The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation was established on 25 June 1992, in Istanbul, with the signing of the Summit Declaration of Heads of State and Government of the 11 founding countries, which are: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine.
Albania is a co-founding member of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Currently, Serbia also joined this organization, and therefore, the current number of member countries is now 12.
Aside from the 12 member countries, there are thirteen other observer countries: USA, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Belarus,Croatia,Tunisia, Egypt and Israel.
The organization has an economic profile and focuses mainly on these areas:
-Transport and communication infrastructure
-Exchange of economic and trade information
-Standardization / certification of products
-Energy
-Tourism
-Agriculture / Agroindustry
-Science and technology,etc.
In order to achieve a more efficient cooperation between member states and to cover activities in the main areas, the organization has established some related bodies, such as:
-The Parliamentary dimension of the BSEC – PABSEC, based in Ankara
-Parliamentary Assembly of the BSEC – BSEC, headquartered in Istanbul
-Business Council of the BSEC, centered in Istanbul
-International Center for Black Sea Studies, based in Athens
-Bank of Commerce and Development of the Black Sea, based in Thessaloniki
In order to coordinate the work of these bodies,the Permanent Secretariat of BSEC (PERMIS) has been established. It is based in Istanbul, and under its direction, member countries have the possibility to participate, based on the principle of rotation.
Albania is an active participant in this organization, contributing, with its positions, in matters addressed in the organization and especially in light of the ongoing discussions to reform the organization, as well as for the BSEC – EU cooperation, for organizational and structural changes, etc. Albania has held the organization’s rotating Chairmanship in May- October 2008.
Formore information, click on: http://www.bsec-organization.org
