Youth and Regional Cooperation

Viewing EU integration as the best development perspective and at the same time shared challenge for the Western Balkans countries, EMA works with partner stakeholders located in the region to achieve an accelerated journey towards meeting EU standards. We are committed to fostering dialogue and collaboration at regional level and are actively engaged in joint ventures developing comparative analysis and exchange of good practices. Projects and activities implemented include brain-gain issues, dialogue between CSO and WB governments, visa free regime within the WB, youth exchange and cooperation, EU perspective of the region, connectivity etc.

Projects undertaken under this programme area are as below:

The Regional Convention on European Integration – Let Justice Rule the Region (2022 – ongoing) is implemented within MATRA framework and aims to create a stable regional network of pro-European CSOs from Serbia, Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia focused on boosting the level of democratization through active monitoring of issues covered by Cluster 1 (Fundamentals), and providing reliable and evidence-based recommendations. Regional cooperation of civil society organizations can further strengthen their role in the European integration process of the region, and the exchange of experiences is in particular necessary concerning the rule of law areas, as they demand for long-term transformation of societies. From 2014-2015 the Regional Convention was supported by Visegrad+, and served as a joint platform of non-governmental organizations from Western Balkan and Visegrad Group. The overall goal of this platform is to contribute to fostering of EU approximation of the Western Balkans countries. Specific emphasis is given to strengthen capacities of both state and civil sector dealing with the process of EU integration.

Organizing youth activities on the occasion of Europe Day (2010-2024) supported by European Commission. The main objective of this international initiative is the promotion of Active European Citizenship and Intercultural dialogue through social inclusion and coexistence as fundamental values of European Union and its enlargement prospective.The activities aim to engage young people by increasing their knowledge and critical understanding of the European Union, its institutions, and Albania’s EU integration process. Through open forums bringing together youth and policymakers from Albania, the EU, and Member States, creative contests on EU-related themes, and a Model of EU Institutions involving participants from across the country, the project during the years has been promoting active European citizenship, encouraged dialogue with decision-makers, strengthensned networks among EU-interested youth nationwide, and enhances critical thinking by enabling participants to assess the EU and Albania’s European perspective in a more informed, realistic, and objective manner.

SMART ADRIA Blue Growth (November 2020 – December 2023), a project funded by IPA CBC including partners from Albania, Italy and Montenegro, where EMA is outsourced by UCCIAL as partner of this project to support it in leading on the successful implementation and to provide its services to achieve these objectives: – develop and manage an implementation timetable; -ensure delivery of project targets to a high quality; -support the development of Blue Growth workshop program for 30 SMEs; – to create a Blue Growth online platform; -to organize European nights of researchers and to support 20 SMEs on the harmonization of Blue Growth standards. The main aim of the project is to strengthen the cross-border cooperation and competitiveness of SMEs in the Adriatic-Ionian area enhancing the business environment for Blue Growth development of regional cross-border markets.

Addressing migrant smuggling prevention and/or the protection of smuggled migrants (November 2022 – June 2023) implemented by EMA in partnership with IRID, North Macedonia and financial support of Grupa 484 and European Union. The main objectives of the action were to strengthen the cooperation through dialogue among main stakeholders like public institutions, CSOs and professionals working in the field of irregular migration and to increase capacities through roundtables activities and thorough research with special focus on issues related with migrants and refugee’s rights; on cross-border management and migrant smuggling under negotiations process of Chapter 23 and 24 of EU Acquis for both countries. There are two-components of the action: capacity building activities (roundtables, MOOT Court, promotional and informative tools) and research and preparation of publications by distinguished researchers on the targeted issues.

Erasmus+ KA 105 “Make the first step” (October 2020 – May 2022) implemented by EuroTreviso, Italy as the lead organization with partnership with EMA as partner from Albania, and other organizations from Hungary, Greece and Lebanon. The main objective of the project is to share through no formal education method the personal experiences of the young people from different countries and religion about a common topic as youth participation in democratic life – what democracy is for them and how and if they participated or are participating in some demonstration, activities in their country regarding Human Rights, Democracy or Environment. EMA is the partner for Albania.

Erasmus KA3 – T.A.K.E Part (February 2019 – February 2020), implemented by Institute for the Future and European Movement in Albania, foresees the organization of two transnational seminars in the city of Naples, which will involve 50 participants (aged between 18 and 30 years) each, in order to enable them to take part in a structured transnational dialogue with policy makers. The mobility phase includes two transnational seminars one in June 2019 already organized, and one in November 2019. The project’s final output is a “Handbook for key digital skills in engagement and youth participation” which includes methods of decision making processes through digital tools.

