In a non-paper dated 25 September, Austria proposed an action plan to define concrete steps to advance the ‘gradual integration’ of the Western Balkan countries into the EU. The subject will be discussed in Granada on 6 October, at the informal meeting of Heads of State or Government.
In concrete terms, the document, jointly proposed by the Austrian Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, and the Minister for Europe, Karoline Edtstadler, proposes increasing the formal participation of the Western Balkan States in EU Council meetings, drawing on “the example of the regular invitation of Ukraine to the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Councils”. Certain informal meetings of the EU Council should also be open to the six States of the region.
Following the Ukrainian example, nationals from the countries of the Western Balkans should also be able to work as trainees in EU institutions.
The Austrian document also proposes that informal EU Council meetings be held in Western Balkans countries. The document also states that there is a need to “explore options for further informal Western Balkans involvement in EU fora”, as well as in the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and working groups on issues relating to a number of areas, such as energy, education and climate.
Vienna is also proposing that EU/Western Balkans summits be held annually.
A special coordinator for progressive integration within the Commission’s Secretariat-General could also be appointed, and ‘single access points’ could be created within the Commission’s Directorates-General.
In addition, the ‘non-paper’ proposed by Vienna sets out a list of areas in which progressive integration could be implemented, including the single market, trade and customs, climate, transport, health, justice, migration and education.
An approach already advocated by some
The gradual integration of Western Balkans countries was already part of the approach advocated by the Commission when it presented its updated methodology for enlargement in 2019.
Austria, for its part, had already presented an initial proposal in May 2022 for the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU.
On 11 September in Skopje, as part of the Brdo Brijuni process (see EUROPE 13248/29), the leaders of the Western Balkan countries agreed that gradual integration could enable the citizens of the region to “enjoy tangible benefits and opportunities even before formal accession” to the EU.
A few days earlier, on 28 August, at the Bled Strategic Forum, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had stressed the need for Europe to be prepared “by 2030” for enlargement. In particular, he felt that the EU’s next long-term budget should therefore include common objectives between the EU and its future members (see EUROPE 13237/8).
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/8ta
See the proposals: https://aeur.eu/f/8tb (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)