The Pact for Skills ‘Regional Skills Partnership for the Western Balkans Region’ supports creative and cultural industry collaboration, helping to address skills gaps, improve economic stability and drive recovery by embracing the region's rich culture.
The new Pact for Skills Regional Skills Partnership aims to create an environment where creative industries can thrive in the Western Balkans, providing tools for people to improve their creative skills, and celebrating the region’s rich culture.
The new Partnership recognises that continued reforms, investment in infrastructure and human skills, and regional cooperation are essential for achieving sustained regional economic growth and stability.
Creative industries provide platforms for critical dialogue and reflection on past experiences, aiding the transformation of societies. They also promote democratic values by fostering freedom of expression, innovation, and cultural diversity.
To achieve this environment, the Partnership will promote collaboration between institutions, businesses, trade unions, associations, and public and private entities in the Western Balkans and neighbouring countries.
Regional context and challenges
The new Partnership follows the ‘Growth Plan for the Western Balkans [1]’, launched by the European Commission in November 2023 to help the region bridge the socio-economic convergence gap with the EU, and bring tangible benefits to its citizens and businesses, already before accession.
Each of the ‘Western Balkans 6’ (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo [2], and Serbia) have a rich cultural heritage, including diverse traditions, arts, music, literature and cuisine.
Despite historical and political challenges, the region’s cultural and creative sector has the potential to drive economic growth and foster innovation.
Commitments
To refresh the region’s creative and cultural institutions, businesses, trade unions and public and private entities, the Partnership has made commitments to promote cultural skills and jobs for sustainable businesses, helping to make the sector’s potential for driving economic growth better recognised.
Further commitments are to identify the local economy’s needs and develop digital, green and communication skills in the creative and cultural industries.
Take a look at the full list of commitments in the declaration at the bottom of this page.
Impact
The Partnership aims to create links between regions through the following activities:
- Establish an operational place-based HUB to facilitate training programmes, incubate creative projects, and expand regional networking initiatives through partnerships with local organisations and European networks.
- Offer 10 upskilling opportunities in digital, green and communication skills in the creative and cultural industries.
- 30 organisations to participate in the Partnership and its activities, including 10 Faculties and schools.
- Enable 15 projects to gain financial support through EU funding by assisting with applications for relevant proposals.
- Participate in events to foster knowledge transfer and dissemination.
Read the Partnership Declaration
[1] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/8f5dbe63-e951-4180-9…
[2] * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
Details
- Publication date
- 19 February 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion