EIB President Hoyer will attend the “Berlin Process Western Balkans Summit,” an event that will bring together leaders from several EU countries, the six Western Balkans partner countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo*), along with high-level participants from the European Commission (EC), international finance organisations and regional organisations active in the Western Balkans. Key outcomes from the meeting are expected to include a series of commitments by Western Balkan leaders to support a green transition in the region and to develop a common regional market.
The summit also provides an opportunity for leaders to endorse the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) announced by the EC on 6 October. This ambitious plan should mobilise up to €9 billion of Instrument for Pre-accession (IPA III) funding for the period 2021-2027 to support economic convergence with the EU, primarily through investments and support for competitiveness and inclusive growth, sustainable connectivity, and the twin agendas of the green and digital transitions. As the EU Climate Bank, the EIB will work closely with all key actors on the rollout of the Green Agenda in the Western Balkans. President Hoyer will also express the EIB’s strong support for the Economic and Investment Plan and the creation of the common regional market. The outcomes of this summit will encourage further integration within the Western Balkan region and facilitate greater progress on its EU accession path.
The Berlin Process will, for the first time, be jointly chaired by an EU Member State, Bulgaria, and a Western Balkan country, North Macedonia. The participants will be welcomed by Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria and Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
