International Scientific Conference "Regional Cooperation and European Integration" at ICPE

On Monday, 7 November 2011, international scientific conference entitled "Regional Cooperation and European Integration" organized by the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) was held in ICPE premises. Co-organizers of the conference are:

• Institute of Economic Sciences (IES), Belgrade, Serbia
• University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
• Scuola di Amministrazione Aziendale, Turin, Italia
• Institute of Economics, Zagreb, Croatia
• Institute of Economics, Sarajevo , Bosnia and Hercegovina
• Institute of Economics, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Hercegovina
• Belgrade Banking Academy, Belgrade, Serbia.

Conference was opened by Dr Štefan Bogdan Šalej, ICPE director general and Prof Dr Dejan Erić, IES director. Representatives of the majority of co-organizing institutions participated at the Conference. Around twenty scientific papers were presented, grouped in the four sessions:

• Analysis of the Relations Between WB Countries and The EU; Policy of Equally Spread and Sustainable Regional Development in the Function of the European Integrations
• Evaluation of Undergone Transition Changes in Western Balkan Countries; Structural Changes in WB Countries Economy in the Function of the EU Integrations
• Restructuring of Enterprises in Order to Achieve Efficiency and Effectiveness; Macroeconomic Framework for Structural Adjustments
• Development and Competitiveness of Financial Systems in Western Balkan Countries.

Conclusions of the conference have pointed significance of the analysis of the relationship between Western Balkan countries and European Union in regard to the further admission of the WB countries toward EU. Special focus was given to the position of Serbia within this process. In addition, conference shed light on the several aspects of the integration such as environment protection, ecology, sustainable development and other areas of integration. The evaluation of the transition process in WB countries underlined importance of the analysis of the past in regard to the prospective of those countries in the future. Necessity of the analysis of the restructuring processes in enterprises toward enhancement of their efficiency has been stressed. More specifically, it has been emphasized the importance of the analysis of public enterprises. Beside, it was concluded that deeper financial analysis of the WB countries’ financial sector in regard to EU admission process to improve their economic growth and development.

Prof Dr Dejan Erić, IES director, Dr Radovan Rodic, Director, Institute of Economics, Banja Luka, Dr Štefan Bogdan Salej, ICPE director