New growth plan for the Western Balkans

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 8 November 2023, providing an overview to a new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

Further information:

The European Commission expresses its commitment to the European Union's (EU) enlargement policy, and notably to the full EU membership for the countries in the Western Balkans. In its view, Russia's invasion of Ukraine illustrated the need for geostrategic investment in a stable, strong and united Europe. The war had an impact on the region, placing further pressure on its economies and societies, and creating risks to its stability. It highlighted the need to bring these countries closer to the EU and to accelerate their accession process, based on EU-related reforms at a national level.

The new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans represent an opportunity to to further increase the visibility and awareness of the EU support to the region. Economic convergence is seen as an essential element of getting those countries closer to the EU. To this effect, the Growth Plan is based on four pillars:

• Enhancing economic integration with the EU's single market;
• Boosting economic integration within the Western Balkans through the Common Regional Market;
• Accelerating fundamental reforms and support the path towards EU membership;
• Increasing financial assistance to support the reforms through a Reform and Growth Facility.

The new Growth Plan builds on the existing enlargement methodology. It provides for more incentives and for the benefits of integration ahead of EU accession, thereby aiming to speed up accession negotiations. In the spirit of a level playing field, it adds further opportunities for the Western Balkans to those available under the existing Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAAs).

The Communication was adopted by the European Commission on 8 November 2023, alongside a draft Regulation establishing a Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

Emerging Europe: Analysis, 16/11/2023: Lots of carrot, plenty of stick: The EU’s new growth plan for the Western Balkans https://emerging-europe.com/news/lots-of-carrot-plenty-of-stick-the-eus-new-growth-plan-for-the-western-balkans/

Bruegel: Events, 29/11/2023: How should Western Balkan countries seize the opportunity of the EU’s new growth plan https://www.bruegel.org/event/how-should-western-balkan-countries-seize-opportunity-eus-new-growth-plan

European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFR): Commentary, 22/12/2023: Green enlargement: How the EU’s growth plan for the Western Balkans can promote climate action https://ecfr.eu/article/green-enlargement-how-the-eus-growth-plan-for-the-western-balkans-can-promote-climate-action/

Emerging Europe: Analysis, 01/03/2024: Reviving the EU’s Western Balkans growth plan https://emerging-europe.com/news/reviving-the-eus-western-balkans-growth-plan/

Jacques Delors Institute (Notre Europe): Brief, 26/03/2024: New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. An important step forward, while much is yet to be done https://institutdelors.eu/en/publications/new-growth-plan-for-the-western-balkans/

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News

Politico, 31/05/2023: EU chief unveils new Western Balkans support plan https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyen-unveils-plan-support-western-balkans/

Associated Press (AP News), 16/10/2023: European Union offers a new growth plan to Western Balkans that partly opens access to single market https://apnews.com/article/western-balkans-berlin-process-eu-membership-integration-4ffc700555c0b00962c43f67a2117ebe

Reuters, 16/10/2023: EU urges reforms, single market in Western Balkans to boost membership bids https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/eu-urges-reforms-single-market-western-balkans-boost-membership-bids-2023-10-16/

El País, 16/10/2023: European Union offers a new growth plan to Western Balkans that partly opens access to single market https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-10-16/european-union-offers-a-new-growth-plan-to-western-balkans-that-partly-opens-access-to-single-market.html

European Western Balkans, 16/10/2023: EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans to include €6 billion of grants and loans, conditioned on reforms https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2023/10/16/eu-growth-plan-for-the-western-balkans-to-include-e6-billion-of-grants-and-loans-conditioned-by-reforms/

Euronews, 17/10/2023: EU unlocks Single Market access for Western Balkans in exchange for reforms https://www.euronews.com/business/2023/10/17/eu-unlocks-single-market-access-for-western-balkans-in-exchange-for-reforms

Reuters, 30/10/2023: EU to help Western Balkans reforms with 6 billion euro package - von der Leyen https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-help-western-balkans-reforms-with-6-bln-euro-package-von-der-leyen-2023-10-30/

The Brussels Times, 08/11/2023: European Commission proposes growth plan for the Western Balkans https://www.brusselstimes.com/788065/european-commission-proposes-growth-plan-for-western-balkans

Reuters, 22/01/2024: EU growth plan potential 'game changer' for Western Balkans, official says https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-growth-plan-potential-game-changer-western-balkans-official-says-2024-01-22/

European Western Balkans, 22/01/2024: Western Balkan leaders confirm commitment to EU Growth Plan in a joint statement from Skopje https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2024/01/22/western-balkan-leaders-confirm-commitment-to-eu-growth-plan-in-a-joint-statement-from-skopje/

Associated Press (AP News), 29/02/2024: Western Balkans leaders pledge to speed up reforms for EU growth plan https://apnews.com/article/western-balkans-albania-eu-growth-plan-reforms-47cfefa66b998f26bc1a411c896a46bc

Euronews, 01/03/2024: Western Balkans leaders pledge to speed up reforms for EU growth plan https://www.euronews.com/2024/03/01/western-balkans-leaders-pledge-to-speed-up-reforms-for-eu-growth-plan

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Official

European Commission: DG NEAR: Enlargement Policy: Enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/enhanced-eu-engagement-western-balkans_en

European Commission: Press Release, 08/11/2023: Commission presents a new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans including €6 billion in grants and loans to accelerate economic convergence with the EU https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5604

European Commission: Questions & Answers, 08/11/2023: The New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_5605

European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Várhelyi at the press conference on the 2023 Enlargement package and the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (8 November 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_5648

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