The South-East Europe Cooperation Process was initiated in 1996 with a view to transforming South-East Europe into a region of stability, security and cooperation in line with the European integration processes and through promotion of mutual dialogue and cooperation at all levels and in all areas of common interest. Twelve countries participate in SEECP work as full-fledged members: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.

Serbia began fully to participate in the activities of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process at the Skopje Summit in October 2000.

The main document of the SEECP is the Charter on Good-Neighbourly Relations, Stability, Security and Cooperation in South Eastern Europe, adopted in Bucharest in 2000. The Charter was amended at the Zagreb SEECP Summit held on 11 May 2007, in order to define the relationship between the SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council.

At the SEECP Summit held in Zagreb on 11 May 2007, it was decided to establish functional relations between the SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), while the SEECP continued to play its role as a Forum for Political Dialogue and Direction of Cooperation between the Participating States, the RCC Secretariat, based in Sarajevo, became an operational support to the SEECP.

At the SEECP Summit held in Bucharest on 25 June 2014, in keeping with the arrangements reached, Serbia agreed to the participation of “Kosovo*” (with an asterix and the familiar text in the footnote) in SEECP activities, on the footing of equality, but without prejudice to the status and in accordance with the Agreement on regional representation and cooperation and the Brussels Arrangement. The above solution was indicated in the Declaration of the SEECP Summit. R. Serbia has thus fulfilled its obligation that it would not prevent or block “Kosovo*” in the EU integration process. In this way, Serbia did not give up its positions either, since UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Advisory Opinion continue to be the framework for designating and representing “Kosovo*”.

The SEECP parliamentary dimension is taking place through cooperation within the Working Group of the SEECP parliamentary dimension, where representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia also participate.

Serbia held the SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office in the period June 2011 - June 2012. Albania took over the SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office for the period 2014-2015. Bulgaria will preside over the SEECP in the period 2015-2016.  

The presidency of the SEECP is, for the year 2016-2017, taken by the Republic of Croatia, while the next one will be presided by the Republic of Slovenia.

The National Coordinator of the Republic of Serbia for SEECP is Ambassador Marina Jovićević PhD, Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs (contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.