Think and Link Programme supported by European Fund for Balkans seeks to foster inclusive and evidence-based policy making in the Western Balkans by initiating and supporting individual and collaborative research projects on the chosen annual programme topic, embedded in the regional seminar programme cycle. EMA is part of the project “Evolving or revolving: Institutional reforms and democratic legitimacy in Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro” implemented by D4D in Kosovo for the year 2019-2020. The project aims to scrutinize the process of reforms and the internal democratization of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo in the context of fundamental rights, good governance, and rule of law and future prosperity that facilitates the EU integration process and internal democratization process by highlighting priority areas and potential win-win outcomes. EMA’s policy researchers have participated in the programme three times developing the following research papers: 1) Connectivity for Development, taking the Highway for Economic Growth 2017 – 2018; 2) Towards the Enhancement of Fair Competition and a Functional Market Economy in Albania 2014 – 2015 ; 3) From Soft to Systematic Policy and Regulatory Impact Assessment in Albania 2010 – 2011.

Creating synergy in Western Balkans for strengthening education, research and science (2018-May 2019), a project supported by Western Balkan Fund, implemented by EMA in partnership with Balkans Policy Research Group (BPRG) and European Movement Novi Sad, Serbia has the overall objective to understand and facilitate the construction of a more enabling environment in research, education and innovation with a particular focus dedicated in strengthening EU Funds absorption capacities in Western Balkan region.

Erasmus KA 3 – Youth Committee for the Future (2018), implemented by Institute for the Future and partners from Belgium, Albania, Lithuania and Spain. EMA was the partner organization from Albania. The aim was to simulate the working principles of a European parliamentary committee for the future, using methods such as technology assessment, scenario-building and foresight practices in order to enable young participants (10 participants selected from each country) both to analyze selected topics as well as to propose initiatives to be implemented to address long-term issues. During the simulation, participants discuss their ideas with local policy-makers in charge of youth and European policies, coming from the City of Naples, central government in Italy and European Parliament, including MEPs.

Increasing Youth Participation in Electoral Processes (January 2017-September 2017) -The upcoming general elections which will be held on June 2017 should serve as new momentum for attracting the attention of the Albanian youth and the young voters for engaging actively in electoral processes, use their right as voters, and communicate their voice and needs to the key decision makers.The purpose of this project which is financed by Direct Aid Program (DAP), is to encourage the youth participation in the decision-making process. Greater youth involvement in these relevant processes would help to improve the accountability and transparency of local and central institutions and increase chances for the much needed generational change in the Albanian political landscape. The project will contribute in fostering their education on the importance of participatory democracy and of voting in particular, by seeking to increase knowledge, critical thinking and action of youth in local institutions and electoral processes. The project will be conducted in 3 main cities of Albania (Elbasan, Shkodra, and Vlora) through public lectures and training activities.

TRAIN programme, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and run by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) offers to organizations from Western Balkans, training and networking opportunities. In a series of workshops, participating researchers work on writing policy papers and advocacy strategies in framework of EU Integration process. Afterward the participants present their findings to decision-makers in Brussels as well as to the national level. EMA’s policy researchers have participated three times developing the following papers: 1) Which role for the Albanian parliament in the EU integration process? Assessment of the oversight role and administrative capacities 2011; 2) Public E-Procurement at the Local Level in Albania – Challenges in the Fight against Corruption 2014; 3)EU conditionality as a transformative power in the case of the Albanian Public Administration 2015.

Thinking for governance (2013-2014) Sharing V4 experience on NGOs, a project supported by the Visegrad + fund gathered NGOs from 10 countries from WB and Visegrad. The projects focused on challenges in cooperation between governments and civil societies in the Western Balkan countries in six selected areas covered by chapters 23 and 24 of the accession negotiations with the European Union. The objective was to map the problems in each of the subjects and offer consolidated recommendations to both the government and civil society, and additional recommendations to the EU, the international community, donors, and other stakeholders, with the aim to enhance collaboration in each country in the particular areas.

Promoting Youth Participation in the Albanian Parliament (October 2009 – May 2010) supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). This initiative achieved to increase the information of youth generation on the daily work of the Albanian Parliament through encouraging their active participation by influencing in the work of public administration in order to make it more transparent, open and democratic in fulfilling its objectives.

