Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Energy, Transport and Climate Protection (ORF-ETC)

Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Energy, Transport and Climate Protection (ORF-ETC) focuses on building capacities for the planning and implementation of decarbonisation measures in the energy, climate and transport sectors that are recommended in EU compliant strategies and action plans. In the partner countries, the ORF-ETC uses a multi-level approach and cooperates with national institutions (energy, transport and environment ministries), and the parliaments, as well as with local institutions (cities and municipalities and their associations). In the partner countries, the ORF-ETC uses a multi-level approach and cooperates with national institutions (energy, transport and environment ministries), and the parliaments, as well as with local institutions (cities and municipalities and their associations).

Cooperation is also promoted through already established regional networks, such as the Energy and Transport Community, network of the environment and energy ministries, municipal networks such as the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and the network of civil society organisations, School of Political Studies. The objective of the ORF-ETC is as follows: “The added value of regional cooperation for the implementation of selected energy and transport measures in the Western Balkans is improved”.

ORF-ETC is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). BMZ has commissioned the ORF-ETC in 2020 and funds its implementation with EUR 5 million in total. Under the name “EU4Energy Transition: Covenant of Mayors in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, the European Union co-funds the ORF-ETC since 2021 with EUR 5 million in total for implementation in the Western Balkans.

Promotion of Regional Exchange on Implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans in the Western Balkans (ProSUMP)

The “Promoting regional exchange on the implementation of sustainable urban mobility plans in the Western Balkan countries (ProSUMP)” component under the Open Regional Fund for Southeast Europe – Energy, Transport, and Climate protection (ORF-ETC) aims at supporting cities in Southeast Europe (SEE) in strengthening the capacities of local self-governments for the implementation of sustainable mobility measures.

The component addresses three levels:

• Knowledge transfer of good practices and experiences of EU countries in the implementation of SUMP take place via existing regional network CIVINET Croatia-Slovenia-SEE.
• At the national level, the capacities of associations of municipalities will be strengthened in order to be able to better advise municipalities on the development and implementation of SUMP.
• At the local level, the ProSUMP project supports selected Local-Self Governances (LSGs) in building organisational and technical capacities, which are a prerequisite for the successful implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans or solutions.

Component objective: Regional cooperation between cities and municipalities contributes to strengthening the capacities of local self-governments for the implementation of sustainable mobility measures.

The ProSUMP:

• supports LSGs in creating conditions for systematic SUMP implementation process;
• provides regional exchange, and joint discussions between LSGs and other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of measures from SUMPs;
• establishes strong regional cooperation and dialogue between selected LSGs in Western Balkans.