This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today made available €49 million to Albania, €44.2 million to Montenegro, and €65.7 million to North Macedonia under the Reform and Growth Facility. This follows the third request for payment and the Commission’s positive assessment of reform steps implemented in […]Commission releases €158.9 million to Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia under EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans
May 21, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today made available €49 million to Albania, €44.2 million to Montenegro, and €65.7 million to North Macedonia under the Reform and Growth Facility. This follows the third request for payment and the Commission’s positive assessment of reform steps implemented in […]EIB Global to roll out Innovation and Green Transformation Facility for the Western Balkans
September 9, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) is launching the Innovation and Green Transformation Facility (IGTF), a new initiative aiming to accelerate sustainable private sector growth across the Western Balkans. The facility supports the EU Economic and Investment Plan and the New Growth Plan for the Western […]EBRD supports regional fast food expansion with first circular economy loan in Western Balkans
May 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a loan of up to €9.9 million to Aptha Global and Tastra (on a joint and several basis) to finance the expansion of KFC restaurants in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rollout of Taco Bell restaurants in the […]European Commission announces additional €1.2 billion investment package for infrastructure and support to entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans
July 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission announced the sixth investment package under the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans that is expected to mobilise €1.2 billion in investments. This package will support eight new flagship investments in water supply and sanitation, wastewater treatment […]EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana reaffirms the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and EU’s strategic partnership with the region
December 7, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council, Charles Michel, High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, as well as Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States and Western Balkan partners participated in […]Berlin Process Summit: EU announces €1 billion energy support package for the Western Balkans and welcomes new agreements to strengthen the Common Regional Market
November 4, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, President Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative Josep Borrell participated in the Western Balkans Summit in the context of the Berlin Process. During the Summit and as advanced during her mission in the region last week, the President announced a substantial energy […]European Commission launches €3.2 billion investment package to advance sustainable connectivity in the Western Balkans
February 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission has unveiled a substantial €3.2 billion investment package to support 21 transport, digital, climate and energy connectivity projects in the Western Balkans. This is the first major package of projects under the EU’s ambitious Economic and Investment Plan for the […]2021 Enlargement package: European Commission assesses and sets out reform priorities for the Western Balkans and Turkey
October 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted its 2021 Enlargement Package, providing a detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by the Western Balkans and Turkey on their respective paths towards the European Union, with a particular focus on implementing fundamental reforms, […]The European Commission and Austria secure COVID-19 vaccines for the Western Balkans
April 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission and Austria are announcing today the conclusion of agreements for the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines for the Western Balkans. The 651,000 BioNTech/Pfizer doses are funded by the European Commission and will be shared with the facilitation of Austria. The first delivery […]New EU project to support readiness for vaccination efforts and resilient health systems in the Western Balkans
February 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Union in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new regional project worth over €7 million to support safe and effective vaccination of the populations across the Western Balkans. This project will help prepare the region for the effective […]Commission adopts €70 million package for early access to EU COVID-19 vaccines in the Western Balkans
December 28, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a package of €70 million under the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA II) to help fund the access of Western Balkans partners to COVID-19 vaccines procured by EU Member States. Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi said: “Throughout the […]Western Balkans: An Economic and Investment Plan to support the economic recovery and convergence
October 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a comprehensive Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to spur the long-term economic recovery of the region, support a green and digital transition, foster regional integration and convergence with the European Union. EU High Representative […]Western Balkans’ leaders meeting: EU reinforces support to address COVID-19 crisis and outlines proposal for post-pandemic recovery
April 30, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission is announcing over €3.3 billion of EU financial support mobilised jointly with the European Investment Bank to the benefit of the Western Balkans’ citizens. This package aims to address the immediate health and resulting humanitarian needs of the COVID-19 pandemic […]This is how the Western Balkans will become more innovative
March 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Martina Larkin, Head of Regional Strategies – Europe and Eurasia, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Geneva & Attilio Di Battista, Project Lead, Country Accelerators, World Economic Forum The Western Balkans is one of the areas […]5 things to know about the Western Balkans
November 8, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Douglas Broom, Senior Writer, Formative Content When leaders of the EU’s current 28 members gathered last month to discuss membership applications from Albania and North Macedonia, there was optimism that the accession process would be given a green light. […]Reforms in the Western Balkans and Turkey: annual assessments and recommendations
May 30, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Confirming that a credible enlargement policy is a geostrategic investment in peace, stability, security and economic growth in the whole of Europe, the Commission today adopted its annual assessment of the implementation of reforms in the Western Balkan partners and Turkey, together with recommendations on the next […]Visa liberalisation: Commission reports on fulfilment of visa-free requirements by Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries
December 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission is today reporting on its assessment of the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation benchmarks by the Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia as well as the Eastern Partnership countries: Georgia, Moldova and […]Western Balkans: European Parliament takes stock of 2018 progress
November 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs assessed the progress made in Albania, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on their path towards possible EU accession on Thursday. Three resolutions evaluating the current state of play were adopted by the full House. Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia MEPs […]Western Balkans: MEPs take stock of 2018 progress
October 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. In resolutions adopted on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs mark the progress made in five Western Balkan countries on their path towards possible EU accession. Serbia In a report adopted by 49 votes to 3 with 6 abstentions, MEPs welcome Serbia’s continued engagement on […]Why are the Balkans’ political leaders meeting in Geneva this week?
October 2, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the strategic cooperation of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Oliver Cann, Head of Media Content, World Economic Forum As October begins, the World Economic Forum welcomes five European heads of state or government at our headquarters in Geneva. The meeting is the latest instalment of a Strategic […]Will Western Balkans respond positively to EU initiatives?
February 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment
The European Commission announced yesterday its strategy regarding the perspective of EU enlargement with the Western Balkans within the next decade. Six initiatives will be the guidelines of the EU which must be fulfilled in order to be able for these countries to complete the necessary steps for their accession process. The EU seems to […]
