Connecting Western Balkans to the European Union (original) (raw)
Related papers
THE EU PRESCRIBES ASEAN TYPE ‘CONNECTIVITY’ FOR THE BALKANS
Hürriyet Daily News, 2018
“Connectivity” is not an often used term in EU enlargement or integration terminology. “Connectivity” is in fact one of the foundational concepts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to ASEAN, “Connectivity is an integral part of building the ASEAN Community that will contribute to a more resilient and well-connected ASEAN. Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity would continue to benefit all ASEAN Member States through improved physical, institutional and people-to-people linkages.” It should be noted that ASEAN’s conception of regional integration is not as comprehensive and deep as that of the EU’s, meaning that it leaves much more room for individuality among member states and is not geared towards the creation of a supranational entity.
Transport Policy to create a Western Balkans market: How to mirror the EU's experience
Athens: ATINER'S Conference Paper Series, No: TRA2019-2694., 2019
The creation of a United Europe continues to evolve. For the complete mosaic image called European Union (EU), the part of the Western Balkans still remains to be assembled. Last but not so simple step to attain final stage. This region is characterized as historically vulnerable, sensitive, mixed with many nationalities, similar but still different. Economically underdeveloped and vulnerable, socially unstable and politically aroused, the Western Balkans are still far from a stable European core. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the Western Balkans, adjusted for purchasing power parity, is half that of eastern European EU countries, one-third that of southern EU members and a mere quarter of the richest EU members in western Europe. The question that imposes itself is: how to overcome those differences among Balkans countries, to complete the historical vision and final mosaic puzzle of European Union? We should look for the solution historically for several decades back when creating the United Europe model. Prosperous and contemporizing Europe began its vision with the creation of a common market. And the market gives its benefits only with its physical ties i.e. transport and communication links. Transport links between the countries of the Western Balkans, with all accompanying economic, political and administrative adjustments, can contribute to realizing the single market as crucial phase of development of a United Europe. Future hopes and views are focused on finalizing Pan-European transport corridors in the Western Balkan countries, through which the trade peaks will be strengthened, overcoming the decades-long problems and conflicts in this part of Europe, and to achieve the long-awaited model for a Common European Union. But we must be realistic enough to see that transport infrastructure is not some miraculous tool with which to solve a society's development problems. It is only one part of the story. Transport must work in union with national development programmes, physical planning, investment, economic and monetary policy, custom and legal regulations. But we must acknowledge that, in many respects, the quality and success of life of Balkan‟s citizens depends on the vitality and responsibility of implementation many structural changes. One of the crucial factors is still transport infrastructure. Keywords: Western Balkan, Regional cooperation, Common market, Transport policy, Transport corridor.
Balkan cities towards European networking
EURA 2017 Conference „City locked in networks”, 2017
This paper presents the contemporary urban policies and strategies related to cities’ networks and specifically those of the Balkan area, a region in transition. The term of Europeanisation refers to a number of patterns concerning the process of adopting the EU features and among others the tools of social, economic and urban policies that apply to cities towards a European profile. Projects such as URBAN, and URBACT and the institution of European Capital of Culture are analyzed in the context of their proposals, objectives and perspectives. Further reference to the European practices reveals the importance of the urban networks that are created among cities in order for their integration. Within this framework, the cities of Balkans consist of areas of interest due to their multifaceted character with historical, political, economic and cultural dimensions. Through specific examples of Balkan cities it is attempted an exploration of their actions and planning processes that refer to public sustainability, social participation and urban regeneration. With a reference to Balkan programmes and projects, such as Balkan Mediterranean, are explored the potential of strategic planning and implementation of actions, that comply with the particular needs and priorities of Balkan cities. In this point a question arises concerning the impact of local identity and its prevalence over any European’s. It remains to be seen whether the existing urban networks foster initiatives of trans-European networks of cooperation and prosperity among European regions, taking into account local characteristics and the specific identity of the Balkan area.
