Ensuring a legacy for the Western Balkans Summit

The relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans summit has been a core theme of both the Bulgarian and Austrian Presidencies. It is also a key priority for the ECR Group. We believe that the progress and momentum made between the EU and the Western Balkans must not be lost, and that now, more than ever, the work between the EU and the Western Balkan’s neighbourhood should be strengthened.

The ECR holds the Chairmanship of the Delegation to the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, and is responsible for the drafting of the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Montenegro.

In the run up to the Western Balkan’s Summit in May 2018, the ECR Group put forward a large number of proposals in a policy paper, which would help continue the good cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans.

The ECR Group’s priorities for EU-Western Balkan cooperation are:

• Radicalisation should be addressed since no country will be able to join the EU if there are concerns that this will pose a threat to the European security;
• Cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency is required to manage migration flows;
• Limit Russian influence in the Western Balkans and support the countries in their wish to join NATO;
• The development of infrastructure and transport corridors to help with trade;
• Help the private sector through the development of commercial law and the enforcement of fair competition;
• Improving the fight against organised crime through judicial reform;
• Helping bring investment and growth to the often forgotten and underdeveloped border regions.

DID YOU KNOW?

The ECR Group has called upon the EU to make a clear and lasting commitment to working together in areas of mutual interest, and in some cases help Western Balkan nations work towards EU Membership. The ECR believes that EU needs to do all it can to offer a prosperous, stable, and open future partnership for the region, so that Western Balkan nations want to turn towards the EU and the West rather than the East.

The ECR Group will continue to campaign for the EU to play a key role in helping Western Balkan nations put in place mechanisms to end corruption in order for sustainable and prosperous democracy to flourish.