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Western Balkans

The countries of the Western Balkans are geographically surrounded by EU member states, and the EU’s general approach towards the region is characterised by stabilisation through integration.

The conflicts which blighted the region in the 1990s posed an existential challenge to the Common Security and Foreign Policy (CFSP) and in 2003, the EU went beyond its declaratory statements and launched the first-ever Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) mission, EUPM, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and subsequently, the first military operation, Concordia, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Currently, the military operation EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Union’s largest mission to date, EULEX, in Kosovo, provide tangible illustrations of the EU’s continued commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the region. Furthermore, the objectives of the Union and the work of the High Representative are also supported by the European Union Special Representatives (EUSRs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

The EU continues to be the biggest donor, investor and trading partner in the Western Balkans. Under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, the EU financially assists the region in narrowing the gaps with the EU Single Market, while supporting good neighbourly relations through regional cooperation and integration efforts.

On 1 July 2013, Croatia became the 28th member state of the European Union. In 2012, Montenegro opened the accession negotiations, followed by Serbia in 2013. In July 2022, the accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia were launched. Furthermore, Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted EU candidate status in December 2022, making it the fifth country in the region to be formally integrated into the EU enlargement process. Kosovo* still has the status of a potential EU candidate after having officially applied for EU membership in December 2022.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 (1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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  • 01June 2018
    Visit by a delegation from the Serbian National Assembly

    On 1 June 2018, the EUISS hosted a high-level delegation from the Serbian National Assembly in its Brussels Liaison Office.

  • 27February 2018
    Second round of workshops for ‘Balkan Futures’

    From 27 February to 2 March 2018, the EUISS held the second round of workshops for the project ‘Balkan Futures’. The project is implemented by the EUISS and supported by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB).

  • 22January 2018
    Balkan Futures

    On 22 January 2018 in Sarajevo, the EUISS launched its newest project – Balkan Futures. The project is implemented by the EUISS and supported by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB).

  • 16February 2017
    EUISS expert workshop on building resilience in the Western Balkans

    This expert workshop sought to identify and analyse the various drivers of fragility in and for the Western Balkans and the kind of responses that may be needed from the EU and/or local actors.

  • 30May 2016
    The Western Balkans in the European Union: new perspectives on integration?

    On the 30-31 of May 2016, more than 80 researchers and policy analysts from think tanks and academia met in Paris at the Austrian Embassy and the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI).

  • 04December 2015
    EU foreign policy and the Western Balkans: re-engagement as a strategic choice

    In cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria and the European Stability Initiative, and with the support of the European Fund for the Balkans, the EU Institute for Security Studies organised an event at the Austrian Foreign Ministry in Vienna on 4th December 2015.

  • 12December 2014
    EUISS screening of 'The Agreement'

    On 12 December 2014, the EUISS hosted a screening of the fly-on-the-wall documentary film The Agreement.

  • 09July 2013
    The European future of the Western Balkans: Thessaloniki @ 10 (2003-2013)

    On Tuesday, 9 July 2013 in Brussels, the EUISS organised, in close cooperation with the European Policy Centre (EPC), a conference to discuss how far the Western Balkans have come in their European ambitions since the Thessaloniki Declaration of 2003. The debate was animated by many high-ranking experts from the EU and the region and the conclusions were made by the first Permanent Representative of Croatia to the EU.

  • 08June 2012
    The impact of the EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002-2012

    This seminar, jointly organised by the EU Police Mission (EUPM) and the EUISS and held in Sarajevo on the 7-8 June, marked 10 years of EU civilian crisis management in the Western Balkans and examined the impact of the EUPM in Bosnia and Herzegovina and lessons learned for the future of CFSP/CSDP.

  • 06June 2011
    The Balkans by 2030: present trends and future challenges

    Each of the countries in the Balkans is on a different course to eventual accession to the European Union. But where will they be in 20 years' time? This seminar, co-organised with the Foreign Policy Initative BH, set out to explore this very question.

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