The Western Balkans on its path to the European Union

Bałkany Zachodnie na drodze do Unii Europejskiej

Abstrakt: EU membership has been a compelling goal for the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia), related to the bloc’s stability, economic prosperity and higher standard of living. Each of these countries pursues its own process of EU accession while being also a part of the regional initiatives under the auspices of the EU. This paper provides an overview of the EU accession process of the Western Balkan countries, focusing on their individual achievements and challenges, as well as common features and problems. Also, the content and prospects of regional integration of the Western Balkans through the Regional Economic Area (REA) programme, along with the role of the EU in supporting the regional perspective are discussed. The parallel Western Balkans engagement in both processes supports arguments for the prioritisation of the individual countries’ accession to the EU over Western Balkans regional integration, distinguishing also the challenges of both processes. The methodology for the elaboration of this paper includes methods of analysis and synthesis, based on extensive desk research of available materials.

Bibliografia:

CEFTA Statistical Portal, Trade in goods, https://statistics.cefta.int/goods [15.10.2019].
Council of the European Union, Sofia Declaration, 17.05.2017, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/34776/sofia-declaration_en.pdf [02.12.2019].
Džankić J., Keil S., Kmezić M. (eds), The Europeisation of the Western Balkans: A Failure of EU Conditionality?, Cham 2019.
European Commission Press Release, EU-Western Balkans Summit Thessaloniki, 21.06.2003, http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_PRES-03-163_en.htm [02.10.2019].
European Commission Press Release, Western Balkans: Regional Economic Area, 12.07.2017, https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-1967_en.htm [02.12.2019].
European Commission, A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans, 06.02.2018, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/communication-credible-enlargement-perspective-western-balkans_en.pdf [24.11.2019].
European Commission, Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2011-2012, 2011, https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/pdf/key_documents/2011/package/strategy_paper_2011_en.pdf [24.11.2019].
European Commission, EU-Western Balkans Six Flagships Initiatives, May 2018, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/sixflagship-initiatives-support-transformation-western-balkans_en.pdf [03.12.2019].
European Commission, Montenegro 2019 Report, 2019, https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/20190529-montenegro-report.pdf [02.12.2019].
European Commission, North Macedonia 2019 Report, 2019, https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/20190529-north-macedonia-report.pdf [02.12.2019].
European Commission, Serbia 2019 Report, 2019, https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/20190529-serbia-report.pdf [02.12.2019].
Medjak V. (ed.), Twelve Proposals for EU Enlargement from the Western Balkans, Belgrade 2018.
Mojsovska S., Effects of Stabilisation and Association Agreements and CEFTA 2006 on Republic of Macedonia, [in:] V. Medjak et al., Effects of Stabilisation and Association Agreements and CEFTA 2006 on WB6 European
Integration and Regional Cooperation: Achievements and ways forward, Belgrade 2018.
Mojsovska S., Политиката на ЕУ кон Западниот Балкан: несомнена поддршка и анемичен процес на евроинтеграции [Politikata na EU kon Zapadniot Balkan: nesomnena poddrška i anemičen proces na evrointegracii], „Respublica” 2017, http://respublica.edu.mk/blog/2017-03-22-11-09-24 [14.10.2019].
Regional Cooperation Council, Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans (MAP REA), https://www.rcc.int/priority_areas/39/multi-annual-action-plan-for-a-regional-economic-area-
in-the-western-balkans–map [04.10.2019].
Regional Cooperation Council, Regional Investment Reform Agenda for the Western Balkans Six, 11.05.2018, https://www.rcc.int/docs/410/regional-investment-reform-agenda-for-the-western-balkans-six [04.10.2019].
The Berlin Process. Information and Resource Centre, Berlin Process, https://berlinprocess.info/about/ [04.10.2019].

PDF: Pobierz