Progressive integration of Western Balkans into the EU
Developing a coherent policy framework to guide the gradual integration of Western Balkans into the EU.
Through data-driven analyses of socio-economic indicators, the project will evaluate the EU’s new Growth Plan for Western Balkans, assess its potential, and identify priority policy areas for enhanced cooperation. The aim is to provide EU policymakers and national governments with actionable recommendations that foster alignment and maximize economic benefits for the region. The project also looks at intra Western Balkans relations and how more regional integration can benefit relations with the EU.
This stream of work was funded by the Open Society – Macedonia.  
Featured content
The changing dynamics of the Western Balkans on the road to European Union membership: an update
This paper concentrates on economic and social convergence in the region and the economic and institutional aspects of EU accession
The rocky road to EU accession for Western Balkan countries: obstacles and lessons from the Eastern Partnership
The three eastern European states had practically no waiting time before being accepted as candidate countries right after application
The benefits of bringing the Western Balkans into the European Semester
Integrating the Western Balkan countries into the European Union’s European Semester process is both feasible and desirable.
How should Western Balkan countries seize the opportunity of the EU’s new growth plan
At this event we focused on the EU's proposed growth plan for the Western Balkans
Bruegel team
Anna Fiore
Research assistant
Heather Grabbe
Bruegel Senior fellow
Luca Léry Moffat
Research analyst
Armin Steinbach
Bruegel Non-resident fellow
