Pristina, 4 December 2025

CEFTA Week 2025 concluded in Pristina, following three days of high-level dialogue, expert-led discussions, and forward-looking exchanges. Ministers, senior officials, European Commission representatives, private-sector representatives, regional organisations and other partners, and students gathered under this year’s theme: “Trading Together, Towards Europe.”

The event reaffirmed CEFTA’s central role in driving economic integration, competitiveness, and digitalisation, therefore strengthening the pathway toward closer alignment with the EU Single Market. This year’s edition distinguished itself through its ambitious vision and concrete outcomes, highlighting CEFTA’s continued transformative impact on growth and connectivity.

The CEFTA week opened with an inspiring session “From Vision to Action: The CEFTA Path to the EU” offering students from economics, law, and political sciences the opportunity to engage directly with Minister Rozeta Hajdari on CEFTA’s benefits and future direction. This exchange placed young voices and long-term strategic thinking at the heart of the region’s integration journey.

A series of meetings of CEFTA Bodies, including the Committee of Contact Points and the Joint Committee, reinforced determination and coordinated progress across the region. CEFTA Parties reviewed measurable achievements, confirmed new decisions on recognition of Authorised Economic Operator programme, digital cooperation, and risk management strategy, and outlined priorities for the 2026 Chairmanship focused on gradual integration, digital tools, and streamlined trade.

In her opening remarks, Rozeta Hajdari, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade and CEFTA Chair-in-Office 2025, welcomed the engagement of all CEFTA Parties: “I want to thank all CEFTA Parties for their contribution and active participation in implementing the CEFTA Joint Committee Work Programme for 2025” and expressed appreciation for the European Commission and international partners: “Your presence demonstrates your confidence in CEFTA’s work and your belief in the potential we can unlock together”. She also underscored the importance of CEFTA “as a platform that helps all the Parties to align with EU standards, by improving the regulatory framework in accordance with EU acquis, and building capacities needed to take full advantage of this transformative opportunity”

Pranvera Kastrati, Director of the CEFTA Secretariat, underlined CEFTA’s role as a practical engine of modernization: “CEFTA Week is not a moment of routine reflection it is a realistic assessment of progress made and challenges to address. We are here to set clear milestones for the process ahead to support deeper integration and greater opportunities across CEFTA. Our shared ambition is clear: Trading Together, Towards Europe.”

Senior representatives from the European Commission, international organizations and partners, including Valentina Superti, Director, Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood; Amer Kapetanović, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, and Matej Zakonjšek, Director of the Transport Community, contributed on the perspectives of cooperation and on CEFTA’s growing relevance for stability, investment, and EU alignment.

The high-level panel “CEFTA in a Changing World – What Future for Trade Cooperation?” addressed how CEFTA can continue to embed innovation, competitiveness, and European standards while navigating global economic challenges.

Incoming Chair-in-Office, Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Economy and Innovation, stressed that technology-driven investments, evidence-based policy making and skills development are essential to making CEFTA a functional platform for gradual integration with the EU market. She emphasized the need for more predictable and integrated regional markets to respond to shifting supply chains, climate pressures, and global competition and highlighted key priorities of Chair in Office 2026.

Zoran Dimitrovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Ivona Savićević, Director General, Ministry of Economic Development jointly reaffirmed CEFTA’s strategic role in accelerating trade integration through digitalisation, communicating the results on the progress to a larger audience, removing barriers, and delivering practical benefits for businesses and citizens.

A symbolic Chairmanship handover from Chair in Office 2025 to Chair in Office 2026 marked the strong commitment to continuity and collective efforts to advancing CEFTA agenda, implementing Common Regional Market and expediting reforms to unlock benefits from gradual integration into the EU Single Market.

Distinguished panellist coming from academia, private sector, authorities from CEFTA Parties, regional and international organisations contributed to exploring pathways and practical ideas on:

• Gradual and Functional EU Integration of CEFTA – providing for technical and practical pathways for deeper alignment with the EU acquis to benefit from gradual integration.
• AI as a Catalyst for Transformative Trade – exploring how artificial intelligence can modernise customs and enhance risk management.
• Make Trade Easier – Paperless, Faster – informing and showcasing an innovative way how digital tools such as SEED+ are improving real trade flows through simplified procedures and recognition frameworks.
• Change Through Synergy – Partners in Support of Reforms – highlighting the strength of togetherness in delivering results and the importance of coordinated support from regional and international partners.

With robust participation and a unified message, CEFTA Week 2025 reinforced CEFTA’s position as a cornerstone of regional cooperation and a catalyst for growth. The outcomes and strengthened partnerships developed in Pristina set a confident agenda for the next stage of CEFTA integration.

As the event came to a close, one message resonated clearly: CEFTA Parties are determined to move forward together and toward Europe.