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We, the leaders of the European Union (EU) and its
Member States, in consultation with Western Balkans leaders, and in
the presence of regional and international stakeholders, today
reiterate our strong solidarity with our partners in the context of
the coronavirus crisis. In these unprecedented times, we have
concluded the following:
1. Recalling the 2000 Zagreb, the 2003
Thessaloniki and the 2018 Sofia Summits, the EU once again reaffirms
its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western
Balkans. The Western Balkans partners reiterated their commitment to
the European perspective as their firm strategic choice. The
credibility of this commitment depends also on clear public
communication and the implementation of the necessary reforms.
2. The scale of the coronavirus crisis calls for
our unity and solidarity. The EU stands by its Western Balkans
partners and remains committed to actively support their efforts to
combat the coronavirus outbreak and its impacts on societies and
economies.
3. The EU and the Western Balkans are together
fighting the coronavirus and its effects. The EU has mobilised very
swiftly a package of over EUR 3.3 billion to the benefit of the
Western Balkans, as outlined in the Commission Communication of 29
April on Support to the Western Balkans in tackling COVID-19 and the
post-pandemic recovery. This includes immediate support for the
health sector, in particular through delivering essential supplies
to save lives and significant support for the social and economic
recovery needs of our partners, as well as a EUR 750 million package
of Macro-Financial Assistance and a EUR 1.7 billion package of
assistance from the European Investment Bank.
4. The ongoing pandemic demonstrates how the EU
and the Western Balkans together are tackling common challenges.
This co-operation includes joint procurement and the unrestricted
trade-flow of protective personal equipment, ensuring the fast flow
of essential goods through Green Lanes linking the EU and Western
Balkans, the supply by the EU of testing material to check the
correct functioning of coronavirus tests in the Western Balkans as
well as close cooperation with relevant health bodies.
5. The fact that this support and cooperation goes
far beyond what any other partner has provided to the region
deserves public acknowledgement. The EU also recognises the valuable
support the Western Balkans have given during the pandemic to their
immediate neighbours and towards the EU. This reflects the
solidarity and mutual support the EU is built on. This cooperation
and coordination should continue in the future, including throughout
the exit and recovery phase.
6. The EU and the Western Balkans partners share
the objective of a peaceful, strong, stable and united Europe,
underpinned by our historical, cultural and geographical ties and by
our mutual political, security and economic interests. The EU is
determined to further intensify its engagement at all levels to
support the region’s political, economic and social transformation
and welcomes the pledge of the Western Balkans partners to uphold
European values and principles and to carry out necessary reforms
thoroughly and vigorously. Increased EU assistance will be linked to
tangible progress in the rule of law and in socio-economic reforms,
as well as on the Western Balkans partners’ adherence to EU values,
rules and standards.
7. The EU welcomes the strong commitment by the
Western Balkans partners to the primacy of democracy and the rule of
law, especially the fight against corruption and organised crime,
good governance, as well as respect for human rights, gender
equality and for rights of persons belonging to minorities. The
Western Balkans leaders should ensure that fundamental values,
democratic principles and the rule of law are strictly upheld and
implemented, including while special and extraordinary measures to
contain the coronavirus pandemic are in place. The societal
transformation and the effective implementation of reforms rest on
these foundations. Civil society and independent and pluralistic
media as well as freedom of expression and protection of journalists
play a crucial role in the process of democratisation.
8. We will reinforce our cooperation on addressing
disinformation and other hybrid activities originating in particular
from third-state actors seeking to undermine the European
perspective of the region. Closer collaboration is needed in
resilience-building and cyber security. Strategic communication is
essential in this regard.
9. The EU fully supports the Western Balkans
partners’ pledge to inclusive regional cooperation and strengthening
good neighbourly relations, including with EU Member States.