Youth as agent of participatory democracy and institutional accountability in the municipality of Shkodra (January 2012 – December 2014)supported by Olof Palme International Center. The overall objective of this project is to increase demand for institutional accountability towards local government institutions, notably the municipality of Shkodra by stimulating young citizens’ participation and exerting pressure on the municipality to improve the transparency of its activity and the communication links with the people.Enhancing participatory democracy at local level: Youth education and involvement in local government institutions and 2011 elections (October 2010 – June 2011) supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The purpose of this project was to involve young voters in the process of decision making of the local government through civic education on the role and importance that local government institutions play for their daily lives and through practical activities of monitoring the work of institutions.

Encouraging Youth Participation in Political Processes (October 2008 – June 2009) supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The project reached to contribute in improving the education and increasing the awareness of young voters on the importance of participatory democracy by engaging them in a round of public debates organized in 7 university cities of Albania.

Advocating for “Brain Gain” policies aimed at reintegration of the high-skilled returnees in the Western Balkans (October 2010 – September 2011) supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD), a Project of the German Marshal Fund. The overall aim of this project leaded by Group 484, Serbia was to identify the main obstacles for integration of the high skilled returnees in the Western Balkans Countries and to support the development of the policies and measures in regional level that would improve the situation of the high-skilled returnees.

Unity from mobility (January 2010 – January 2011) supported by European Commission, DG Education and Culture. The overall objective of this project was to set up a mentoring system based on solidarity between national councils of European Movement International by supporting the less development councils to profit from the longstanding experience of consolidated ones. EM Denmark was EMA’s mentor during the project implementation.

Improving IPA effectiveness in the Western Balkans Countries (June 2009 – February 2010) supported by the Local Government & Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI), Open Society Foundation. The main purpose of this initiative was to identify main features of the first two components of IPA provided for the Western Balkans countries and to produce a policy document for the European Commission suggesting means to improve IPA. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro participated in the project.

Support to the network of the EU Info Points in the university towns of Albania (August 2008 – July 2009) supported by Delegation of the European Union to Albania. The overall goal of the project was bringing Europe closer to Albanian citizens, especially to the young generation, in order to improve their knowledge on different issues related to EU policies and implementation of standards imposed by the Stabilization and Association Agreement, through the revitalization of the EU Info Points.

Monitoring the Visa Facilitation Agreement of Albania as a Step Towards Visa Liberalization (December 2008 – April 2009) supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD), a Project of the German Marshall Fund. This initiative intended to examine the compliance of Schengen Embassies in Albania with the requirements of Visa Facilitation Agreement throughout a monitoring process. EMA collected and written up the stories of Albanian citizens who had to apply for a Schengen visa by conducting in this way a specific research on Albania’s visa roadmap implementation record in close consultation with European Stability Initiative (ESI) after the European Commission published its own assessments.

Towards White Schengen List- Road Maps Monitoring- Western Balkan Regional Response (December 2008 – January 2009) supported by East East Partnership Beyond Borders Program, Open Society Foundation. The aim of this initiative was to identify opportunities for creating the WB regional response to the migration issue and visa liberalisation process with EU. Group 484, Serbia was the team leader while the other regional partners included: EMA in Albania, Centre for Research and Policy Making in Macedonia (CRPM), The Association Alumni of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies (CIPS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Centre for Democracy and Human Right in Montenegro (CEDEM).

EuroMed-Scola (October – December 2008) supported by Delegation of European Commission in Albania. The aim of this initiative was to contribute in increasing the information and awareness of youth generation on the EU decision making process through a simulation game that enhance the social interaction based on common values such as: pace, tolerance, freedom and civilization. During the activities organized under this project, 10 young participants from Albania were invited to discuss, debate and adopt resolutions on matters concerning Union for Mediterranean and on issues of common interest for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership with other youths from 27 EU Member State and 12 countries of Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

Does it really matter? Visa Facilitation in the Western Balkans (March 2008 – August 2008) supported by King Baudouin Foundation and East-East Partnership without Borders Programe, Open Society Foundation in partnership with European Citizen’s Action Service and Stefan Batory Foundation. The project aimed at monitoring the implementation of the Visa Facilitation Agreements in Western Balkan countries by setting up hotline consulting visa applicants in Schengen Embassies and conducting a more in-depth quantitative survey in Schengen Embassies. This regional project was implemented simultaneously in Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Traveling to Europe (January – June 2008) supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD), a Project of German Marshal Fund and Robert Bosch Foundation. This project was implemented in partnership with MJAFT! Movement, European Movement in Serbia and European Movement in Montenegro. On the focus of the project were 30 selected Albanian students, who get in touch with the EU values and culture through a 30 days European tour in some of the most important capitals of EU Member States.