From July 22 to 24, 2024, an international seminar on European studies was held in Belgrade / Serbia, organized by MCL / EFAL (Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori / Ente Nazionale per la Formazione e l'Addestramento dei Lavoratori) in collaboration with EZA and funded by the European Union, under the theme "The enlargement of the EU to include the countries of the Western Balkans: hope and slowness characterise an almost endless process". The event was attended by 33 representatives of workers’ organisations from Albania, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Italy, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia.
The central theme of the three-day seminar was the accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union and the importance of social dialogue as a tool for social cohesion and integration among people. The Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans, and Social Affairs, Nemanja Starović, also participated in the seminar. He emphasized that to truly foster a new era of civil and economic development through work, it is essential to promote a genuine and comprehensive social dialogue. Likewise, only new social cohesion can strengthen the path towards European integration. These are necessary steps to promote full social and cultural inclusion in the Balkan region, with labor organizations playing a significant role in interpreting and supporting the evolving needs and requirements of workers in the era of globalization.
The first day opened with a welcome address by the MCL General President, Alfonso Luzzi, who introduced the upcoming seminar sessions. Many international representatives contributed to the discussions, with a focus on the issue of EU membership. There are numerous reasons driving the EU's next enlargement toward the Western Balkans, especially as time becomes a pressing factor, making it essential for a Europeanist shift to happen as soon as possible. Only in this way can the EU finally include the countries of this long-neglected region within its democratic sphere.