First Meeting of the Steering Committee of the 'EU for Employment and Social Inclusion' Project Held

Today, the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the 'EU for Employment and Social Inclusion' project was held at the premises of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family, and Demography. The project is implemented within the framework of the IPA III One-Year Action Document for 2024. The meeting was opened by representatives of the European Union Delegation in Montenegro, as the Contracting Authority, together with representatives of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family, and Demography and the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Dialogue, as the main beneficiary institutions of the project. The meeting was co-chaired by Mrs. Emina Mujević Kara, General Director of the Directorate for European Integration, EU Funds, and International Cooperation, who emphasized that the project is one of the most important instruments supporting Montenegro in the effective use of European funds in the field of employment and social inclusion. It was assessed that during the initial phase, a quality framework for cooperation was established between the beneficiary institutions, the EU Delegation, and the project team, which provides a good basis for the successful implementation of upcoming activities and achieving planned results, contributing to the successful implementation of the Sectoral Operational Program 2024–2027 and further improvement of the employment and social protection system in Montenegro. Attending the meeting were, besides representatives of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, representatives of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family, and Demography, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Dialogue, representatives of the Ministry of European Affairs, the Employment Agency of Montenegro, the Institute for Social and Child Protection, as well as the project team. The project aims to support the preparation of the Montenegrin administration for the effective use of funds from the IPA III financial perspective and future cohesion policy funds, especially the European Social Fund (ESF), through establishing functional operational structures, strengthening administrative capacities, and developing relevant programs and projects in the field of employment and social policy.