The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has completed its first year of full operational ability. It was conceived as a novel structure of regional cooperation in South East Europe resulting from the progress that the region has accomplished with regard to its economic, social and democratic development and advancement on the path of European and Euro‐Atlantic integration. The RCC was launched in order to sustain the principle of regional ownership and enhanced regional cooperation and place the responsibility for its future into the hands of the
region.

Promoting and enhancing cooperation in the priority areas, namely, economic and social development, infrastructure and energy, justice and home affairs, security cooperation, building human capital and cross‐cutting issues and parliamentary cooperation, the RCC also supports the European and Euro‐Atlantic integration and creates a political climate susceptible to carrying out projects of a wider, regional character to the benefit of its each individual
member.

South East Europe and in particular Western Balkans, as candidates and potential candidates for the European Union (EU) membership, are steadily advancing with their EU accessionrelated efforts and reforms. All countries of South East Europe have, to date, achieved institutional links with the EU, in line with their respective status in relation to the EU. Regional cooperation has taken a genuinely and authentically new course. Both aspects of the development in South East Europe need to be consolidated and invigorated. This is particularly important against the backdrop of the EU enlargement policy and strategy. This is, also, additionally vital as the region is still faced with a number of unresolved and open issues affecting the completion of durable stability in South East Europe and also impeding the EU accession efforts. In addition, current economic crisis has brought in potentially adverse effects on further political and social stabilization, whilst economic slowdown may additionally influence the development agendas in the region.