Context
The Western Balkans are working towards European Union (EU) accession. Achieving this requires better regional cooperation to address shared challenges. The Berlin Process has facilitated dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans, yet the region still faces challenges in improving administrative skills and regional partnerships.
Additionally, limited digital infrastructure, restricted access to digital services, and insufficient regional digital cooperation hinder progress. Tackling these issues is critical for advancing digital transformation and connectivity across the Western Balkans, both essential for EU integration.
Objective
Regional cooperation in the Western Balkans has advanced, accelerating progress towards EU integration.
Approach
The project focuses on:
• Supporting regional networks – ministries of foreign affairs, EU integration bodies, Instrument-for-Pre-Accession structures, and parliamentary committee secretariats to develop joint positions on EU integration and regional cooperation, especially within the Berlin Process;
• Establishing shared minimum standards in politics and economics to accelerate EU integration and train specialists in partner institutions;
• Promoting a regional dialogue platform to address gender and inclusion issues.
• Advancing digital infrastructure, e-governance, and business digitalisation through the ‘EU4Digital’ component, including its WiFi4WB initiative, which provides free public Wi-Fi in Western Balkan municipalities;
• Supporting Montenegro’s final reform efforts via the ‘EU Empower ME’ component.
The two components ‘EU4Digital’ and ‘EU Empower ME’ are co-financed by the EU.