From 17 to 20 May 2011 in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, the 4th training module "EU Negotiations: Techniques, Skills and Content" took place, organized by the Centre for European Perspective in cooperation with the Customs Administration of the Republic of Macedonia. The main aim of the training was to prepare a draft version of the final position paper on the acquis communautaire chapter on taxation for the Macedonian team to negotiate with the European Commission.

Ten Macedonian public servants working for the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia, respectively, participated in the training. For training purposes, the trainees were divided into two groups. Each group had to prepare its own draft position paper including potential transitional periods and derogations for value added tax, and excise duties for tobacco, alcohol, fuels and electricity. On the second day of the training, groups had to negotiate one final position paper to be presented and negotiated with the European Commission. During the training, it turned out the trainees are tough and strong negotiators. In order to best prepare their position papers, the trainees had to use the newly-acquired negotiation techniques and skills, which they managed to do very well. In a simulated press conference scheduled on the last day of the training, the trainees had an opportunity to present a completed version of the position paper to the Macedonian audience. They had a chance to answer the issues raised, including the unpleasant questions, as well as search for answers to the topics they failed to address in the paper.