This document provides information credible enlargement perspective and enhanced engagement with the EU for Western Balkans. Including state of play on reforms on rule of law, economy, public administration reform and other.
This factsheet highlights the results of the support provided by the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) in Albania. The WBIF is a cooperation facility that contributes to the Western Balkans’ European perspective by supporting investment projects that improve competitiveness and growth, while reinforcing regional cooperation and connectivity.
This factsheet highlights the results of the support provided by the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) in Kosovo. The WBIF is a cooperation facility that contributes to the Western Balkans’ European perspective by supporting investment projects that improve competitiveness and growth, while reinforcing regional cooperation and connectivity.
This factsheet highlights the results of the support provided by the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The WBIF is a cooperation facility that contributes to the Western Balkans’ European perspective by supporting investment projects that improve competitiveness and growth, while reinforcing regional cooperation and connectivity.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) – the EU’s lending arm – will finance the construction of the Serbian section of a 171 km natural gas interconnector between Serbia and Bulgaria. The €25 million loan from the EIB will enable the diversification of Serbia’s energy supply and strengthen energy networks in South East Europe. It will also support faster integration of the region into the EU energy market, improve competition and ultimately attract more investment. The EIB loan complements a €49.5 million EU grant (from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance – IPA II) for this project, which is on the fourth list of Projects of Common Interest.
To date, the EIB has invested over €672 million in the energy sector in the Western Balkans. In combination with EU funds, the EU bank provides strong and long-term financial support to the countries in the region and facilitates a shift to more energy efficient and diverse resources. This project helps decrease dependence on one supplier and creates a more competitive energy market.
The European Commission has invested an additional €40 million into the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) to help combat the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the Western Balkans and EU Eastern Neighbourhood Region. The capital will be used to bolster the ability of local financial institutions to support micro and small enterprises in overcoming the challenges of the crisis.
The new funding will contribute to providing financial institutions in the EFSE target region with the means to continue serving micro and small enterprises. A significant portion of the sum has been designated explicitly for financing in local currency – providing an extra level of security by safeguarding borrowers from exchange rate risk.
Micro and small enterprises play a significant role in income generation and employment creation in these regions. Yet, most entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans and EU Eastern Neighbourhood have reported severely negative consequences on their businesses from the coronavirus outbreak, including suspension of operations and drastic declines in revenue. According to a study conducted by the EFSE Development Facility, four out of five small businesses have experienced a ‘negative to extremely negative impact’ on their operations, with others reporting temporary layoffs that could become permanent. By providing new and restructured business loans, local financial service providers play a crucial role in keeping these enterprises afloat.
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Albania launched a call for investigative stories, offering grants for three journalists to produce articles on topics related to justice sector. The call is part of the project “Using Big Data and Multimedia to Boost Quality and Independent Journalism in Albania” supported by the European Union. The journalists will have around three months to investigate and research their ideas. They will also have the opportunity to work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the story development process in line with BIRN standards.
This project aims to create an enabling environment for Albanian journalists to produce independent content through training, mentoring, technical and financial support, and close cooperation with civil society, so improving freedom of expression and strengthening media pluralism in Albania.
The call is open only for journalists from Albania and closes on 31 May.
