A GOOD GLOBAL GATEWAY PROJECT
Western Balkans’ path to EU integration: seizing opportunities and advancing reforms
June 10, 2024
CRM Update from Bosnia and Herzegovina
June 21, 2024
This short paper focuses on the EU Connectivity Trilemma. Defined as the ability to navigate three different and sometimes competing objectives of: i) EU geo-political imperatives; ii) assuring financial viability of EU-supported projects; and, iii) supporting local development in the beneficiary country when engaging in infrastructure project in 3rd countries, the connectivity trilemma has direct impact on project’s success.
Many elements of response can be found in Western Balkans. Over the past decade, the EU has co-financed over 85 connectivity projects in the WB6, investing EUR 7.7 billion in grants, with additional support from IFI-leveraged loans. These projects span various sectors, including transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and environmental initiatives.
Can EU connectivity expertise gained in Western Balkans offer lessons on how to design a Global Gateway Project that provides value for money, helps local development, and contributes to EU and its local partners’ resilience? How to make those Global Gateway projects attractive for EU business actors?
In this paper we present a brief assessment of EU connectivity endeavor in Western Balkans during the last decade. The main conclusions from “External dimension of EU Connectivity” conference, are complemented by a list of recommendations emanating from EU and Western Balkans connectivity stakeholders.
The event was organized by CDI as a Berlin Process Spring Event and under the auspices of the Belgium Presidency of the Council of the EU. It was supported by the German Federal Office, Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Hanns Seidel Foundation.
Tags: Connectivity, Western Balkans, SEE6, Civil Society , Good Governance
