EU-voorzitter Spanje roept Balkanlanden bij elkaar voor overleg (en)

The Spanish Presidency of the EU has called a meeting with the countries of the Western Balkans to 'solemnly reaffirm' Europe's commitment to allowing them to join the Union, in exchange for receiving their commitment to carrying out the agenda of reforms agreed on for joining the EU.

The meeting, which will take place on Wednesday in Sarajevo, will be attended by the foreign ministers of the EU's Member States and the countries of the region, and representatives of the United States, Russia and Turkey, as well as institutions such as NATO and the CSCE.

'It is the Presidency's wish to be inclusive and contribute to the region's stability', Spanish diplomatic sources explained after emphasising that the Balkans are a 'strategic priority of the first order', since the EU's credibility as a relevant global operator 'is at stake in this region'.

It is now ten years since the EU offered the Western Balkans an 'integration perspective', some of the requirements of which are being met; but there are still major differences, largely owing to what the Balkan countries see as a 'lack of incentives and security in the commitment'.

'It is a matter of supporting the reforms and sending a clear political message on behalf of Europe that the offer of integration is irreversible,' the diplomatic sources said.

The meeting will be structured into two sessions: the heads of the delegations will speak at the first, while the second will focus on relations between the EU and the Western Balkans and issuing a Presidency Declaration.

Drawn up by the Spanish Presidency in collaboration with the European Commission, the Declaration reiterates Europe's commitment, incorporates the agreed language regarding the European perspective, highlights issues on which 'more effort needs to be made' across the board and not by individual countries, proposes a common plan for coming out of the crisis based on the 2020 Strategy and stresses that 'regional cooperation must improve'.

In the Presidency's view, there are 'unresolved problems between neighbours' in the region, which must be tackled by the Balkan countries, in line with the 'European culture of integration: an internal process, in each country, of reconciliation with its neighbours'.

'Europeanising the Balkans is a strategic priority', the sources underlined.