RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation

What is RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation

RACVIAC was established in 2000 as the Regional Centre for Assistance in Arms Control Verification and Implementation with the aim of providing training on arms control, promoting confidence-building and security measures, and enhancing cooperation in South-Eastern Europe (SEE). The Centre has subsequently expanded its scope of activities to encompass a wide range of political-military issues, including security sector reform and international and regional cooperation with an emphasis on Euro-Atlantic integration.

In April 2010, the 8 countries of the South-Eastern European Cooperation Process (SEECP) signed the RACVIAC Treaty, with Romania also joining in February 2011. 

The Centre has legally and formally become a unique international organisation embodying the concept of regional ownership and providing a platform for cooperation and dialogue on security issues in the region and the exchange of knowledge and best practices, renamed RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation.

RACVIAC is headquartered in Croatia, in accordance with Article 19 of the RACVIAC Treaty.

Based on this provision, the Government of the Republic of Croatia and RACVIAC concluded a Host State Agreement, and the Agreement was internally ratified by the adoption of the Act on the Ratification of the Host State Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and RACVIAC – the Centre for Security Cooperation (Official Gazette 7/13).

RACVIAC Members

There are currently twenty nine nations involved in RACVIAC and divided into:
Members – 9 countries of the SEECP – Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Türkiye.
Associate members –Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Observers –Canada, Moldova1, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and the USA.

At the MAG meeting held on October 10th, 2014, Kosovo2 was invited to participate in all activities and meetings of RACVIAC.
In addition, other countries, international and regional organizations and institutions have continuously expressed their interest in RACVIAC’s work and participation in the Centre’s activities.
 

1 in the process of approving the status from observer to associate members.
2 This Designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.