The South-East European Cooperation Process

The South-East European Cooperation Process is a forum for diplomatic and political dialogue among the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Hellenic Republic, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Montenegro and the Republic of Slovenia.

The initiative was launched in Sofia in July, 1996, during a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of South-East European countries, which decided to start a long-term process of multilateral cooperation among participating states in the following four fields:

• Strengthening stability, security and good-neighbourly relations;
• Economic development;
• Humanitarian, social and cultural issues;
• Justice, combat against organized crime, illicit drug and arms trafficking, and terrorism.

Bulgaria assumed the Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process in May 2007 and kept it until May 2008, when Moldova took over. Moldova assumed the Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process in May 2008 and kept it until May 2009, when Turkey took over. Turkey assumed the Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process in May 2009 and kept it until May 2010, when Montenegro took over. As of 23 June 2010, the current Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process has been taken over by Montenegro.