BSEC is the oldest (established in 1992) and most representative regional organization promoting economic cooperation in the wider Black Sea area. Aiming at fostering interaction and harmony among its members, encouraging friendly and good-neighborly relations in the Black Sea region, today BSEC serves as a trusted vehicle for cooperation in a wide range of areas (culture, tourism, science and technology, education, environmental protection, agriculture, energy, SMEs, transport and etc.) for its 13 Member States and beyond. The “greater BSEC family” was in the mean-time enriched by 4 other autonomous entities (the Parliamentary Assembly of BSEC (PABSEC), the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB), the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) and the BSEC Business Council), which greatly contribute to the promotion and implementation of the Organization’s objectives.

During its 32 years of activity the Organization implemented a big number of regional cooperation projects, launched numerous sectoral Associations of public and private entities, established many specialized Networks of experts and other interested stakeholders, served as an important platform for better coordinating regional cooperation, established working relations with many International Organizations (UN Agencies, EU, etc.) and was involved in concrete efforts for economic development funded either by its Member States or by third sources.

The BSEC Organization, alongside with its concrete and substantial contribution for the overall development and growth in the region, serves also as a valuable, first-level, confidence-building mechanism.