Perspectives on the Economic Integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union

Le résumé fourni par la source

In this paper, the authors analyze the perspectives of the economic integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union (EU).The work is dedicated to the study of the exchange of the Western Balkans with the EU in comparison with the exchange within the EU from March 2020 to February 2022.The analysis shows that the economic (trade) relations between the partners have become stronger in the post-COVID period.The goods of the Western Balkans, mostly traded with the EU, are not characterized by interindustry complementarity.Concentrations of trading partners have been different, leading to these Western Balkan countries facing different recoveries.One positive exception is Serbia, which has a diversified trade system with various partners from non-EU countries.EU membership remains attractive for the Western Balkans, but it is dependent on the fulfillment of criteria that may prolong the entire accession process.Restructuring of the global value chain and supply chain, EU financial aid to the Western Balkans for recovery, and high inflation in the EU show different perspectives for the accession of the Western Balkan countries to the EU.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.