The EU has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union. The EU aims to promote peace, stability and economic development in the region&nbsp;and open up the prospect of EU integration.

In order to apply for EU membership a country has to be European and respect the EU’s democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of EU membership.

Parliament is fully involved in the Stabilisation and Association Process &nbsp;and must also consent to any new accession to the EU. In addition, through its budgetary powers, it has direct influence over the amounts allocated to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs appoints standing rapporteurs for all candidate and potential candidate countries. Parliament expresses its positions on enlargement in the form of annual resolutions responding to the Commission’s latest annual country reports.

On 1&nbsp;July&nbsp;2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania are official candidates. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

EU Enlargement - Western Balkans

Candidate countries include Montenegro, Albania, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are considered potential candidates.

In order to apply for EU membership a country has to be European and respect the EU’s democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of EU membership.

EU Enlargement - Western Balkans (2019-2020)

Kosovo is a potential candidate for EU accession. It unilaterally declared its independence in February 2008.

All but five Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) have recognised Kosovo’s independence. In the region, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have not recognised Kosovo. A Visa Liberalisation Roadmap was issued in June 2012. In July 2018, the Commission confirmed that Kosovo had fulfilled the last criterion. The European Parliament followed suit and decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, which are ongoing. After a landmark agreement on normalising relations (the ‘Brussels Agreement’) was reached in April 2013 by Belgrade and Pristina, the European Council decided to open negotiations on an SAA with Kosovo in June 2013. The SAA entered into force on 1 April 2016. Kosovo’s future EU integration — like Serbia’s — remains closely linked to the EU-facilitated high-level dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which should lead to a legally binding comprehensive agreement on the normalisation of their relations

EU - Kosovo

Kosovo is a potential candidate for EU accession. It unilaterally declared its independence in February 2008.

All but five Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) have recognised Kosovo’s independence. In the region, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have not recognised Kosovo. A Visa Liberalisation Roadmap was issued in June 2012. In July 2018, the Commission confirmed that Kosovo had fulfilled the last criterion. The European Parliament followed suit and decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, which are ongoing. After a landmark agreement on normalising relations (the ‘Brussels Agreement’) was reached in April 2013 by Belgrade and Pristina, the European Council decided to open negotiations on an SAA with Kosovo in June 2013. The SAA entered into force on 1 April 2016. Kosovo’s future EU integration — like Serbia’s — remains closely linked to the EU-facilitated high-level dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which should lead to a legally binding comprehensive agreement on the normalisation of their relations.

See more on our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/eu-kosovo-8th-legislative-term_16303_pk">previous package</a> on the 8th legislative term.

EU - Kosovo (2019-2020)

EP President, Roberta METSOLA, participates to the EU-Western Balkans Summit. Before her address to the Council, she speaks to the press. One year after the 2022 summit in Tirana, EU and Western Balkans leaders met in Brussels for their fourth annual summit. The summit is an opportunity to reaffirm the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and also the need for partners’ sustained and irreversible reform achievements, underpinned by EU values and principles.

EU-Western Balkans Summit

EU-Western Balkan Summit

EP Plenary session - Parliament’s statements - Preparation of the EU-Western Balkans Summit

Trilogue on Western Balkans Facility

EP Plenary session - 2022 Report on Kosovo

EP Plenary session - 2022 Report on Serbia

EP Plenary session - Question Time to Commission - Strengthened EU enlargement policy to the Western Balkans

EP Plenary session - EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package

AFET interparliamentary Committee Meeting - EU Enlargement Policy in the Aftermath of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Vjosa OSMANI, President of Kosovo

AFET Committee- Exchange of views with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

AFET Committee - Exchange of views with Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

EP Plenary session - Situation in Bosnia Herzegovina

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Albin KURTI, Prime Minister of Kosovo

EP Plenary session - The outcome of the Western Balkans summit

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Miroslav LAJCAK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina

2nd Western Balkans speakers' Summit 28 June - Group photo

2nd Western Balkans speakers' Summit 28 June

David SASSOLI, EP President, invites speakers from the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to meet for the Summit of EP - Western Balkans’ Speakers of Parliament. They debate the role that parliaments should play in EU post-COVID-19 enlargement.

2nd EP - Western Balkans Speakers' summit chaired by David SASSOLI, EP President; arrivals, roundtable, signing of joint declaration of Western Balkans Speakers Summit 2021 and family photo

Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) hold an exchange of views with the Speakers of the Parliaments from the Western Balkans on the key role of Parliaments in the EU enlargement proces, in Brussels. Extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments.

2nd European Parliament - Western Balkans Speakers Summit: extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on the 2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro: closing statements by Augusto SANTOS SILVA, Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.

2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro: closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Augusto SANTOS SILVA, Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on the 2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro.

2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro: MEPs debate

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on the 2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro: opening statements by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), rapporteur, Augusto SANTOS SILVA, Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.

2019-2020 Reports on Montenegro: opening statements by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), rapporteur, Augusto SANTOS SILVA, Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Albania rapporteur; Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Kosovo rapporteur; Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG), North Macedonia rapporteur and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), Serbia rapporteur. After that, statements also by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs. (This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery).

Joint debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG) and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK)

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: MEPs debate

Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia, give a press conference after they presented their reports in a joint debate during the plenary session. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Press conference by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State

Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, presents the 2020 Enlargement Package and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans to the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament during a meeting in Brussels.

2020 Enlargement Package and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans: extracts from the presentation by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and from the meeting

Visit of Ana BRNABIĆ, Serbian Prime Minister, to the European Parliament in Brussels. Arrival welcome by David SASSOLI, EP President, and roundtable.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Ana BRNABIĆ, Serbian Prime Minister: arrival and roundtable

Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans. Statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals, roundtable and statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

The EP Conference of President meets to discuss on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans. Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans.

Extraordinary Conference of Presidents on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President and Olivér VÁRHELYI, Member of the EC in charge of neighbourhood and enlargement open the High-Level Roundtable on the European Integration Process of the Western Balkans, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

High-Level Roundtable on the European Integration Process of the Western Balkans: extracts from the opening speech

Members of the European Parliament debated with the EU Commissioner for enlargement Johannes Hahn on the progress made by the five Western Balkan towards the EU accession. The debate was followed by the vote where Rapports for all five countries were adopted. Statements by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur on Serbia, Igor ŠOLTES (Greens/EFA, SI), Rapporteur on Kosovo, Ivo VAJGL (ALDE, SI), Rapporteur on Republic of Macedonia , Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&D, DE), Rapporteur on Albania, Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Rapporteur on Montenegro, and Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.

European integration process of the Western Balkans: extracts from the debates on the 2018 rapports on Serbia, Kosovo, FYROM, Montenegro (28/11) and from the votes

At his arrival to the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press about Mark ZUCKERBERG's coming to the EP and about the relations with the Western Balkan.

EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: arrival of Antonio TAJANI, EP President and statement

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press on the occasion of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: extracts from the press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

On the occasion of the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Aleksandar VUCIC, President of the Serbian Republic

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