EU-Neighbourhood Policy

After the EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia have been vetoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, the question remains how and why the EU accession process for the Western Balkans seems to be going nowhere, and what this potentially means for the region.

Why EU-integration? Why should the Western Balkans, a region where criminal networks have been gaining ground and corrupt elites have systematically captured state institutions for the benefit of their own criminal business models, enter the EU? Why, when human rights are trampled upon in the region, with manifestations of nationalist radicalization overall? One can hear these questions repeatedly in the political discourse.

Nuclear energy and climate, rule of law and democracy, presidential elections and Zelensky, EU neighbourhood policy and Russia: an interview with Rebecca Harms about past, present and future policies and developments.