Commissioners Várhelyi and Gabriel at the Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in the framework of the Berlin Process ahead of the Sofia Summit

Today, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, and Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, are participating by videoconference in the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the Berlin Process. The initiative gathers the six Western Balkans partners, nine EU Member States and regional organisations. Participants will discuss how to improve regional cooperation with a special focus on youth and civil society. The meeting will provide input to the Sofia Summit, which will take place on 10 November. High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Várhelyi will take part remotely in the Sofia Summit that will be co-chaired by Bulgaria and North Macedonia and will bring together the leaders of the Berlin Process participants, to further strengthen economic and regional cooperation as a way for Western Balkan partners to advance on their European path. In October, the Commission put forward an Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, mobilising up to €9 billion to foster long term recovery and convergence, boost economic development and connectivity in the region including through investments in infrastructure also aimed at addressing the related environmental and health challenges, and overall offering great potential for growth and creation of new jobs. More information on today’s meeting can be found here and Commissioner Várhelyi‘s intervention is available here.