The Budapest Process Reference Group welcomed Albania and Serbia as its new rotating members during its 14th meeting, held online on 7 July 2026. The meeting brought together 46 delegates representing Reference Group members, the European Commission, and ICMPD as the Budapest Process Secretariat.
The endorsement of Albania and Serbia marks an important step in strengthening the Reference Group’s broad regional representation and continued engagement across the Silk Routes. As rotating members, both countries will contribute to shaping the strategic direction of the Budapest Process, supporting dialogue and cooperation on migration management, and guiding the implementation of priorities agreed under the Ministerial Declaration and its Call for Action 2025-2030.
Both Albania and Serbia welcomed the opportunity to take on this role and reaffirmed their commitment to contributing actively to the Dialogue in the years ahead.
Chaired by Türkiye, co-chaired by Hungary, and with Sweden serving as Reference Group Rapporteur, the meeting also reviewed progress made during the first half of 2026 and endorsed updates to the Budapest Process Work Plan, ensuring that activities remain aligned with the Dialogue’s strategic priorities.
Participants exchanged views on preparations for upcoming Budapest Process activities, including the Thematic Working Group meetings on Legal Pathways for Migration and on Return and Reintegration, as well as the 2026 Senior Officials Meeting.
How does the Reference Group support the Budapest Process?
Within the architecture of the Budapest Process, the Reference Group brings together a selected group of participating states that actively contribute to guiding the work of the Dialogue, as the Chairmanship of the Dialogue, Co-Chairs of the Thematic Working Groups as well as main donors. The Budapest Process Chairmanship proposed the Reference Group as a tool for strategic guidance of the dialogue, as well as supporting the development of new initiatives and projects in line with the political commitments made in Ministerial Conferences. The revised Terms of Reference provide further insights into the Reference Group’s work.
*Learn more about Reference Group meetings and it Terms of Reference.
What is a rotating membership?
The Reference Group includes three rotating members for a two-year mandate. These states do not need to chair or fund the dialogue and are invited to participate in the Reference Group meetings to support its objectives. In January 2026, the Budapest Process Secretariat launched a Call for Expressions of Interest inviting all Budapest Process participating countries to the possibility of a rotating membership in the Reference Group from 2026 – 2028. The mechanism allows countries to take a more active role in the strategic steering and operationalisation of the Dialogue.
