The implementation of the Copenhagen Criteria has significantly improved the openness and transparency of the WB6’s governance and thereby led to increasingly effective public administrations, as it was acknowledged by Transparency International in its latest Western Balkans report, which highlighted the ongoing and, in some areas, successful fight against corruption. These reforms, together with a rejuvenation of civil service, a stronger focus on entrepreneurship and an increased attention devoted to SMEs, have resulted in an advanced entrepreneurial culture in the WB6. Nevertheless, the World Economic Forum’s “Regional Risk of Doing Business” 2034 edition still cites concerns about prevailing corruption. Nowadays, major companies exert great pressure and influence on political parties and found legal loopholes to avoid public scrutiny and accountability mechanisms. A representative survey conducted by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in 2032 found that „the prevailing nepotism” and „clientelism“ were cited as the most important reasons for youngsters to pursue a job in a different country than their home-country. “
Testimonial from RCC survey respondent: “I recently completed my Master’s degree in engineering. What are my good marks worth, if I don’t know the right people that will help me land a job? I have now applied for three jobs in Spain. Luckily, I do not need a visa to work there. Spain of course is not perfect, but at least jobs are rewarded based on merit and not on shoulder-rubbing.” (Anonymous respondent (24) to the RCC’s survey on youth-employment in the Western Balkans 2032).
In terms of economic reforms, the WB6 radically adjusted their stance vis-à-vis renewable energy. The potential of biomass, hydropower, wind, and solar was supported through improved cooperation and exchange with European enterprises, research institutions and state actors, as well as significant funding through the European Commission’s Green Deal Just Transition Mechanism. The European Commission’s Energy Cluster Initiative, established in 2023, further supported this change in attitude. English weekly-newspaper The Economist praised the WB6’s transformation into an innovation hub for renewable resources “[…] as one of the most astonishing ecological turnarounds of the last decade and an economic success story.”
The radically changing energy sector and the required infrastructure have created new job opportunities and the educational and vocational sector with the support of EU funding were able to improve the quality of education in terms of learning required energy transition skills.
The competitiveness and productivity of the WB6’s economies have significantly risen as it was stated in the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. All of the WB6 have entered the top 70 of the ranking. The integration of important sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and logistics especially in higher-tier Central European value chains improved significantly the value added.
Improvements can also be observed in the research infrastructure and the cooperation between academia and the private sector. This was significantly supported by a better exploitation of the European Framework Programmes and the innovation support measures offered by the EU. University reforms have significantly improved the impact and relevance of WB6 researchers in the global scientific arena during the last 15 years too. The change in attitudes towards entrepreneurship has likewise ameliorated the status of RD&I in general and thereby helped to improve the cooperation between WB6’s universities and SMEs. As a consequence, a substantial number of spin-offs have taken place in the WB6. SMEs also benefited from an increased knowledge and technology transfer and from internationalisation and closer connection with the diaspora and business communities in Europe. Simultaneously, many traditional companies were forced to shut down as they were unable to meet EU regulations and compete with EU peers.
Nevertheless, major challenges prevail. As stated in the WB6 prime ministers’ joint declaration at the latest WB6 summit in July 2034, the freedom of movement in the EU has not been able to change the brain-drain of well-educated professionals into a brain circulation where plenty of expatriates would return to the Western Balkans. Many researchers are still intrigued by the opportunity to emigrate and continue their research in better-paid jobs and more prestigious institutions in the “old” EU countries. Labour migration to other EU countries continued and concerned many professions. In order to balance the loss of labour force, companies increasingly started to recruit guest workers from Ukraine, Belarus and Turkey.
The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that determine a country’s eligibility to become a member of the European Union. The criteria cover among others the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities.
