Enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans

• Commissioner Várhelyi visits Serbia to discuss priorities under EU accession as well as cooperation on energy // 1 December 2022
• Commissioner Várhelyi visits Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss EU reform priorities, migration and energy security // 28 November 2022
• Berlin Process Summit: EU announces €1 billion energy support package for the Western Balkans and welcomes new agreements to strengthen the Common Regional Market // 3 November 2022
• Statements of President von der Leyen during her visit to the Western Balkans: 
  Albania – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Kosovo – North Macedonia – Serbia // 26-28 October 2022
• 2022 Enlargement Package // 12 October 2022
• Speech of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on 19 July 2022 at the inaugural meeting of the screening process with Albania and North Macedonia // 19 July 2022
• First Intergovernmental Conferences with Albania and North Macedonia to kick-start the accession negotiation // 19 July 2022
• High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the Western Balkans // 12 March 2022
• European Commission launches €3.2 billion investment package to advance sustainable connectivity in the Western Balkans // 25 February 2022
• EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brdo reaffirms European perspective and strategic engagement in the region // 6 October 2021
• Statements of President von der Leyen during her visit to the Western Balkans:
  Albania – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Kosovo – Montenegro – North Macedonia – Serbia // 28-30 September 2021
• President von der Leyen announces a visit to the Western Balkans // 27 September 2021
• Berlin Summit: Western Balkans strengthen regional cooperation and foster closer ties with the EU // 5 July 2021
• The Western Balkans become a roaming free zone: the “Roam Like at Home” regime starts on 1 July with the support of the EU // 1 July 2021
• Commissioner Várhelyi at Tirana Summit with the Western Balkans leaders // 10 June 2021
• European Commission welcomes political agreement on new €14.2 billion Pre-Accession Assistance Instrument (IPA III) // 2 June 2021
• The European Commission and Austria secure COVID-19 vaccines for the Western Balkans // 20 April 2021
• Western Balkans Summit in Sofia: Important steps taken to advance regional cooperation to boost socio-economic recovery and convergence with the EU // 10 November 2020
• Commission assesses and sets out reform priorities for the countries aiming to join the EU // 6 October 2020
• An Economic and Investment Plan to support the economic recovery and convergence // 6 October 2020
• State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary // 16 September 2020
• German Presidency of the Council of the European Union programme // 1 July 2020
• Commission drafts negotiating frameworks for Albania and North Macedonia // 1 July 2020
• Joint Communication as a response to disinformation around COVID-19 // 10 June 2020
• Statement by President von der Leyen following the EU-Western Balkans Zagreb Summit // 06 May 2020
• EU-Western Balkans Zagreb summit: EU reinforces support to address COVID-19 crisis and outlines proposal for post-pandemic recovery // 29 April 2020
• EU mobilises immediate support for its Western Balkan partners to tackle coronavirus // 30 March 2020
• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process - Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia // 25 March 2020
• The European Commission adopted its communication on the revised enlargement methodology : “Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans” // 5 February 2020
• Commissioner Várhelyi travels to North Macedonia and Albania for his first mission to the Western Balkans // 14 January 2020
• Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union priorities // 1 January 2020
• Political guidelines of the von der Leyen Commission reaffirming the European perspective of the Western Balkans // 4 December 2019
• Transport Community Permanent Secretariat opened in Belgrade // 13 September 2019
• Western Balkans Summit in Poznań: strengthening links within the region and with the EU // 3-5 July 2019
• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process // June 2019
• Highlights from the General Affairs Council held in Luxembourg // 18 June 2019
• European Commission Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina's application for membership of the European Union // 29 May 2019
• Enlargement package: Commission publishes reports on the Western Balkans partners and Turkey // 29 May 2019
• Western Balkans – towards a zero roaming rate by 2021. The Western Balkans partners signed the Regional Roaming Agreement in the margins of the Digital Summit in Belgrade. This will facilitate lowering the roaming costs in the region. The agreement is part of the EU’s Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans and will bring the region yet another step closer to enhanced engagement with the EU. Read Commissioner’s Gabriel statement on this issue here. // 04/04/2019
• Speech by Commissioner Johannes Hahn at the Ministerial meeting on clean energy transition in the Western Balkans // 21 February 2019
• Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the notification by the Republic of North Macedonia // 15 February 2019
• Introductory remarks by Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the European Parliament Resolution on the Commission's Bosnia and Herzegovina Report 2018 // 12 February 2019
• Joint statement by President Jean-Claude Juncker, High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the adoption of the Prespa agreement by the Hellenic Parliament // 25 January 2019
• Western Balkans Prime Ministers Meeting in Vienna, Austria // 19 November 2018
• EU and Western Balkans strengthen cooperation on border management, counter-terrorism and organised crime // 5 October 2018
• State of the Union 2018 // 13 September 2018
• Western Balkans Summit in London – building stronger links within the region and with the EU // 10 July 2018
• EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia // 17 May 2018
• Remarks by President Donald Tusk ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit and the Leaders' agenda dinner // 16 May 2018
• Letter from President Donald Tusk to the members of the European Council ahead of their informal dinner and the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia // 15 May 2018

European Commission's College meeting on 06/02/2018

• Extracts from the Read-out of the College meeting of 06/02/2018 by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, and Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European
• Read-out of the College meeting by HRVP Federica MOGHERINI and Commissioner Johannes HAHN to present the Western Balkans Strategy

European Parliament's Plenary session on 06/02/2018

• Opening statement by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, and Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations
• MEPs debate
• Closing statement by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations

As President Juncker announced in his 2017 State of the Union address, the Commission adopted on 6 February a strategy for 'A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans' (and the Annex with Action Plan), confirming the European future of the region as a geostrategic investment in a stable, strong and united Europe based on common values. It spells out the priorities and areas of joint reinforced cooperation, addressing the specific challenges the Western Balkans face, in particular the need for fundamental reforms and good neighbourly relations. A credible enlargement perspective requires sustained efforts and irreversible reforms. Progress along the European path is an objective and merit-based process which depends on the concrete results achieved by each individual country.

Today, the European Commission announced six flagship initiatives - specific actions that the EU will take over the next years to support the transformation efforts of the Western Balkans in areas of mutual interest. These range from initiatives to strengthen the rule of law, reinforced cooperation on security and migration through joint investigating teams and the European Border and coast guard, expanding the EU Energy Union to the Western Balkans or lowering roaming charges and rolling out broadband in the region. The Strategy also underlines the need for the EU to be prepared to welcome new members once they have met the criteria.

Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans

Sustainable transport

Clean energy

Environment & Climate

Digital future

Private sector

Human capital

Market integration

Green Agenda for the Western Balkans

Cleaning energy sources, protecting the climate

Moving to a circular economy

Depolluting air, water and soil

Building sustainable agriculture and food systems

Protecting biodiversity and ecosystems