About 200 participants from seven regional countries take part at the coordination meeting hosted by the European Commission's Enlargement Directorate-General Technical Assistance for infrastructure projects, which started in Skopje on Wednesday.

Vice Premier for European Affairs Teuta Arifi opened the workshop, saying it is an instrument of the European Union in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for improved coordination among Western Balkans states regarding the requirement for joint EU funds and their strategic planning, in line with the investments priorities of each individual country. Projects within this initiative mainly focus on the spheres of environment, transport, human resources, and development.

"Western Balkans countries should identify their common goals and projects, especially in the field of infrastructure and communications, followed by joint performance before the EU, in order to obtain better and more efficient support", said Arifi.

The workshop will tackle projects that would be eligible to enter the 2012 Western Balkans investment framework. Focus will be given to the SME platform, aimed at promoting competitiveness and innovation among enterprises in this sector. The objective is to achieve dialogue between the European Commission and the main European financial institutions with IPA beneficiaries (ministries, SMEs, other business institutions).

Ninety projects of regional significance from Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro have been submitted thus far