The legislative process of the instrument is nearing completion, which should lead to the disbursement by the European Union of 6 billion euros to support the economies of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Two billion will be grants and four billion will be disbursed in the form of subsidized loans.
The Region
The EU has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union. On 1 July 2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have candidate country status. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia were opened in July 2022, and Kosovo submitted its application for EU membership in December 2022.
The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans
The growth plan for the Western Balkans was largely anticipated last November 8 with the publication of the "2023 EU Enlargement Package". The president of the European Commission, von der Leyen, has paid particular attention to this instrument with an annual tour in the region.
The Plan has 4 pillars.
The first pillar supports economic integration in the Single Market in seven key areas: free movement of goods, free movement of services and workers, access to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), facilitation of road transport, integration and de-carbonisation of energy markets, digital single market and integration into industrial supply chains.
The second pillar is based on internal economic integration through the Common Regional Market.
The third pillar concerns fundamental reforms, on which the EU expects to build the framework for the Western Balkans' path towards EU membership and on the other hand will support foreign investments and the strengthening of regional stability.
The fourth pillar regulates EU financial assistance for reforms for all six partners by as much as 6 billion for the period 2024-2027, with payments conditional on agreed socio-economic reforms.
For Serbia and Kosovo, an additional clause has been provided which conditions the aid to the "normalization of relations" between Pristina and Belgrade. The same conditionality also applies to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi said he was particularly satisfied as European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy.
Antonio De Chiara @europolitiche.it
