President Rafuna participated in the Conference on Regional Economic Integration “Empower. Integrate. Grow.”
Lulzim Rafuna, President of the Managing Board of the Western Balkans Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF), participated in the regional conference “Empower. Integrate. Grow.”, held in Montenegro on January 27-28.
The event was organized by GIZ (Open Regional Fund for Southeast Europe – Foreign Trade), with financial support from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in collaboration with the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro.
The conference gathered policymakers, EU officials, business leaders, and experts to assess progress in enhancing regional trade and to outline the next steps toward deeper integration with the EU Single Market. A key focus was the implementation of reform agendas for the 2024–2027 period within the framework of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as well as the role of regional partnerships in supporting the European integration process.
The conference was officially opened by Maida Gorčević, Montenegro’s Minister of European Affairs, and Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.
During discussions on the significance of the Growth Plan and the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan, participants reaffirmed that these initiatives serve as strategic frameworks for accelerating economic development in the region and aligning local economies with EU Single Market standards. The key objectives of the Growth Plan include:
- Reducing trade barriers and improving the business environment,
- Attracting investments through reforms and strengthening the rule of law,
- Enhancing the competitiveness of Western Balkans economies and their integration into global value chains,
- Supporting regional initiatives that contribute to faster regulatory harmonization with EU standards.
In this context, the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan, adopted by Western Balkans economies, plays a crucial role in facilitating the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. Its implementation enables faster economic integration, lowers trade costs, and enhances the region’s attractiveness for foreign investment.
President Rafuna participated in the panel discussion “Moving Forward – Supporting Regional Integration and Integration with the EU,” where he highlighted both the achievements and priorities of the Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) for 2025.
He emphasized that the Growth Plan will provide significant support to the private sector, enabling businesses to expand, become more competitive, and integrate not only into the European market but also into global markets.
