The return of war to Europe has reopened the chapter in a way enlargement, bringing it back to the center of the European Union (EU) agenda. The Russian invasion of Ukraine today requires the EU and the Western Balkans to reaffirm their strategic choice for a common European future. What is happening in Ukraine has shown that a war in Europe is still possible. However, once again, the war has developed outside the borders of the EU. This confirms that the EU continues to be an effective guarantee of peace and stability, at least for its members.
“New visions for Western Balkans”
In this context, the Istituto Affari Internazionali and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso e Transeuropa accepted the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to organize a meeting between representatives of the governments of the Western Balkans, institutions and civil societies. The conference behind closed doors, entitled “New Visions for the Western Balkans. EU Accesion and Regional Security” took place in Rome between 3 and 4 April, and also benefited from the support of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation.
The meeting was opened by Antonio TajaniDeputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and by Tobias Billström, Foreign Minister of Sweden, which currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The ministers of foreign affairs of the Western Balkans attended the conference together with high-level Italian and EU policy makers, and representatives of civil society from the Western Balkans.
The meeting offered the opportunity to discuss, in an informal context, a series of fundamental issues for the future of the region, starting from how support and accelerate the integration of these countries into the EU. It is no secret that exactly twenty years since Thessaloniki European Council, which had solemnly declared that the doors of the European Union were also open to the countries of the Western Balkans, the results and pace of the enlargement process have not been satisfactory. Only there Croatiain fact, managed to access the EU in 2013.
The membership process
In part, this situation is the consequence of internal reforms still to be completed by the countries of the region, or bilateral issues still unresolved. The EU accession process together with the difficult construction of national identities and state apparatuses in these countries have at times generated conflictual dynamics in the region, which have complicated the EU’s strategy in support of enlargement compared to the past.
However, the EU also has its responsibilities. Indeed, a series of crises has had a significant impact on the priorities of the Union itself, and in fact has relegated enlargement to the margins of the European agenda.
Against this background, the conference examined the various proposals that have recently emerged to support the process of integration of the Western Balkans into the EU. Some of these proposals provide measures to this to speed up the accession of these states to the EU and push their integration process in specific sectors, in line with the provisions of the new enlargement methodology of the European Commission. Others presented new formats for one gradual adhesion of these countries to the EU, with progressive access to European policies and European funds.
Another fundamental theme of the discussion was that of the progress of the process of cooperation and regional integration between the countries of the Western Balkans. Regional cooperation has been an integral part of the EU’s approach to the region already in the aftermath of the Dayton/Paris Accords (1995) and the launch of the “Association Stabilization Process” in 1999. However, initiatives for regional cooperation and integration among the Western Balkans still remain essential today to promote reconciliation, stability and growth in these countries. Most importantly, such initiatives offer these countries the opportunity to generate local ownership and responsibility.
In this regard, in recent years the leaders of the Western Balkans have agreed on two important projects for regional economic integration: the Multi-year Action Plan on the Regional Economic Area 2017-2019 (REA); and the 2020–2024 Regional Common Market (CRM). These are projects that have received substantial support from the European Commission, in particular through the recent Economic and Investment Plan (EIP). In parallel, new developments have emerged within the so-called ‘Open Balkan’ (OB) initiative. The latter promotes free movement of goods and people, and economic and political cooperation in the Western Balkans, but for now includes only Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The challenges for security and the European perspective
Finally, the conference emphasized the fundamental theme of challenges to the security of the region in the current context. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has exacerbated security threats across Europe, making it imperative for the EU and the Western Balkans to reaffirm their strategic commitment to take a joint approach to major security challenges. The latter are not limited to military security, but also include a large number of related issues: from energy security and environmental protection to the management of natural disasters, to health, to the management of migration flows. In line with the EU’s global strategy and strategic compass, effectively addressing these challenges in the coming years will require increased integration of the various security sectors, as well as policy coordination across Europe.
As the enlargement process advances slowly but steadily, the European Union – and Italy in particular – continues to promote European perspective of the countries of the region, to support democracy and the rule of law, to develop an intense cooperation in the fields of energy and digital transition, home affairs and justice, management of migration flows, connectivity and infrastructure development.
In this context, the Western Balkans represent both a challenge and an opportunity for the Italian government. Over the years, theItalia has consistently pursued a European agenda for the Western Balkan countries, in line with its national strategic interest. However, Italy has not always fully exercised its political weight in the European context. In such a dynamic context, Italy has the potential to play an active role and strive for a synthesis between different visions on the future of Europe and the Western Balkans.
Cover photo ANSA/ETTORE FERRARI