The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

 

EU integration process

 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been a candidate country for EU membership since 2005. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was the first country to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in 2001 after the 2000 Zagreb Summit. This agreement entered into force on April 1st 2004. The same year the country applied for the EU membership, but so far it has not started the accession negotiations.

 

Transnational and cross-border programmes with Member States

 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has experience in cross-border cooperation since late 1990s, when it participated in the INTERREG programme with Greece and later with Bulgaria. Under the second component of IPA the country is continuing to cooperate with the two neighbouring EU Member States.

Building on the experience gained in the context of the CADSES programme, component II funds are financing the participation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the transnational programme South-East Europe (SEE), under the European Territorial Co–operation objective of the Structural Funds.

 

Cross-border programmes with Western Balkan neighbours

 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is participatin in one IPA cross-border programme with the WB neighbour Albania.

The first Call for Proposals under the programme with Albania was closed on August 4th, 2009.

 

National IPA CBC Coordinator

 

The National IPA Coordinator for the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia is the Deputy Prime Minister. Secretariat for European Affairs is the technical service of the NIPAC. Ministry of Local Self-Government coordinates the Component II.

 

CBIB support

 

Ever since the beginning of project activities, CBIB has set up a regional office in Skopje. For the second phase of CBIB, through the Needs Assessment Analysis process, it was agreed with the beneficiaries that the CBIB office will be located in Struga. The office was established as fully operational in May 2009, with the senior Key Expert and the Junior Long-Term Local expert.

CBIB directly supported the preparation of the cross-border programmes with Albania, the establishment of Joint Management Structures for these programmes - Joint Monitoring Committee and Joint Technical Secretariat with Antenna, preparations for the 1st  and 2nd Call for Proposals, launching and implementation of the 1st CfP.

In accordance with the country-specific Work Plan, support is provided through capacity building activities such as on-the-job training and training sessions on the topic of IPA CBC programme management and implementation, project proposal evaluation programme monitoring and audit, as well as in every-day work.

Through awareness seminars and trainings in project proposal preparation, CBIB is providing capacity building to Albanian Potential Applicants as well, raising their awareness on funding opportunities under IPA and enhancing their project preparation and implementation knowledge.