Most of the Balkan states are unicameral parliamentary democracies (except for BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA) in which the executive branch is democratically legitimised by and accountable to the legislature.

The Chair of the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates (AALEP) has been invited by the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina as Guest Speaker at a seminar to be held on 8 May in Sarajevo.

Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union and India have regained momentum after the visit of a high level Indian delegation on 15 April led by Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma. India and the EU began the FTA talks in 2007 and they are almost six years into the negotiations.

France faces worrying economic and social issues. The French welfare system no longer seems sustainable in the face of demographic pressure, mounting debt, and persistent unemployment.

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have proved to be one of the best ways to open up foreign markets for exporters. FTA partner countries provide each other favorable treatment on trade, investment, provision of services and trade facilitation as well as economic and technical cooperation. Exporters benefit from FTAs through preferential treatment and market access. They also enjoy cost savings from elimination or reduction of customs duties and from mutual recognition agreements, trade facilitating customs procedures and removal of onerous regulations.

Increasingly accountability and ethics are at the centre of governing agenda. Governments want to uphold the public trust to the highest standard and this responsibility falls uniquely on all public office holders. Conflict of interest law and post-employment code for public office holders is a critical component of accountable government.

Croatia’s economy will shrink for a second consecutive year in 2013, when it joins the European Union. In 2012 Croatia registered a negative growth (-2%) in GDP. Gross domestic product will contract 0.4 percent this year and return to “subdued” growth in 2014 with a 1 percent expansion.

Business advocacy in trade policy is a special form of persuasive activity undertaken by business organisations (Chambers of Commerce, Industry Associations, or Individual Companies) which aim to influence trade-policy making and international trade negotiations. It is the planned and systematic effort to ensure that changes in trade policy are supportive of business development with the national/European and international economy.

Over the next two years, 90% of world demand will be generated outside the EU. That is why it is a key priority for the EU to open up more market opportunities for European business by negotiating new Free Trade Agreements with key countries. If the EU were to complete all its  current free trade talks , it would add 2.2% to the EU's GDP or €275 billion. In terms of employment, these agreements could generate 2.2 million new jobs or additional 1% of the EU total workforce.

Slovenia’s banking problem is not overleveraging, but failing state banks. Unlike all other new eastern EU members, Slovenia never privatized its big banks. Four state banks have a market share of 80 percent. Now the three biggest of these banks (Novaja Ljubljanska Banka d.d., Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor d.d., and Abanka Vipa d.d.) are in trouble, each one having suffered large losses in the last three years. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) assesses their bad loans at €7 billion.