The representatives of six Western Balkans states started talks on mutual recognition of professional qualifications in medicine, dentistry, architecture and construction engineering, the Council for Regional Cooperation (RCC) said on Tuesday.

The gathering comes ahead of the next Western Balkans Summit, a part of the Berlin process, which will be held in Poznań, in Poland in 2019.

At the official part of the meeting which opened in Brussels on Monday, the countries’ representatives agreed to establish common rules for the recognition of diplomas across the region consisting of Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Goran Svilanovic, the RCC Secretary General, said that the Agreement was based on the European Union regulation and that it would help the countries’ preparations for the EU membership.

“The elimination of the obstacles to experts’ mobility will enable the talented people to remain in the region,” Svilanovic added.

Nicolas Cendrovic from the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), said that “the regional cooperation is in the centre of the EU enlargement,” adding that the Western Balkans states agreement would also help them to endure pressure on domestic markets.