Implementing bilateral agreements in good faith and with tangible
results, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty
on Good Neighbourly Relations with Bulgaria, remains important in
this regard. Further and decisive efforts need to be devoted to
reconciliation and regional stability, as well as to finding and
implementing definitive, inclusive and binding solutions to
partners’ bilateral disputes and issues rooted in the legacy of the
past, in line with international law and established principles,
including the Agreement on Succession Issues. We welcome the recent
appointment of the EU Special Representative for the
Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues.
10. The close cooperation of the Western Balkans
in the framework of existing regional structures has shown its value
in confronting the COVID-19 crisis. The EU will continue to support
such inclusive regional cooperation and urges the Western Balkans
leaders to fully exploit the potential of regional cooperation to
facilitate the economic recovery after the crisis. This requires
strong commitment by the entire region to continue deepening
regional economic integration, building on EU rules and standards
and thereby bringing the region and its companies closer to the EU
Internal Market. Developing this dimension, including through the
Regional Economic Area (REA), can help make the region more
attractive for investment.
11. Once we exit the immediate measures to contain
the COVID 19 pandemic, a new phase of close cooperation to tackle
the significant socio-economic impact of the crisis will follow.
Building on the Communication of 29 April, the European Commission
is invited to come forward with a robust economic and investment
plan for the region aiming to boost the economies while improving
their competitiveness, to better connect them within the region and
with the EU. Investment is of utmost importance to spur the
long-term recovery of the region and to support the necessary
reforms to continue moving on the European path and to close the
disparities by bringing the benefits to the region faster. The
Western Balkans should transform into functioning market economies
able to fully link to the EU’s single market, to create jobs and
entrepreneurial opportunities to improve the business and investment
climate and to promote the rule of law. In this endeavour, a
prominent role should be given to the association of the region to
the EU’s climate-related ambitions, in line with the Paris
Agreement, to promoting the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, as
well as to furthering the digital economy and, strengthening
connectivity in all its dimensions: transport, energy, digital and
people-to-people, including tourism and culture. The focus should
also be put on social development, and in particular on measures in
the areas of health, education, social policy, and creating further
opportunities for the youth.
12. The EU and the Western Balkans share a number
of security challenges that demand coordinated individual and
collective action. We agree to advance our cooperation on core
security issues with more determination and in a more systematic
way, including at operational level. The partners pledge to
complement these efforts by developing inclusive instruments for
intra-Western Balkans cooperation, drawing, where relevant, on EU
tools and frameworks.
13. Preventing and countering terrorism and
extremism, including the financing, radicalisation and return of
foreign terrorist fighters require particular attention.
14. The EU and the Western Balkans partners
recognise that results in the fight against corruption and organised
crime are essential for the region’s political and socio-economic
transformation and for regional stability and security, which are in
the best interest of their people. Stronger efforts and a solid
track record are needed in these areas, building on the significant
results achieved through IPA-funded activities.
15. The Western Balkans partners, in cooperation
with the EU and with each other, will continue to take resolute
actions against human trafficking, drug cultivation, money
laundering and smuggling of human beings and drugs. The fight
against the illicit trafficking of weapons provides an excellent
example of how we can increase our security when we work together
towards a common objective.
16. Our cooperation to tackle migration
challenges, including combating the smuggling of migrants has
demonstrated its value and will be further developed and profit from
tools such as the cooperation with Frontex, EASO and Europol. The
remaining Frontex status agreements should be concluded without
delay. The EU will continue to support the improvement of reception
capacities in the Western Balkans.
17. Energy security should be prioritised,
including the diversification of sources and routes.
18. The EU welcomes the contribution of Western
Balkans’ partners to the EU missions and operations. The EU expects
a further deepening of cooperation in the area of Common Foreign and
Security Policy (CFSP) and reiterates its calls on all partners to
progress towards full alignment with EU foreign policy positions,
notably on issues where major common interests are at stake, and to
act accordingly.
19. In order to further promote our shared
interests the EU leaders express readiness to reinvigorate the
political dialogue, including regularly at a high-level, between the
EU and the Western Balkans.
20. We welcome that our Western Balkans partners
align themselves with the above points.
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