EU Advocates for Stronger Western Balkans Involvement in Foreign Policy
Spearheaded by Austria, and six other EU countries, Friend of Western Balkans call for Balkan representatives to have more regular meetings with their EU counterparts.
Traditional Albanian folk music and dance performed as leaders pose for a photo prior the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, Albania on December 06, 2022. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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group of EU countries, known as the ‘Friends of Western Balkans’, is advocating for increased cooperation between the European Union and the Western Balkan states in the realm of foreign policy. Spearheaded by Austria, the coalition includes Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Slovakia, and Slovenia, all of whom are pushing for the Western Balkans representatives to have more regular meetings with their EU counterparts.
The initiative, which was outlined in a non-paper seen by Euractiv, calls on EU institutions to establish a clear agenda for accelerated integration with definitive steps leading up to 2024 and beyond. The document was circulated in preparation for a joint ministerial meeting in Brussels with the six Western Balkan nations: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, who launched the ‘Friends of Western Balkans’ group, has been a vocal proponent of EU enlargement. The paper he initiated emphasizes the need for enhanced cooperation to effectively counter external pressures and harmful narratives from countries like Russia that are incompatible with EU values.
Proposals for deeper integration and security
The non-paper proposes a more structured exchange following established EU procedures and policies, including invitations to Western Balkan ministers to participate in EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings at least semiannually. It also suggests that Western Balkan ambassadors attend informal Political and Security Committee meetings on topics of common interest.
One of the prerequisites for joining the EU is alignment with the bloc’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), which the document seeks to advance. The proposal includes providing Western Balkan ministers with Lines to Take (LTTs) to ensure their positions are in harmony with the EU during meetings with third countries.
Countering external influences and enhancing diplomatic ties
The initiative comes at a time when the EU is dealing with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent economic sanctions imposed on Moscow. Some Western Balkan countries, like Serbia, have so far hesitated to fully align with the EU’s policy. The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, has emphasized the importance of following the EU foreign policy more closely, especially for countries with a record of non-alignment.
The push for integration also includes more coordinated visits to the Western Balkans by EU diplomats, regular workshops on human rights to support the justice chapters in EU accession negotiations, and increased cooperation on cybersecurity issues.
Regional response and next steps
The ideas proposed have reportedly received substantial support from the Western Balkans, with some leaders from the region having raised the issue both publicly and privately over the past year. The ministers from the region have previously expressed frustration with the moving goalposts in the EU’s enlargement process and have advocated for progressive integration before full accession.
The EU-Western Balkans ministerial meeting will precede a significant EU-Western Balkans summit in mid-December, where leaders are expected to further discuss integration and alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy.
Sources: Anadolu and Euractiv
