000 to co-financed projects.
To achieve the objectives outlined in its multi-annual
Plan of Action, the CEI is also promoting result-oriented
projects by participating in EU-funded
programmes. We are proud of our records: 29 EU-funded
projects, where the CEI operates both as Lead Partner
and as a reliable, effective partner in key sectors of
transnational cooperation, e.g. transport, science and
innovation, renewable energy, cultural heritage, capacity
building. This operational participation in the
implementation of the EU policies is also the mainstream
of our concrete ties with the European Commission
as mandated by our Foreign Ministers.
This CEI expertise in the implementation of transnational
projects is very important in view of pursuing
the goals of the EU macro-regional strategies and
of the Eastern Partnership, where most of our countries
are included. All macro-regional strategies have
a role to play for the benefit of the CEI non-EU Member
States. Bringing them closer to the European Union
in a very consistent way to reach the strategic goal
driving our activity. We are active in the EU Strategy
for the Danube Region (EUSDR), we are contributing
to the EU Strategy for the Adriatic - Ionian Macro-Region
(EUSAIR) and to the Strategy for the Alpine Region
(EUSALP). In the same time, we have also revitalised
our collaboration with the Council of Baltic
Sea States.
The European Business and Investment Magazine iconannual 53