The Central European Initiative (CEI) is a forum of regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe, counting 17 member states. It was formed in Budapest in 1989. The body was developed on the basis of earlier experiences with The Alps-Adriatic Working Group. The CEI headquarters have been in Trieste, Italy, since 1996. The conjunction with the fall of the Berlin Wall was a coincidence, yet the CEI has been involved in democratizing Eastern European countries after the Soviet Bloc dissolved.

The Initiative aimed at overcoming the division in blocks by re-establishing cooperation links, among countries of different political orientations and economic structures. This was largely headed by Italy, who at the time, wanted greater involvement in supporting Eastern European countries in order to rival a newly reunited Germany.

Structures

The structure of the CEI is unique, with changing staff, headquarters or budget. It operates through regular forums, usually held in November that invite senior officials and politicians. There are 5 regular meetings,

  • Heads of State/Government Meeting (annually, in the autumn);
  • Parliamentary Dimension (the CEI Parliamentary Committee which meets in the spring and the CEI Parliamentary Conference which meets in the autumn);
  • Foreign Ministers Meeting (annually, in the spring, but Foreign Ministers also attend and take part in the Heads of Government meeting);
  • Special Meetings of Sectoral Ministers;
  • Meetings of the Committee of National Coordinators (monthly)

CEI Presidencies

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

!Year

!Country

|-

|2025

|Serbia

|-

|2024

|Albania

|-

|2023

|Moldova

|-

|2022

|Bulgaria

|-

|2021

|Montenegro  <small>(due to covid related cancellation of most of the 2020 program)</small>

|-

|2020

|Montenegro

|-

|2019

|Italy

|-

|2018

|Croatia

|-

|2017

|Belarus

|-

|2016

|Bosnia and Herzegovina

|-

|2015

|Macedonia

|-

|2014

|Austria

|-

|2013

|Hungary

|-

|2012

|Ukraine

|-

|2011

|Serbia

|-

|2010

|Montenegro

|-

|2009

|Romania

|-

|2008

|Moldova

|-

|2007

|Bulgaria

|-

|2006

|Albania

|-

|2005

|Slovakia

|-

|2004

|Slovenia

|-

|2003

|Poland

|-

|2002

|Macedonia

|-

|2001

|Italy

|-

|2000

|Hungary

|-

|1999

|Czech Republic

|-

|1998

|Croatia

|-

|1997

|Bosnia and Herzegovina

|-

|1996

|Austria

|-

|1995

|Poland

|-

|1994

|Italy

|-

|1993

|Hungary

|-

|1992

|Austria

|-

|1991

|Yugoslavia

|-

|1990

|Italy

|-

|1989

|Hungary

|}

Membership

Founding members:

  • (1989-2018)
  • (1989)
  • (1989)
  • ' (1989–1992)

Joined later:

  • Czechoslovakia (1990–1992)
  • (1991)
  • Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992) →
  • (1992)
  • (1992)
  • (1993)
  • (1993) →
  • (1993)
  • (1995)
  • (1995) (suspended)
  • (1995)
  • (1995)
  • (1995)
  • (1996)
  • (2000) → →
  • (2006)

See also

  • Central Europe
  • Craiova Group
  • Open Balkan
  • Southeastern Europe
  • Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP)
  • Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA)
  • Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)
  • Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC)
  • Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)
  • Visegrád Group (V4)
  • Three Seas Initiative (TSI)
  • Group of Nine

References

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