A high-level EU–Western Balkans summit kicks off today, Monday and Tuesday, in Shkup, focusing on the €6 billion Growth Plan for the region.
The official arrival and welcome ceremony for Western Balkan leaders is scheduled for 9:30 AM, followed by the first panel session at 10:00 AM, dedicated to discussing the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
Opening remarks will be delivered by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
Later in the day, at 4:00 PM, PM Mickoski and Commissioner Kos will hold a bilateral meeting, followed by expanded-format talks between delegations.
The €6 billion Growth Plan, approved by the European Commission on November 8, 2023, is built on four key pillars:
- Strengthening economic integration into the EU’s single market
- Boosting intra-regional economic integration through a Common Regional Market
- Accelerating fundamental reforms in the Western Balkans
- Increasing financial assistance to support those reforms
This summit is seen as a crucial step toward deepening economic and political ties between the EU and Western Balkans and potentially paving the way for faster EU integration.
