Western Balkan 6 Strategy Group for an effective EU-enlargement policy

The recent failure of the EU Council to agree on the opening of membership negotiations with

North Macedonia and Albania seriously damaged the EU’s credibility as an advocate for reform and

transition.

Rather than discussing alternative frameworks, the enlargement policy is in need of new impetus

to strengthen its effectiveness and credibility.

This paper brings into focus three separate, but interrelated issues that will be decisive for the success

of Croatia and Germany’s subsequent EU presidencies in the WB countries:

a) The way the EU manages to keep positive reform momentum after the negative decision on

North Macedonia and Albania of October 2019;

b) The way the EU handles its facilitation role in the Serbia-Kosovo “normalization process”;

c) The way Croatia behaves towards its immediate neighbour Bosnia-Herzegovina;