UNICRI - United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

09/30/2025 | Press release | Archived content

25th Strategic Coordination Meeting of the South-East and Eastern Europe Region

The 25th Strategic Coordination Meeting (SCM) of the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) National Focal Points (NFPs) from the South-East and Eastern Europe (SEEE) region was convened under the European Union's CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative. Held in Chisinau, Moldova from 29 to 30 September 2025, the meeting was hosted by the National Institute of Justice of the Republic of Moldova. This two-day strategic event brought together regional experts, policymakers, implementers, international partners, and relevant stakeholders to coordinate efforts aimed at strengthening CBRN risk mitigation and security across the SEEE region.

The meeting commenced with opening remarks from Ms. Ramona Strugariu, Director of the National Institute of Justice of Moldova, alongside senior representatives from the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). These introductions set the stage for comprehensive discussions on regional cooperation.

The partner countries of the initiative in the SEE Region are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. Key agenda items on the first day included validation of the updated SEEE CBRN Regional Action Plan 2026-2030, highlighting new regional priorities for the next 5-year period. The CBRN Regional Action Plan for the South-East and Eastern Europe region serves as a strategic frameworkto reflect a shared commitment to preventing, detecting, and responding to evolving CBRN threats. Its objectives include enhancing national and regional capacities in CBRN risk mitigation by fostering cross-border cooperation, harmonizing legal and institutional frameworks, and strengthening inter-agency coordination among participating countries.

All ten CBRN National Focal Points of SEEE region unanimously endorsed the second CBRN Regional Action Plan for 2026-2030, which will serve as the roadmap for future regional projects and activities around CBRN safety and security. The Regional Action Plan also aims to promote sustainable capacity building through joint training, knowledge exchange, and the development of regional centers of expertise, contributing to a safer and more resilient SEEE region in the face of existing and emerging CBRN risks and threats.

The On-Site Technical Assistance (OSA) Expert presented the updated Terms of Reference for the regional project on Food Safety, Defense, and Fraud measures emphasizing the sustainable mechanisms in the activities and reflecting the partner countries' input. A presentation on the CBRN Master's Program under the EU CBRN CoE Initiative showcased ongoing efforts to build expert capacity through specialized education.

Subsequent sessions focused on preparations for the 2026 Regional CBRN Donors Coordination Meeting, aimed at strengthening funding streams and fostering strategic partnerships among international organizations, donor countries, implementing agencies, beneficiary authorities, and other key stakeholders. The Government of Georgia has generously offered to host this high-level event in early spring 2026, providing a vital platform to address the shared priorities of all ten countries in the South-East and Eastern Europe (SEEE) region.

Participants also conducted field visits to the National Agency for Public Health of Moldova and the Technical-Criminalistic and Forensic Expertise Centre of the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova, gaining firsthand insights into the country's CBRN response capabilities and forensic infrastructure. The host authorities demonstrated the practical use of CBRN detection and forensic equipment provided through the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative and other funding mechanisms, highlighting how these tools have enhanced national preparedness and operational effectiveness.

In its concluding sessions, the OSA expert presented the new project proposals on chemical safety and security and CBRN security during major public events. The SEEE National Focal Points emphasized chemical safety and security as a future regional project, underscoring a proactive and forward-looking approach to emerging regional challenges. Participants also received comprehensive progress updates from five ongoing EU CBRN Centres of Excellence projects (P88, P100, P101, P106, and P110), which demonstrated tangible improvements in regional preparedness, response capabilities, and preventive infrastructure.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of stakeholders SEEE region and international partners to a collaborative, coordinated approach to CBRN risk mitigation, ensuring continued progress toward a safer and more resilient European security environment.

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