The Summit of the European Union and the Western Balkans, which was held in Tirana on 6 December, sends a clear message of unity and partnership. The EU leaders confirmed their full and unequivocal commitment to the perspective of the Western Balkans’ EU membership. They called for the acceleration of the accession process based on reforms and the principle of merit.
The Summit was also an opportunity to review the progress in the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan, worth almost 30 billion euros, which is aimed at leading projects in the green and digital transition, sustainable transport, clean energy, support to the private sector and human capital development, with the aim of bridging the socioeconomic gap between the Western Balkans and the EU. So far, the EU has approved 40 projects in the field of transport, connectivity, energy transition, green agenda, digital transition, and human capital development, with a total value of 5.7 billion euros, of which the Union will provide 1.8 billion.
One of the main topics of the summit was energy, and the EU approved 12 investment projects, six of which are in the energy sector. The EU will provide financial assistance of 1 billion euros to the Western Balkan region, of which 500 million will be direct budget support for vulnerable households and businesses, and 500 million for investments in infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency.