Western Balkans: Deep Integration with EU Relies on Internal Integration
Atlas of Challenges and Opportunities in European Neighbourhoods, 2016
This atlas provides a macro-regional overview of the areas that surround the European Union, from the Sahara to the Middle East, Western Balkans to European Russia, Turkey to the Arctic. Detailing key socio-economic data as well as developmental trends, the maps provide a comprehensive territorial analysis at a local scale and explore the potential for regional integration and cooperation.These pioneering maps examine challenges that threaten this wide, yet inter-connected, region, including environmental concerns in the North, political unrest in the East, social factors in the Western Balkans, and the upheaval in the Mediterranean since the Arab spring. Coverage investigates such key countries and areas as Libya, Israel, Palestine, Syria, and the Ukraine as well as explores such essential issues as Europe’s energy procurement. In addition, it also presents a comparison with other world regions such as East Asia and North America.In the end, readers discover that territorial integration faces many shortcomings, but that deep regional cooperation would be a key driver for the EU’s sustainable future. This atlas features the main results of the “Integrated Territorial Analysis of the Neighbourhoods” research project undertaken by ESPON (The European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion). It provides scholars; local authorities and NGOs involved in cross-border cooperation; companies interested in energy, agriculture, water, transportation and communication; and interested readers with key insights into this important region. This chapter focuses on four stakes: (i) the huge demographic changes of the Western Balkans, and the mobility issue namely due to a re-bordering process since the end of the Yugoslavian wars ; (ii) the undeniable income rise but also rising social disparities; (iii) an economy which is just recovering with strong geographical fragmentation; (iv) in the field of environment, an early stage regulation and the necessity for a rising international cooperation with the European union. We highlight a still low international openness, an obvious core-periphery
Balkans: the South-Eastern gateway
In this paper we focus on these links, trying to assess the degree of economic and commercial integration between the European Union and Balkans, with a specific focus on Italy.
It is familiar to all of us that the European Union policy plays a particular role in developing regional cooperation in Southeast Europe promoting cooperation through a ‘regional approach’ within the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) in the Western Balkan countries aiming to join the Union. As a result, regional cooperation is defined as a necessary element in each non-member state’s integration policy into the EU. Today, Southeast Europe is involved in a considerable number of multilateral initiatives, ranging from general political initiatives, to based forms of cooperation.
The European Union Politics in the Western Balkans
The Western Balkans is a politically, economically, and socially diverse region. It has severe structural development problems that are common in all parts of the region: visible signs of half a century of the socialist Yugoslav system followed by the loss of an entire decade in wars, sanctions, and the displacement of populations. The international factor and in particular the European Union , NATO and the United States were involved in the Western Balkans, motivated by security interests and an increase of their prestige, and have set as their goal the creation of long-lasting stability, peace, and prosperity. The European Union policy towards the region is based on the Stabilisation and Association Process launched in 1999, which has been successful in transforming Central and Eastern Europe. The purpose of the Stabilisation and Association Process is to bring peace, stability, and economic development in the region, and to open the perspective of integration in the European Union. Since the Thessaloniki Summit in June 2003, all Western Balkan countries have been confirmed as "potential candidates" for membership in the European Union. In order to facilitate the fulfillment of required criteria by the Western Balkan countries, the Council of Europe gathered in Thessaloniki in June 2003 and decided to create the so-called "European Partnership" instrument. This instrument seeks to identify the priorities of individual countries in meeting the membership criteria. Currently the Western Balkans is in the stabilisation stage with a peace process that is becoming stronger. The road towards integration in the Euro-Atlantic structures is within reach for the countries of the region, however, several challenges exist.
On the need for connectivity and a new strategic approach to building road infrastructure in the Balkans, 2023
The Bulgarian state is characterized by its geostrategic location. However, the country has not taken advantage of its natural localization. The main reasons for this are the lack of strategic thinking and implementation of a targeted and active transport policy within Bulgaria and the Balkans. This policy includes the planning and realization of projects in the field of strategic infrastructure. The policy is adopted in the context of the trans-European transport corridors. This will create conditions for connectivity between Bulgarian regions and conditions for stimulating cross-border cooperation. In this direction, the authors analyze the transport sector and infrastructure in Bulgaria to highlight the important areas where the Bulgarian state needs to take urgent action. In this regard, it is necessary to formulate the major priorities that will take place in a new strategy for the transport sector. The strategy is related to the reconducting of political activities, measures, and acceleration of the investments in Bulgaria's strategic road infrastructure.