From July 17-19, 2024, CLDP hosted the first installment of the Central Europe Regional Working Group on Public Procurement and Public Private Partnership (PPP), together with the Czech Ministry for Regional Development in Prague, Czechia. The working group brought together 32 participants from over 20 different ministries, agencies, and organizations, across 8 countries, including: Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia. The goal of the first meeting was to assess the needs and gaps of each country’s procurement and PPP regulatory regimes and cover best practices in PPP and public procurement. The meeting kicked off with a presentation from each country, addressing the landscape for public procurement and PPPs in their respective countries, as well as any barriers, challenges, and opportunities for improvements. The group then went on to discuss the full project development lifecycle, including PPP models and structures, planning and needs assessments, risk assessments, project financing, social costs and benefits, etc. The final day of the working group focused on the path forward, including a brainstorming session to gather feedback and plan next steps towards the development of a regional plan for bolstering more effective and transparent procurement systems across the region.