Closed policy dialogue titled “The Western Balkans and the Challenge of European Economic Security”

In the framework of our new initiative think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration, ELIAMEP, alongside the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), hosted a closed-door policy dialogue titled “The Western Balkans and the Challenge of European Economic Security” in Rome. The event brought together key stakeholders that discussed the challenges and explore ways to reinforce EU-Western Balkans relations in an era of global competition.

Among the speakers was Prof. Dr. Ioannis Armakolas, Head of the South-East Europe Programme (ELIAMEP) and Director of think nea, and Dr. Ana Krstinovska, Research Fellow at the South-East Europe Programme (ELIAMEP) and Senior Researcher at think nea.

The event focused on the evolving role of the Western Balkans in European economic security, examining both the risks and opportunities it presents. Discussions highlighted how strong economic partnerships between the EU, its member states, and the Western Balkan countries could bolster European competitiveness, enhancing the EU’s economic security. Speakers also addressed the growing geo-strategic and geo-economic rivalries, which risk increasing volatility and fragmentation in EU-Western Balkans relations. If these aspects remain unaddressed, the region could potentially become a focal point for resource extraction, market penetration, and competition in infrastructure projects by EU rivals, while also serving as a platform for circumventing EU tariffs. The event provided a platform for experts and policymakers to explore these dynamics and discuss strategies to reinforce the EU’s engagement with the region.

During the discussion, the focus was on whether the EU should adopt a more transactional approach or prioritize democratic capacity, conditionality, and reforms in its enlargement policy. It was argued that the EU should recalibrate its approach to ensure that the transactional aspect is effectively balanced. On one side of the equation, democratic conditionality and reforms, along with the benefits related to economic security, were highlighted as key outcomes of enlargement, outweighing member states narrow national considerations and bilateral disputes. The discussion emphasized that enlargement would ultimately result in a positive sum for all parties involved. Candidate countries are unlikely to implement necessary reforms unless they are on a clear path toward full membership in the foreseeable future. At the same time, the EU must assess not only the economic security gains from integrating these countries, but also the costs incurred by their continued engagement with non-EU actors, whose influence in the region will continue to grow should the Western Balkans remain outside the EU.