(AGENPARL) - Roma, 26 Febbraio 2026 - (AGENPARL) – Thu 26 February 2026 Programme for Strengthening the Central Bank Capacities
in the Western Balkans with a view to the integration
to the European System of Central Banks
Phase III
Opening address by Chiara Scotti
Deputy Governor of Banca d’Italia
Launch event
Rome, 26 February 2026
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon, and welcome to Rome and to Banca d’Italia.
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the launch of the third EU‑financed technical
cooperation programme between the European System of Central Banks and central
banks in the Western Balkans. We are honoured to host the kick‑off event and the first
Steering Committee meeting here at Banca d’Italia for the second time.
Your presence today reflects the long‑standing ties between Italy and the Western
Balkans, ties that go beyond geography and are rooted in history, culture, and economic
relations. At Banca d’Italia, we firmly believe in the importance of cooperation among
institutions and countries, and in a dialogue inspired by the fundamental European values
of peace, democracy, solidarity, and the rule of law. These are not abstract principles but
the very foundation of our shared European identity – and they matter today more than
ever.
We are living in a time of heightened political tensions, with the return of war to Europe
and other conflicts undermining global stability. This reminds us how fragile peace can
be, and how important it is to uphold the values underpinning the international order and
the European project. In this context, EU‑financed technical cooperation projects such as
this one, perhaps modest in scale, contribute in a very concrete way to strengthening
institutions and building trust.
The ESCB has consistently supported these efforts. The cooperation projects with the
Western Balkans, the ongoing initiative in Africa, and the programme being prepared with
Ukraine and Moldova all reflect Europe’s commitment to sharing standards, expertise
and best practices. By engaging in mutual conversations and potentially learning from
each other, we can grow stronger together, building bridges and a better future.
The success of the programme’s second phase, the beneficiaries’ clear calls for
continuity, and the commitment of the European Commission and the donors have
shaped this third phase.
For our part, Banca d’Italia has long engaged with the Western Balkans – through
Twinning Projects with the Bank of Albania, demand-driven technical assistance, and
international seminars open (also) to your institutions. Within the first two phases of
this programme, we have contributed through training events, bilateral measures and
internships, particularly with the central banks of Albania and Serbia, in areas such as IT,
payment systems and market operations.
In 2025, we also launched an ambitious initiative together with five of your institutions:
the TIPS Clone project, aimed at modernizing payment systems and fostering deeper
integration. We are on track to finalize the go‑live of the clone later this year. Importantly,
the TIPS Clone project has been designed to allow additional central banks to participate
in the future.
On a more personal note, in my role as coordinator of TIPS Clone for Banca d’Italia and
as one of its strongest supporters, I have seen first-hand how international technical
cooperation projects can contribute to building common ground, shared perspectives
and a collective will. These projects benefit central banks, national financial communities
and, more broadly, the well-being of our populations, while respecting the specificities
of individual countries.
Looking ahead to Phase III of the EU programme, let me reaffirm Banca d’Italia’s strong
commitment. We will coordinate a training event on SupTech and a high‑level policy
meeting on TIPS and market infrastructures, areas we consider essential for the progressive
integration of Western Balkan payment systems into the EU framework. We will also
implement four bilateral measures1 with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and
Serbia and contribute to activities organized by other ESCB partners.
Crucially, EU enlargement requires a sustained commitment from national institutions in
accession countries, including central banks. The central banks of the Western Balkans
have consistently demonstrated such a commitment. On our side, Banca d’Italia and
the ESCB remain firmly committed to accompanying you along this journey. We are
confident that the programme we are launching today will further strengthen our shared
determination and cooperation.
Let me thank the European Commission, and all the participants – particularly the
Deutsche Bundesbank in its role of project leader – for the excellent work carried out in
preparing this new phase, as they have done in previous occasions.
On behalf of Governor Panetta and the Governing Board of Banca d’Italia, I wish you all
a productive meeting and a very successful Phase III.
Each bilateral measure, as defined in the project contract, consists of two missions to the beneficiary
country and one study visit in Rome.
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