The European Council approved this Tuesday (May 7) and gave final green light to the creation of a Facility for Reforms and Growth for the Western Balkans, a new instrument to support EU-related reforms and economic growth in the region.

As stated in a press release, the Growth Plan will cover the period from 2024 to 2027 and is expected to offer up to 2 billion euros in grants and 4 billion euros in loans for the six Western Balkan partners of the EU in the coming years.

According to the text proposed by the Commission and amended by the European Parliament, prerequisites for support under the facilities will be that “Beneficiaries improve, support and respect”, among other things, effective democratic mechanisms, including the functioning of a multi-party parliamentary system, safeguarding free and pluralistic media, and combating disinformation and rule of law.

The European Parliament also added a prerequisite for “alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including the adoption of restrictive measures against Russia.”

To receive any support under the Facilitation, each Beneficiary will submit to the Commission a Reform Agenda for the duration of the Instrument.

According to the Commission’s proposal, Reform Agendas will reflect assessments in the latest Enlargement Package and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.

The European Parliament added that Reform Agendas should also include “the rule of law report, as well as relevant international institutions, including the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission, and relevant reports and resolutions from the European Parliament.”

The Council also said that a precondition for Serbia and Kosovo to receive assistance is that “they engage constructively with tangible progress and tangible results in normalizing their relations.”

Serbia has not recognized Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008, and recent tensions between them have raised concerns among Western powers. Both have stated they want to join the EU, but the bloc has warned that their refusal to compromise is jeopardizing their chances of membership.

/k.s/