Thewesternbalkans.
On 5 June 2026, EU and Western Balkans leaders met in Tivat, Montenegro, under the theme ‘Shared prosperity and stability of the EU and the Western Balkans‘.
The summit, held six months after the last summit in Brussels, was chaired by the President of the European Council and hosted by the President of Montenegro. The EU was also represented by the President of the European Commission. Regular EU-Western Balkans summits have been held since 2018.
Main message from the summit is that “The Western Balkans are an integral part of the European Union’s future. Their accession remains Union’s priority and a crucial geopolitical investment“.
During the summit, leaders assessed the progress made in the gradual integration of the Western Balkans with the EU, and discussed how to advance it further, notably through the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
The EU is committed to bringing the Western Balkans partners closer to the EU during the enlargement process.
The gradual integration of the Western Balkans partners, carried out in a reversible and merit-based manner, is ongoing in several policy areas, bringing concrete benefits for citizens and preparing the ground for accession.
Launched in 2023, the Growth Plan aims to encourage faster socio-economic convergence with the EU and gradual integration into the EU single market by:
- enhancing the economic integrationof the Western Balkans partners in the EU single market;
- advancing regional economic cooperationthrough the Common Regional Market;
- incentivising EU-related reforms by providing up to €6 billion for reforms and investments.
Leaders also discussed enlargement. It provided an opportunity for the EU to reiterate its full and unequivocal commitment to the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans.
President Costa underlined that the accession of the Western Balkans partners remains a priority and a crucial geopolitical investment, and that the process is and will remain grounded on merit and credible reforms. He also encouraged all partners to use the current momentum to take all the necessary steps to accelerate their progress on the European Union path.
“Our discussion today showed our shared ambition to deliver as soon as possible on enlargement. That’s why we are considering new ideas to streamline and accelerate the process. To increase trust in the European Union and increase the motivation of the Western Balkan partners,” said President Costa. He added also some important milestones which demonstrate the momentum for enlargement:
- Last month, the European Union began drafting Montenegro’s accession treaty. For the first time since 2013, we are really counting down to the next enlargement. For Montenegro to become the 28th Member State by 2028.
- An Intergovernmental Conference with Albania was held last week, which opened up the next phase in the accession process. In addition, the Commission has proposed to close three negotiation chapters with Albania.
- And the Serbian government presented a concrete calendar to approve the missing elements of the electoral law reform and to complete the judiciary reform in line with the ODIRH and Venice Commission recommendations, in the coming weeks.
- And very importantly, this week, the EU is unlocking the process for opening the first enlargement cluster for Ukraine and Moldova
This is a proof that reforms and engagement with all actors of society pay off. And that the European Union is committed to enlargement.
Leaders also examined how to address common challenges and strengthen security and resilience, against the backdrop of an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
Full alignment of the Western Balkans partners with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy remains an essential expression of the unity.
At a time of rising geopolitical uncertainty and economic instability, leaders discussed how to increase cooperation on foreign, security and defence policy matters:
- in particular by strengthening the Western Balkans’ armed forces through the European Peace Facility and increasing collaboration through security and defence partnerships and dialogues;
- in building resilience to cyber and other hybrid threats, to counter foreign information manipulation and interference, including through the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the European Democracy Shield, and the Rapid Alert System (RAS) against disinformation.
On 4 June, the EU took the decision to start negotiations with the Western Balkans partners to integrate them into the ‘Roam Like at Home‘ area. This would enable their citizens to make calls, send text messages and use mobile data while travelling abroad without paying additional roaming charges, under the same conditions as at home.
Comments: Between 1 and 4 June 2026 President Costa travelled to the region and met the leaders of Western Balkans partners. They discussed opportunities and challenges related to enlargement, gradual integration, regional cooperation, security and stability. Most of the bilateral issues have been discussed and some of them resolved during these meetings. Only positive declarations and decisions remained for the summit. But there is not a common declaration, nor any other common document issued by the summit.
It is important to see the EU Enlargement Agenda according to Antonio Costa’s remarks at the press conference after the summit: Montenegro goes to full membership in 2028, Albania continue very fast and confidently the negotiation process, and the Serbian government presented a concrete calendar to approve the missing elements of the electoral law reform and to complete the judiciary reform. There is not a single word for Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.
When it comes to security and defence, full alignment of the Western Balkans partners with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy remains an essential expression of the unity. Not a precondition for enlargement, but expression of unity. It means that in Brussels they are already preparing the ground for a new leader in Belgrade.
