Second Regulatory Dialogue between the European Union and the Western Balkans

The first Regulatory Dialogue in 2022 discussed how to converge with the EU’s ever-evolving digital policy, rules and standards, and in closing digital gaps. Dedicated and regional demand-driven support in digital transformation is much needed to facilitate the integration of Western Balkans.

Ministers and senior government officials from the Western Balkans responsible for digital policy took part in the second edition of the Regulatory Dialogue, which was held on 30 June 2023 in Brussels.

On the margins of the event, Roberto Viola, Director General of DG Connect, and the Ministers and Senior Officials from Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia signed association agreements to the Digital Europe Programme. Under the terms of these agreements, businesses, organisations, and public administrations from Western Balkans will now be able to access the calls under the Digital Europe Programme, which has an overall budget of EUR 7.5 billion for the 2021-2027 period.

The second edition of the Dialogue confirmed its role as a springboard for further progress on the implementation of the digital acquis. The European Commission reiterated the importance of Western Balkans integration in the EU’s Digital Single Market, as recently stated by President Von Der Leyen, and base their digital targets on the EU’s Digital Decade Policy Programme. The adherence to the declaration on European digital rights and principleswill promote a digital transition shaped by European values. A first step has already been taken with the Berlin Declaration on Digital Society and Value-based Digital Government, which acknowledges that the public sector is a driving force for new and innovative technological solutions for public services and societal challenges.

The following issues were discussed at the Dialogue:

• aspects related to data governance and the free flow of data, putting as priority the alignment of required legal and regulatory framework to facilitate the free flow and use of non-personal data, namely the Open Data Directive, the Regulation on Free Flow of non-personal data, the European Data Governance Act and the forthcoming Data Act;
• activities that will improve e-services and enhance regional interoperabilityfor faster, cheaper and more transparent governmental service in line with the European Interoperability Framework;
• the development of digital identity and trust services in the Western Balkans, in particular the progress towards mutual recognition of electronic signatures and seals by joining the 3rd Countries Trust List Program;
• possible activities to improvecooperation oncybersecurity, including cybersecurity capabilities, resilience and regional awareness in the cybersecurity area; insisting on the need to focus the cooperation on preventing and detecting cyber threats as well as preventing, detecting and effectively responding to incidents, so as to mitigate their impact and ensure fast recovery;
• the transposition status of the EU's Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive and the EU toolbox of risk mitigating measures (5G Cybersecurity toolbox) and the need for regional action involving the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) within the remit of its mandate.

The third edition of the Dialogue will take place in the fall of 2024 in Brussels.