Western Balkans EU Accession: Is the 2025 Target Date Realistic?

Bericht

The European Commission has set a target date of 2025 for Western Balkan EU accession, while also outlining a broader new strategy which includes Brussels taking a more active role in solving political disputes in the region, and upgrading infrastructure as part of the Berlin Process. We welcome these moves economic underdevelopment in the region is closely tied to political fractures. Aside from resolving political conflicts, improved governance in the region will also be necessary. In terms of meeting economic accession criteria, the region faces a host of challenges, but we believe that a focus on upgrading infrastructure and developing a much bigger and more competitive industrial base should be the priorities. While the economic influence of third parties in the region is not as significant as often portrayed, this is not guaranteed to last, particularly in the case of China, which is set to increase its economic presence in the Western Balkans in the coming years. Even if the region takes a great leap forward towards the EU, there are other barriers in the way which could also hold back accession. Nevertheless, while the 2025 target represents a highly ambitious best-case scenario, it could serve as a powerful incentive for countries in the region to speed up their reform agendas. We do not completely rule out at least Montenegro and Serbia joining the bloc by 2025 or shortly thereafter.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: Policy Notes and Reports ; No. 22

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook: General ; Economic Integration ; International Investment; Long-term Capital Movements ; Economic Growth of Open Economies ; National Government Expenditures and Related Policies: Infrastructures; Other Public Investment and Capital Stock ; Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development ; Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology ; Economic Development: Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure ; Development Planning and Policy: General ; Development Planning and Policy: Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy
• Thema: integration ; governance ; economic growth ; competitiveness ; industrialisation ; infrastructure ; economic policy ; Western Balkans

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Grieveson, Richard ; Grübler, Julia ; Holzner, Mario
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)
• (wo): Vienna
• (wann): 2018

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/204265
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 20.09.2024, 08:24 MESZ