2016 Western Balkans Summit in Paris, France was third annual

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within the

Berlin Process The Berlin Process is an intergovernmental cooperation initiative linked to the future enlargement of the European Union. History The Berlin Process started with the 2014 Berlin Conference, which was followed by the 2015 Vienna Summit, the ...

initiative for

European integration European integration is the process of political, legal, social, regional and economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe, or nearby. European integration has primarily but not exclusively come about through the European Union ...

Western Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

states. Previous summits took place in Berlin in 2014 and in Vienna in 2015.

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, foreign ministers and the ministers of economy of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as EU member states from the region Croatia, Slovenia and EU member states Austria, France, Germany, Italy as well as representatives of the

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and the

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took part in Paris summit. Summit took place on 4 July 2016. Participants welcomed the intention of Italy to host the next summit in 2017. Summit took place in the context of the outcome of the

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. Western Balkans participants reaffirmed their commitment to European integrations process. European perspective of the region was recognized to all countries during the summits in

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and

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in 2000 and 2003 and "repeatedly and unequivocally reiterated since then" as stated in Final Declaration after the summit. Participants reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation and their commitment to abstain from misusing bilateral issues in the EU accession process. At the day of summit Regional Youth Cooperation Office was established based on experience of the

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. All parties welcomed the progress with projects that were launched in August 2015 and agreed upon a list of 3 new railway projects, which will receive EU co-financing of little less than 100 million euros in addition to financing from the International Financial Institutions and the national budgets of the Western Balkan states. The parties welcomed the launch of an energy efficiency initiative supported by EU through funding of 50 million euros. Participants agreed on a road-map for the setting up of a regional market for electricity in the Western Balkans and European Commission intent to support initiative through the

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secretariat. Regional market integration, especially through

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was reaffirmed. Improving the perspective of younger generations' through

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and investments in education were discussed.

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