On Thursday 16 October, the European Commission announced that it had released funding for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia as part of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (see EUROPE 13384/4), acknowledging “the significant reforms partners have made to better align with EU standards”, according to a press release.
Albania will receive a first disbursement of €99.3 million, of which €46.2 million will be paid directly into the state budget, with the remainder earmarked for infrastructure projects through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). Montenegro will receive a second disbursement of €8.1 million, including €3.8 million for the state budget.
North Macedonia will receive a second disbursement of €16 million, of which €7.4 million paid directly to the state budget.
Once approved, these funds will support “infrastructure projects in areas such as sustainable transport, clean energy, digital and human capital development” in collaboration with international financial institutions.
The total amounts disbursed under the Plan to date amount to €99.3 million for Albania, €18.3 million for Montenegro and €25 million for North Macedonia.
On the same day, the Commission announced that 40 banks in Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia had officially joined the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). This is “set to make euro transactions between these four partners and the European Union more reliable, faster, and cheaper, potentially saving up to €500 million for individuals and businesses”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)